Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

An approach to the design of distributed systems with B AMN

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
ZUM '97: The Z Formal Specification Notation (ZUM 1997)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1212))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 167 Accesses

Abstract

In this paper, we describe an approach to the design of distributed systems with B AMN. The approach is based on the action-system formalism which provides a framework for developing state-based parallel reactive systems. More specifically, we use the so-called CSP approach to action systems in which interaction between subsystems is by synchronised message passing and there is no sharing of state. We show that the abstract machines of B may be regarded as action systems and show how reactive refinement and decomposition of action systems may be applied to abstract machines. The approach fits in closely with the stepwise refinement method of B.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. J.R. Abrial. The B-Book: Assigning Programs to Meanings. Cambridge University Press, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  2. J.R. Abrial. Extending B without changing it (for developing distributed systems). In H. Habrias, editor, First B Conference, November 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  3. R.J.R. Back. Correctness Preserving Program Refinements: Proof Theory and Applications. Tract 131, Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  4. R.J.R. Back and M.J. Butler. Exploring summation and product operators in the refinement calculus. In B. Möller, editor, Mathematics of Program Construction, 1995, volume LNCS 947, pages 128–158. Springer-Verlag, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  5. R.J.R. Back and R. Kurki-Suonio. Decentralisation of process nets with centralised control. In 2nd ACM SIGACT-SIGOPS Symp. on Principles of Distributed Computing, pages 131–142, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R.J.R. Back and K. Sere. Stepwise refinement of parallel algorithms. Sci. Comp. Prog., 13:133–180, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  7. J.A. Bergstra and J.W. Klop. Algebra of communicating processes with abstraction. Theoret. Comp. Sci., 37:77–121, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  8. M.J. Butler. A CSP Approach To Action Systems. D.Phil. Thesis, Programming Research Group, Oxford University, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  9. M.J. Butler. Stepwise refinement of communicating systems. Science of Computer Programming, 27(2):139–173, September 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  10. M.J. Butler and M. Waldén. Distributed system development in B. In H. Habrias, editor, First B Conference, November 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  11. E.W. Dijkstra. A Discipline of Programming. Prentice-Hall, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  12. C.A.R. Hoare. Communicating Sequential Processes. Prentice-Hall, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  13. K. Lano and J.Dick. Development of concurrent systems in B AMN. In He Jifeng, editor, 7th BCS-FACS Refinement Workshop, Workshops in Computing. Springer-Verlag, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. Milner. Communication and Concurrency. Prentice-Hall, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  15. C.C. Morgan. Of wp and CSP. In W.H.J. Feijen, A.J.M. van Gasteren, D. Gries, and J. Misra, editors, Beauty is our business: a birthday salute to Edsger W. Dijkstra. Springer-Verlag, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  16. C.C. Morgan and T. Vickers, editors. On the Refinement Calculus. Formal Approaches to Computing and Information Technology. Springer, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  17. J.M. Morris. Laws of data refinement. Acta Informatica, 26:287–308, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  18. D.S. Nielson and I.H. Sorensen. The B-technologies: a system for computer aided programming. In U.H. Engberg, K.G. Larsen, and P.D. Mosses, editors, 6th Nordic Workshop on Programming Theory. BRICS, October 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  19. M. Waldén and K. Sere. Refining action systems within B-Tool. In Formal Methods Europe (FME'96), volume LNCS 1051, pages 85–104. Springer-Verlag, March 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  20. J.C.P. Woodcock and C.C. Morgan. Refinement of state-based concurrent systems. In D. Bjørner, C.A.R. Hoare, and H. Langmaack, editors, VDM '90, volume LNCS 428, pages 340–351. Springer-Verlag, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Electronics & Computer Science, Univ. of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, Highfield, Southampton, UK

    Michael Butler

Authors
  1. Michael Butler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Jonathan P. Bowen Michael G. Hinchey David Till

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Butler, M. (1997). An approach to the design of distributed systems with B AMN. In: Bowen, J.P., Hinchey, M.G., Till, D. (eds) ZUM '97: The Z Formal Specification Notation. ZUM 1997. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1212. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0027291

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0027291

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-62717-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-68490-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation