HIERARCHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL CLASSES IN THE DEVS-SCHEME SIMULATION ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

DEVS-Scheme is a realization of Zeigler's DEVS (Discrete Event System Specification) formalism in a LISP-based, object-oriented environment which supports specification of discrete event models in hierarchical, modular fashion. Within the DEVS-Scheme environment, the modeler can develop new model classes in an incremental manner by defining new classes, specific to his application domains, based on the existing ones provided by the environment. Concepts of the model-simulator pairing associated with the DEVS formalism and polymorphism inherited from the implementation of such concepts in the object-oriented paradigm make it possible to develop new model classes in such an incremental manner. This paper describes how the concepts of the model-simulator pairing and polymorphism can be exploited in the development of new model classes in DEVS-Scheme. The development of subclasses, suited for simulation modeling for parallel computer systems, of the class kernel-models in DEVS-Scheme is exemplified.