ECQL: A Query and Action Language for Model-Based Applications

Abstract

Modern distributed computer systems with mobile and embedded devices as first class citizens are formed from heterogeneous platforms. To support this heterogeneity along with adaptation of the system an approach for interpretation of domain specific models at runtime has been proposed with the concept of Model-Based Software Components (MBSC), separating the domain specific functionality from the current technical platform. This is achieved by the usage of different sets of high-level models. These sets are interpreted by a portable, plugin-extensible runtime environment, utilizing several instances of model-based containers (MCC) for models and their corresponding data. In this paper the design of a domain specific language is presented, enabling the specification of accessing and manipulating data entities provided by various MCCs used in the runtime architecture of a MBSC. For demonstration purposes the application of the various language elements is presented using a case study of an exemplary distributed pervasive system running in the business domain of logistics.