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Grey Box Data Refinement

Boiten, Eerke Albert and Derrick, John (1998) Grey Box Data Refinement. In: Grundy, J. and Schwenke, M. and Vickers, T., eds. International Refinement Workshop & Formal Methods Pacific 1998. Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science . Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, pp. 45-59. ISBN 981-4021-16-4. (KAR id:21607)

Abstract

We introduce the concepts of grey box and display box data types. These make explicit the idea that state variables in abstract data types are not always hidden. Programming languages have visibility rules which make representations observable and modifiable. Specifications in model-based notations may have implicit assumptions about visible state components, or are used in contexts where the representation does matter. Grey box data types are like the ``standard'' black box data types, except that they contain explicit subspaces of the state which are modifiable and observable. Display boxes indirectly observe the state by adding displays to a black box. Refinement rules for both these alternative data types are given, based on their interpretations as black boxes.

Item Type: Book section
Additional information: Held as a joint conference. Also known as IRW/FMP '98. Also incorporates the 7th Australasian refinement workshop and the 4th New Zealand formal program development colloquium
Uncontrolled keywords: data refinement, observability, abstract data type, black box, visibility
Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 76 Software, computer programming,
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Computing
Depositing User: Eerke Boiten
Date Deposited: 25 Aug 2009 15:36 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:59 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/21607 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Boiten, Eerke Albert.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9184-8968
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Derrick, John.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
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