A syntax-oriented formal system for defining processes

Abstract

In this paper, a syntax-oriented formal system, called a metaprocess, is proposed for defining (and perhaps implementing) processes. The metaprocess functions as a kind of generalized metacompiler, in that it occupies the same relationship to a process as a metacompiler does to a compiler. The notion of an interpreter is developed to model the operation of each process and a metalanguage provides the vehicle for designating the actions performed by an interpreter. A combined syntactic-semantic specification of a process' input stream is used to drive the associated interpreter. The syntactic portion of this specification is in BNF while its semantic counterpart is in an Algol-like language. From this viewpoint, the inputs to the process serve as a sequence of directives to its interpreter.