LOTOS Interpretation of Timethreads: A Method and a Case Study

Timethreads are a new notation for visual description of path behavior. Also, a design process based on timethreads, namely timethread-centered design process, has been defined. In this report, we discuss the integration of the FDT LOTOS in the timethread-centered design process. The objective of such an integration is to provide formal support for timethread transformations with LOTOS. For this purpose, we first define a LOTOS interpretation method for timethreads. The method allows the generation of LOTOS specifications from timethread diagrams. Then, we show how the LOTOS interpretation method for timethreads applies in practice by conducting a case study. This case study also serves to identify topics for future research in relation with the definition of a formal framework to support the timethread-centered design process.