Team presentation

Our main goal consists in the modelling of concurrent communicating systems and the implementation of related languages and verification systems. The class of models studied is that of process calculi, simple algebraic formalisms specially dedicated to the representation of concurrency issues. Synchronous reactive formalisms (such as the Esterel and RC languages) form a second key class of models. This type of formalisms aims at real-time programming with logical preemptive events.

Meije is a common project with the Centre for Applied Mathematics (CMA) from the École des mines de Paris (ENSMP) in Sophia Antipolis.

Research themes

• Our fundamental research on communicating systems is now directed towards the combination of parallel modelling with functional programming paradigms (communication of processes along channels, dynamic links, mobile processes).
• For Esterel, two distinct compilation technologies now allow code to be produced either as finite state machine or as boolean equation systems. In the second case, the compiler is interfaced with systems for hardware synthesis. New analysis techniques let us characterize exact constructive causality of events.
• The Auto/Graph and Fc2Tools verification systems (analysis by the reduction/abstraction of transition and network systems) offer new and efficient algorithmic modules based on the symbolic representation of data. These systems are interfaced with Esterel through the graphical environment Xeve and thus admit both synchronous and asynchronous networks as input.
• The Reactive C language is used as an assembly level reactive platform on which higher-level formalisms, such as reactive objects or reactive scripts, are based. These introduce dynamic behaviours in the framework of object brokers.

International and industrial relations

• The Esterel compiler together with its graphical simulator Xes is distributed by ftp. An industrial version is commercialized by Simulog.
• The Fc2 Tools verification system and software developments for the RC language are also available by ftp on the Web site http://www.inria.fr/meije/.
• Participation in the Esprit LTR Syrf project and in a number of EC HCM programmes.
• Participation in national programmes such as the CNRS PRC "PRS", and in the "C2A Synchrone" working group.
• Established industrial relations with Dassault Aviation, Thomson, Digital, Cnet, Alcatel, and various industrial users of Esterel.
• Reactive C and its derived languages are being used extensively by Soft Mountain, an INRIA spin-off company.
• Academic collaborations with the universities of UC Berkeley, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Pisa, Sussex, and Aalborg, as well as CWI and the French-Chinese laboratory cofunded by INRIA.