Elsevier

Science of Computer Programming

Volume 109, 1 October 2015, Pages 96-124
Science of Computer Programming

Modular encoding of synchronous and asynchronous interactions using open Petri nets

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scico.2014.11.019Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • A Petri net encoding for process calculi and their operational/behavioural semantics

  • A formal assessment and comparison of synchronous and asynchronous interaction paradigms

  • A methodology for the sound transfer of tools and techniques between Petri nets and process calculi

Abstract

The paper investigates the relationships between two well-known approaches to the modelling of concurrent and distributed systems, process calculi and Petri nets. A framework for the modular encoding of process calculi into Petri nets is proposed, which is based on a reactive variant of Petri nets. In particular, two exemplary calculi are considered: (asynchronous) CCS and CSP, representing alternative interaction paradigms, namely asynchronous and (broadcast) synchronous communication. The encoding is proved to preserve as well as to reflect the operational semantics. As a consequence, it is well-behaved with respect to the standard behavioural equivalences, a fact that is exploited to perform a “technology transfer” between the two formalisms, in terms of un/decidability results for classical properties such as reachability and deadlock-freedom.

The encoding highlights the expressiveness of the proposed reactive variant of nets, as well as paving the way for a fruitful integration of tools and techniques between the visual formalism of nets and the algebraic framework of processes.

Keywords

Open Petri nets
Asynchronous CCS
CSP
Net encoding of processes
Synchronous and asynchronous interaction

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Partly supported by EU FP7-ICT IP 257414 ASCENS, MIUR PRIN 2010LHT4KM CINA, and ANR 121S02001 PACE.