On modelling communication in ubiquitous computing systems using Algebraic Higher Order Nets

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing systems (UCSs) are designed to participate almost imperceptibly in everyday life. To ensure a solid operation, a UCS heavily depends on a reliable and efficient communication between its distributed computing components. Moreover components can join and leave the system at any time. In order to guarantee high quality systems, the use of models is inevitable especially at an early stage of the development process where models are the only possibility to address a system which does not yet exist in reality. Petri nets and graph transformation systems are established, theoretically well-founded concepts for modelling and analysing complex systems. This paper presents a formal approach for modelling core aspects of the communication in UCSs by using Algebraic Higher Order Nets with Individual Tokens and graph transformation. The approach is suitable to cover the different aspects of communication and enables the analysis of specific properties. The approach and its suitability are illustrated based on a running example. The feasibility of embedding the approach in a broader context of modelling is demonstrated in applying it to a real world system: the Living Place Hamburg.