Embedded Systems

Lecture 4: Statecharts

Björn Franke

University of Edinburgh
Overview

• Statecharts

• Definition

• Depth

• History, Default

• Concurrency

• Broadcast

• Example
Statecharts

• Statecharts were introduced by David Harel in 1987

• D. Harel, “Statecharts: A visual formalism for complex systems”, Science

of Computer Programming 8, 1987, pp. 231-274.

• Statecharts are useful for describing large, complex, reactive systems

• a reactive system is one which must continuously react to external and

internal stimuli

• They are a graphic notation (“visual”)

• Lecture based on Kendra Cooper’s notes

 D. Harel, “Statecharts: A visual formalism for complex systems”, Sci
of Computer Programming 8, 1987, pp. 231-274.

Definition• based onareFSM

Statecharts useful for describing large, complex, reactive system
• a reactive system is one which must continuously re
external and internal stimuli

• They are a graphic notation (“visual”)

Statechart = state-diagrams
+ depth (also known as abstraction)
+ orthogonality (also known as concurrency)
+ broadcast communication

The Statechart notation is a kind of extended FSM with abstraction, concur

and communication

State Diagrams
The Statechart notation is a kind of extended FSM with abstraction,
concurrency,• and
Composed of states, transitions
communication.
• transitions from one state to another happen when the event that
labeled on the arc (if any) occurs and the condition (if any) is true
• an output can be associated with the transition
o In the diagram below, the state changes from A to B when
State Diagrams

• Composed of states, transitions

• Transitions from one state to another happen when the event that is labeled
on the arc (if any) occurs and the condition (if any) is true

• An output can be associated with the transition

Example

• State changes from A to B when event b occurs and the condition P is true;
the output is c

• c is global (can be seen everywhere in the Statechart model)

• c can be used as an input on a transition

• this supports communication in communication

! this supports the model in the model

b(P)/c
A
a
B
Depth (Hierarchie)

• Statecharts extend this with:

• Refinement, clustering

• AND, OR decomposition of states (actually XOR, not OR)

 statecharts extend this with: a
B
o refinement, clustering e(P)
d
o AND, OR decomposition of states
C b
Example (Bottom-Up Clustering)
(actually XOR, not OR)

e (clustering, bottom up approach) Can be clustered like this:

b D a
A A
a b B
B e(P)
e(P) d
d
C
C b

• D is called a superstate.
• D is called a superstate.
clustered like this:
• The semantics (aka meaning) of superstate D
o A xor C
D
• The semantics
a (aka meaning) of superstate D• is:

The arc labeled b is a common property to the

A
• A xor C
b B
e(P)
d
C
• The arc labeled b is a common property to the superstate D

 D a b
B
b C
B
d
Example (Top-Down Refinement)
d
ple (refinement, top-down approach)
The events a,d are underspecified (which one goes where
- needs to be fixed
• in this example, we start with states
State DD is
and B
refined to include states A and CThe transition from A to C also needs to be specified for th

D a D a D a
A A
b b b
B B e(P) B

C C
d d d

D is refined to include states A andThe

C events a,d are underspecified (which one goes where?)
- needs to be fixed
• State D is
a refined
The to
transition from A to C also
• The
needs to be
events
specified
a,d
for the
are underspecified
example
D
include
A states A and C D (which one goes where?)

a
b
B A
b
e(P) • needs B
C to be fixed

d
C
d

vents a,d are underspecified (which one goes where?)

• The transition from A to C also
- needs to be fixed needs to be specified for the
ansition from A to C also needs to be specified for the example
example
D a
Default state

• If we have substates A, B, and C and we want to enter state A by default

Default state
• We specify this using a small arrow:
If we have substates A, B, and C and we want to enter state A by default, we
specify this using a small arrow:

D D
A A
or
B B

C C

History State
Can use a history entrance (H). The state entered is the last state the level was
in when it existed.
• The H entrance overrides a default state
• The scope of the H entrance is the current level of the diagram
History State

• Can use a history entrance (H).

• The state entered is the last state the level was in when it existed.

