Yu Zhenhua,Cai Yuanli
(School of Electronics and Information Engineering,Xi'an Jiaotong University,Xi'an 710049,China)
Abstract: A novel architecture description language (OPNADL)that is based on object-oriented Petri nets was proposed.Comparing with the current architecture description languages,OPNADL can describe the static and dynamic semantics,analyze the dynamic behaviors of the software system by making use of the well-established analysis methods for Petri nets,and visually and intuitively depict the overall and individual characteristics of the system.Moreover,the software architecture based on OPNADL can be simulated,analyzed,verified and validated by the supporting tools of Petri nets.Through applying OPNADL to police geographical information system and flexible manufacturing teaching system,it is demonstrated that OPNADL can help architecture designers to effectively analyze and design the complicated,distributed and concurrent software systems,and has bright application perspective．
Keywords:software architecture;architecture description language; object-oriented Petri nets