[SDL Forum Society - Logo] Tutorial on SDL-88
Belina, Hogrefe (edits Reed)

1.2 Application area

Back Up Next

The Specification and Description Language is mainly known within the telecommunication field, but it has broader application area. The application area can be summarized as follows:

type of system:           real time, interactive, distributed,

type of information:    behaviour and structure,

level of abstraction:    overview to details.

The Specification and Description Language was developed for use in telecommunication systems including data communication, but actually it can be used in all real- time and interactive systems. It has been designed for the specification and description of the way systems behave where there is inter-working between the system and its environment. It is also intended for the description of the internal structure of a system, so that the system can be developed and understood one part at a time. This feature is essential for distributed systems.

The Specification and Description Language covers different levels of abstraction, from a broad overview down to detailed design level. A key use is to create executable models at a reasonably high level of abstraction. Although the language was not originally intended to be for implementation, translation to code is both possible and practical, because (provided 'informal text' is not used) the state machine model can be executed. The usual path is to convert to 'C' or Java, but translation directly to machine code of a virtual or real processor is also done.

Back Up Next

Contact the webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1997-May, 2013 SDL Forum Society