I/O Automata: A Model for Discrete Event Systems

Abstract
The input/output automation model has recently been defined as a tool for modelling concurrent and distributed discrete event systems of the sorts arising in computer science. Since its introduction, the model has been used for describing and reasoning about several different types of systems, including network resource allocation algorithms, communication algorithms, concurrent database systems, shared atomic objects, and data flow architectures. The simplicity and generality of the model and its similarities with other new models suggest that it will prove used in other application areas, such as control theory and manufacturing. This paper is intended to introduce researchers to the model. It is organized as follows. Section 2 contains an overview of the model. Section 3 contains formal definitions and some basic results. Section 4 contains an illustrative example, candy machines. Section 5 contains a second example, a system that elects a leader. Finally, Section 6 contains a survey of some of the uses that have so far been made of the model.

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