Computer Aided Multi-paradigm Modelling to Process Petri-Nets and Statecharts

This paper proposes a Multi-Paradigm approach to the modelling of complex systems. The approach consists of the combination of meta-modelling, multi-formalism modelling, and modelling at multiple levels of abstraction. We implement these concepts in AToM, A Tool for Multi-formalism, Meta-Modelling. In AToM, modelling formalisms are modelled in their own right at a meta-level within an appropriate formalism. AToM uses the information found in the meta-models to automatically generate tools to process (create, edit, check, optimize, transform and generate simulators for) the models in the described formalism. Model processing is described at a meta-level by means of models in the graph grammar formalism. As an example, meta-models for both syntax and semantics of Statcharts (without hierarchy) and Petri-Nets are presented. This includes a graph grammar modelling the transformation between Statecharts and Petri-Nets.