We present the a-calculus, a calculus of communicating systems in which one can naturally express processes which have changing structure. Not only may the component agents of a system be arbitrarily linked, but a communication between neighbours may carry information which changes that linkage. The calculus is an extension of the process algebra CCS, following work by Engberg and Nielsen, who added mobility to CCS while preserving its algebraic properties. The rr-calculus gains simplicity by removing all distinction between variables and constants; communication links are identified by names, and computation is represented purely as the communication of names across links. After an illustrated description of how the n-calculus generalises conventional process algebras in treating mobility, several examples exploiting mobility are given in some detail. The important examples are the encoding into the n-calculus of higher-order functions (the I-calculus and combinatory algebra), the transmission of processes as values, and the representation of data structures as processes. The paper continues by presenting the algebraic theory of strong bisimilarity and strong equivalence, including a new notion of equivalence indexed by distinctions-i.e., assumptions of inequality among names. These theories are based upon a semantics in terms of a labeled transition system and a notion of strong bisimulation, both of which are expounded in detail in a companion paper. We also report briefly on work-in-progress based upon the corresponding notion of weak bisimulation, in which internal actions cannot be observed. 0 1992 Academic Press, Inc.

A calculus of mobile processes, II

The π-calculus is a model of concurrent computation based upon the notion of naming. It is first presented in its simplest and original form, with the help of several illustrative applications. Then it is generalized from monadic to polyadic form. Semantics is done in terms of both a reduction system and a version of labelled transitions called commitment; the known algebraic axiomatization of strong bisimilarity is given in the new setting, and so also is a characterization in modal logic. Some theorems about the replication operator are proved.

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The Polyadic π-Calculus: a Tutorial

This paper exhibits accurate encodings of the λ-calculus in the π-calculus. The former is canonical for calculation with functions, while the latter is a recent step (Milner et al. 1989) towards a canonical treatment of concurrent processes. With quite simple encodings, two λ-calculus reduction strategies are simulated very closely; each reduction in λ-calculus is mimicked by a short sequence of reductions in π-calculus. Abramsky's precongruence of applicative bisimulation (Abramsky 1989) over λ-calculus is compared with that induced by the encoding of the lazy λ-calculus into π-calculus; a similar comparison is made for call-by-value λ-calculus.

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Functions as Processes

This paper presents a formal system based on the notion of objects and asynchronous communication Built on Milner's work on π-calculus, the communication primitive of the formal system is purely based on asynchronous communication, which makes it unique among various concurrency formalisms Computationally this results in a consistent reduction of Milner's calculus, while retaining the same expressive power Seen semantically asynchronous communication induces a surprisingly different framework where bisimulation is strictly more general than its synchronous counterpart This paper shows basic construction of the formal system along with several illustrative examples

An Object Calculus for Asynchronous Communication

In this paper we shall survey and discuss in detail the work on the relative expressiveness of recursion and replication in various process calculi. Namely, CCS, the pi-calculus, the Ambient calculus, Concurrent Constraint Programming and calculi for Cryptographic Protocols. We shall give evidence that the ability of expressing recursive behaviour via replication often depends on the scoping mechanisms of the given calculus which compensate for the restriction of replication.

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Formal Methods for Components and Objects

Milner's Calculus of Communicating Systems (CCS) is extended with a mechanism for label passing - as an attempt to remedy some of the shortcomings of CCS w.r.t. dynamic change of agent interconnections. In the extended calculus, restriction is viewed formally as a binder, and the calculus allows dynamic change of scope (of label) in connection with communication. It is proved that algebraic properties of strong (and observational) equivalence for CCS are preserved by the extension. Examples illustrating the expressive power of the calculus and its methods for reasoning are given.

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A Calculus of Communicating Systems with Label Passing

This note is dedicated to Robin Milner. We take the opportunity of looking back on a ten year old report of ours on an extension of CCS with label passing.

A calculus of communicating systems with label passing—ten years after

We study the use of sets of labelled partial orders (pomsets) as denotational models for process algebras. More specifically, we study their capability to capture degrees of nonsequentiality of processes. We present four full abstractness results. The operational equivalences are based on maximal action-sequences and step-sequences — defined for a very simple process language and its extensions with a refinement combinator (change of atomicity). The denotational models are all expressed as abstractions of a standard association of sets of labelled partial orders with processes.

Fully abstract models for a process language with refinement

Foundations of Software Science and Computation Structures

The chief purpose of this paper is to appraise the feasibility of Girard's linear logic as a specification language for parallel processes. To this end we propose an interpretation of linear logic in Petri nets, with respect to which we investigate the expressive power of the logic.

Uffe Engberg

Papers

A Calculus of Communicating Systems with Label Passing

A calculus of communicating systems with label passing—ten years after

Fully abstract models for a process language with refinement

Foundations of Software Science and Computation Structures

Petri Nets as Models of Linear Logic