Interface Theories for Component-Based Design

Abstract. We classify component-based models of computation into component models and interface models. A component model speci es for each component how the component behaves in an arbitrary environment an interface model speci es for each component what the component expects from the environment. Component models support compositional abstraction, and therefore component-basedveri cation. Interface models support compositional renement, and therefore component-based design. Many aspects of interface models, such as compatibility and re nement checking between interfaces, are properlyviewed in a game-theoreticsetting,wherethe input and outputvalues of an interface are chosen by di erent players. 1 Interfaces vs. Components, Informally A generic way of depicting system structure is the block diagram. A block diagram consists of entities called blocks related by an interconnect, which speci es a topology for communication between the blocks. A block may represent a physical or logical c...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2001
• Where: EMSOFT
• Authors: Luca de Alfaro, Thomas A. Henzinger
• Keywords: Component Description, Component Models, EMSOFT 2001, Interface Models, Software Engineering