Refinement of Information Flow Architectures

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal calculus for the stepwise refinement of information flow architectures, enabling hierarchical composition and systematic modification of system components based on a mathematical model.

Contribution

It provides a novel formal framework for refining information flow architectures using relations between communication histories and hierarchical views.

Findings

Defines a mathematical model for information flow components

Introduces rules for adding, removing, and replacing components

Ensures correctness through a refinement relation on architectures

Abstract

A calculus is presented for the stepwise refinement of abstract information flow architectures. We give a mathematical model for information flow components based on relations between input and output communication histories, and describe system architectures using two views: the glass box view is a network of basic components, while the black box view regards the network itself as a component. This allows us to hierarchically compose systems. The calculus consists of basic rules to add or remove components and channels, and to replace components by subnetworks and vice versa. The correctness of the rules is justified by the refinement relation on the black box view of architectures.