• The H entrance overrides a default state

• The scope of the H entrance is the current level of the diagram

• The scope of the H* entrance is to the lowest level of the diagram.

 or
B B

C C
Example
History State
• A timer that continues to count down as the state is entered and exited

Can use a history entrance (H). The state entered is the last state the level was
in when it existed.
• The timer does •notThe
getHreset
entrance
whenoverrides
the statea is
default state
entered
• The scope of the H entrance is the current level of the diagram
• The scope of the H* entrance is to the lowest level of the diagram.

D
A
H
B

Example:
a timer that continues to count down as the state is entered and exit
(the timer does not get reset when the state is entered)
 Orthogonality (Concurrency)
nality (concurrency)

D • AND

ple
• Y is the orthogonal product of A and D
e orthogonal product of A and D
Y
• From the default states:

A D
u
A E • If event ‘a’ occurs, then the diagram
g
moves from states A,F into state C,G at
a b d
F the same time (A is synchronised with D)

G
C a
• If event ‘u’ occurs, then only D is affected
and the diagram moves from A,F into
default states:
state A, E (A is independent from D)
’ occurs, then the diagram moves from states A,F into state C,G at the
e (A is synchronized with D)
Broadcast Communication

• An event is seen everywhere in the diagram at the same time.

Example

• Specify the behaviour of an alarm clock using statecharts.

• Assumptions: The alarm clock has 2 buttons.

Example
• We can start with setting the current time.

• Need to set hours, minutes, seconds

• Need to decide which buttons (one, both together) do what

Set Current Time

Button 1
Button 1&2 Blink Button 1
Increment
Hours Button 2 Hours
Button 2
Button 1&2 Blink Button 1
Increment Button 1
Minutes Minutes
Button 2
Button 2
Button 1
Button 1&2 Blink Increment Button 1
Seconds Seconds
Button 2

CurrentTime
Set
Example (continued)

Now, consider setting the alarm time.

Set Alarm Time

Button 1
Button 1&2 Button 1
Blink Increment
Hours Button 2 Hours
Button 2
Button 1&2 Blink Button 1
Increment Button 1
Minutes Minutes
Button 2
Button 2
Button 1&2 Blink Button 1
Increment Button 1
Seconds Seconds
Button 2

Alarm Time
Set

Now, consider how these superstates relate to one another?

 Seconds Seconds
Button 2

Alarm Time
Set

Example (continued)

Now, consider how these superstates relate to one another?

• xor

Clock

Display
Alarm Time
Display Time

Button 1 Button 2

Set Current Set Alarm Time

Time

Now, extend the statechart to describe the alarm going off.

 Button 1 Button 2

Example (continued)
Set Current Set Alarm Time
Time

Now, extend the statechart to describe the alarm going off.

Clock
Alarm
Time
Display Time
Alarm On
Button 1

Button 1 Button 2

Set Current Set

Time Alarm

Now, validate the behavior of the statechart (i.e., does the statechart specify the
system the way we want it to work)

Question: What happens if the alarm goes off for 5 minutes?

 Button 1 Button 2

Set Current Set

Example (Validation)
Time Alarm

Now, validate the behavior of the statechart (i.e., does the statechart specify the
system the way we want it to work)

Question: What happens if the alarm goes off for 5 minutes?

Display vs. Maintain the time?

Maintaining the time needs to occur concurrently with:

• the alarm going off
• setting the alarm time

Question: Is it possible to display and maintain the current time concurrently?

Next step is to fix the statechart.

After it is fixed, need to re-validate the statechart.

Other things to consider:

Is there a radio?
Example (Other Things to Consider)

• Is there a radio?

• Is there a snooze button?

• Is there a battery backup?

• ....
5.1 Examples for Statecharts 184

One-shot State Diagram for Chess Game

5.1 Examples for Statecharts 187

Vending Machine Model

5.1 Examples for Statecharts 190

An Aggregation and its Concurrent State

Diagrams (1)
Summary

• Statecharts

• State-Diagrams, Depth, Orthogonality, Broadcast Communication

Preview

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• C, ADA, Real-Time Java, ...