Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pragmatic Formal Specification of System Properties by Tables

  • Chapter
Software, Services, and Systems

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 8950))

Abstract

We suggest tables as pragmatic tractable specification formalism for a precise as well as readable specification of systems, their interfaces, as well as their functional properties. Translating tables into logical formulae defines a precise semantics for them. Writing logical formulae in a structured way by tables makes them better usable for engineering purposes. Tables are considered better structured, easier to read, to comprehend, to analyze, or at least easier to communicate than large logical formulae. On the other hand logical formulae are better suited to derive properties by deduction steps applying logical calculi. By translating tables into formulae of predicate logic and vice versa, we provide a bridge between the conciseness of readable suggestive specifications and the preciseness of mathematical methods in software and systems engineering.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Broy, M.: (Inter-)Action Refinement: The Easy Way. In: Broy, M. (ed.) Program Design Calculi. Springer NATO ASI Series, Series F: Computer and System Sciences, vol. 118, pp. 121–158. Springer, Heidelberg (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Broy, M.: Specification and Refinement of a Buffer of Length One. Marktoberdorf Summer School 1994 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Broy, M.: Algebraic Specification of Reactive Systems. In: Nivat, M., Wirsing, M. (eds.) AMAST 1996. LNCS, vol. 1101, pp. 487–503. Springer, Heidelberg (1996)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Broy, M.: The specification of System Components by State Transition Diagrams (unpublished Manuscript 1996)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Broy, M., Dederichs, F., Dendorfer, C., Fuchs, M., Gritzner, T.F., Weber, R.: The Design of Distributed Systems - an Introduction to Focus. Technische Universität München, Institut für Informatik, TUM-I9203 (January 1992)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fuchs, M.: Funktionale Spezifikation einer Geschwindigkeitsregelung; Technische Universität München, Institut für Informatik, TUM-INFO, SFB-Bericht 342/1/93 (January 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  7. GRAPES-Referenzmanual, DOMINO, Integrierte Verfahrenstechnik. Siemens AG, Bereich Daten-und Informationstechnik (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Heninger, K., Kallander, J., Parnas, D.L., Shore, J.: Software Requirementsforthe A-7E Aircraft. NRL Report 3876 (November 1978)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Heninger, K.L.: Specifying Software Requirements for Complex Systems: New Techniques and Their Application. IEEE Transactions Software Engineering SE-6(1) (January 1980)

    Google Scholar 

  10. CCITT, Recommendation Z.100, Specification and Description Language (SDL), ITU-T (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  11. L. Lamport: How to Write a Long Formula. DIGITAL Systems Research Center, SRC 119 (December 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Parnas, D.L.: Tabular Representation of Relations. CRL Report #260, McMaster University (September 1992)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Parnas, D.L.: Predicate Logic for Software Engineering. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 19(9) (September 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Petre, M.: Why Looking Isn’t Always Seeing. Comm. ACM 38(6), 33–44 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Broy, M., Facchi, Ch., Grosu, R., Hettler, R., Hußmann, H., Nazareth, D., Regensburger, F., Stolen, K.: The Requirement and Design Specification Language Spectrum. Technische Universität München, Institut für Informatik, TUM-I9140 (October 1991)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Spies, K.: Funktionale Spezifikation eines Kommunikationsprotokolls, Technische Universität München, Institut für Informatik, TUM-I9414 (May 1994)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Wirsing, M.: Algebraic Specification. Handbook of Theoretical Computer Science, vol. B, pp. 675–788. North Holland, Amsterdam (1990)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Informatik, Technische Universität München, 80290, München, Germany

    Manfred Broy

Authors
  1. Manfred Broy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. IMT Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca, Piazza S. Francesco, 19, 55100, Lucca, Italy

    Rocco De Nicola

  2. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany

    Rolf Hennicker

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Broy, M. (2015). Pragmatic Formal Specification of System Properties by Tables. In: De Nicola, R., Hennicker, R. (eds) Software, Services, and Systems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 8950. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15545-6_21

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15545-6_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15544-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15545-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation