From Live Sequence Charts to State Machines and Back: A Guided Tour

The problem of relating state-based intraagent (or intraobject) behavioral descriptions with scenario-based interagent (interobject) descriptions has recently focused much interest among the software engineering community. This paper compiles the results of our investigation of this problem. As interagent formalism, we adopt a simple variant of Live Sequence Charts. For the intraagent perspective, we consider a game-theoretic foundation, looking at agents as "strategies,' which encompasses the popular "state-based' paradigm. Three classes of relationships between models are studied: scenario checking (called eLSC checking), synthesis, and verification. We set a formally defined theoretical stage that allows us to express these three problems very simply, to discuss their complexity, and to describe optimal solutions. Our study reveals the intrinsic high computational difficulty of these tasks. Consequently, many related problems and solutions are surveyed, some of which can be the basis for practical solutions. In this, we also offer a panorama of current research and directions for the future.