An Approach to Synchronize UML-Based Design Components for Model-Driven Protocol Development

Applying UML diagrams for the design of dependable systems like communication protocols helps to visualize the protocol behavior in multiple representations. In principle, protocols are comprehensible by modeling its behaviors through sequence diagrams. However, the sequence diagrams encapsulate local protocol functions, such as protocol data unit coding/decoding, correctness checks, etc. To model the local actions of the protocol entities activity diagrams may be used as a balancing model. By using two different models, one should ensure that the described behaviors are consistent. To prove this we present an approach in this paper to synchronize the UML sequence and activity diagrams through mapping rules. The rules are predefined according to the UML specification by a stereotype. Later they are used for validating the two diagrams. We show the approach for an example protocol function.