Cyber-physical systems are complex trans-disciplinary systems. Designing this kind of systems requires cooperation of several groups of experts with various backgrounds such as mechatronics and robotics, software engineering, data management, knowledge engineering, system on a chip, embedded systems, humans and systems interaction, and social and cognitive engineering. Design of a new CPS is typically initiated by system designers, who focus on system-level architecting and functional design (pre-embodiment design), and completed by embodiment/detail designers (who focus on components and their interoperation). Although there are numerous software tools to assist designers in detail design, it is hard to find dedicated tools that can sufficiently support CPS designers in pre-embodiment design phase. The tools available for this purpose are mostly based on logical, analytical, and mathematical modeling. They usually apply various levels of abstraction and simplification in modeling. As a result, many important chunks of information about attributes and parameterization of components are ignored or lost in system-level conceptualization. To overcome this problem, we introduced the framework and computational methodology of a system-level feature-based modeling, which can be used as a basis for developing next-generation CPSs modeling tools. As an general underpinning, we have developed the mereo-operandi theory (MOT), which combines several classic theories in a uniform body and captures information about architectural and operational relations in a system in an integral manner. As a complementary to MOT, the theory of system manifestation features (SMFs) has been proposed that introduced the methodological fundamentals. SMFs have been defined as multi-stage, knowledge-intensive, compound modeling entities. The developed knowledge frames have been implemented as relational tables of the modeling warehouses. The computational procedures required for modeling of CPSs have also been elaborated. For validation, the developed modeling framework was benchmarked against multiple available modeling tools. It has been concluded that SMFs-based modeling offers many new opportunities for compositional modeling of CPSs. Some of the novelties are: (i) imposing strictly physical view, (ii) concurrent modeling of architecture and operation aspects, (iii) uniform information structure for all kinds of components, and (iv) benefiting from active ontologies.@en

The main assumption is that complicated systems, such as cyberphysical systems (CPSs), can be modelled by specific compositions of system manifestation features (SMFs). SMFs are regarded as architectural domains of a system having significance from an operational viewpoint. As system modelling entities, SMFs represent both physical and computing transformations of domains. Based on mereo-operandi theory (MOT), a computational framework for using SMFs in pre-embodiment design of CPSs is proposed. MOT offers a theoretical platform for concurrent modelling of architectural elements and their operations. The traditional ‘application feature technology’ has been generalised in order to provide a methodological basis. The computational formalisation captures state transitions and input/output streams, in addition to spatiotemporal, physical and/or computational attributes of domains. Domain transformations are represented by flows of operation (FoOs) that consist of timesequenced and logically constrained sets of units of operations (UoOs), and processed by various computational methods as procedures. The domains of SMFs are aggregated into a feasible architecture, and their UoOs are combined into FoOs. An application case is used to explain the concepts and to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed approach. Further research will focus on implementation of an SMFs-based preembodiment design system and testing its feasibility and usability with designers of CPSs.@en

Complementing our previous publications, this paper presents the information schema constructs (ISCs) that underpin the programming of specific system manifestation feature (SMF) orientated information management and composing system models. First, we briefly present (1) the general process of pre-embodiment design with SMFs, (2) the procedures of creating genotypes and phenotypes of SMFs, (3) the specific procedure of instantiation of phenotypes of SMFs, and (4) the procedure of system model management and processing. Then, the chunks of information needed for instantiation of phenotypes of SMFs are discussed, and the ISCs designed for instantiation presented. Afterwards, the information management aspects of system modeling are addressed. Methodologically, system modeling involves (1) placement of phenotypes of SMF in the modeling space, (2) combining them towards the desired architecture and operation, (3) assigning values to the parameters and checking the satisfaction of constraints, and (4) storing the system model in the SMFs-based warehouse database. The final objective of the reported research is to develop an SMFs-based toolbox to support modeling of cyber-physical systems (CPSs).@en

Our long-term objective is to develop a software toolbox for pre-embodiment design of complex and heterogeneous systems, such as cyber-physical systems. The novelty of this toolbox is that it uses system manifestation features (SMFs) for transdisciplinary modeling of these systems. The main challenges of implementation of the toolbox are functional design- and language-independent computational realization of the warehouses, and systematic development and management of the various evolving implements of SMFs (genotypes, phenotypes, and instances). Therefore, an information schema construct (ISC) based approach is proposed to create the schemata of the associated warehouse databases and the above-mentioned SMF implements. ISCs logically arrange the data contents of SMFs in a set of relational tables of varying semantics. In this article we present the ISCs necessary for creation of genotypes and phenotypes. They increase the efficiency of the database development process and make the data relationships transparent. Our follow-up research focuses on the elaboration of the SMF instances based system modeling methodology.@en

Our long-term objective is to develop a software toolbox for pre-embodiment design of complex and heterogeneous systems, such as cyber-physical systems. The novelty of this toolbox is that it uses system manifestation features (SMFs) for transdisciplinary modeling of these systems. The main challenges of implementation of the toolbox are functional design- and language-independent computational realization of the warehouses, and systematic development and management of the various evolving implements of SMFs (genotypes, phenotypes, and instances). Therefore, an information schema construct (ISC) based approach is proposed to create the schemata of the associated warehouse databases and the above-mentioned SMF implements. ISCs logically arrange the data contents of SMFs in a set of relational tables of varying semantics. In this article we present the ISCs necessary for creation of genotypes and phenotypes. They increase the efficiency of the database development process and make the data relationships transparent. Our follow-up research focuses on the elaboration of the SMF instances based system modeling methodology.@en

The main statement of this paper is that synergetic modeling and co-design of the hardware, software and cyberware parts of complex cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are yet not solved, even from the perspective of an underpinning transdisciplinary theory. CPSs contain functionally tightly connected analog and digital hardware, control, and application software, and knowledge, data, and media contents as cyberware. The lack of a unified theoretical framework and an all-inclusive system conceptualization methodology can be traced back to professional, methodological and cultural differences between the abovementioned domains of development. The objective of our research is to make a step towards a theoretical framework that can support transdisciplinary modeling of CPSs. Architectural and operational modeling have been identified as two principal and interrelated dimensions of system modeling, and a mereo-operandi theory (MOT) has been identified as target. Mereotopology has been considered as the basis of architectural modeling. Operational modeling has been based on parameterized representation of the underlying physical principles, the morphological characteristics, the operation elements, and the overall operation flows. A demonstrative case study is presented to evidence the practical feasibility and utility of the proposed MOT. Our follow up research will focus on using this as a conceptual framework and computational basis for specification of system manifestation features and on a computational implementation to support embedded customization.@en

The main statement of this paper is that synergetic modeling and co-design of the hardware, software and cyberware parts of complex cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are yet not solved, even from the perspective of an underpinning transdisciplinary theory. CPSs contain functionally tightly connected analog and digital hardware, control, and application software, and knowledge, data, and media contents as cyberware. The lack of a unified theoretical framework and an all-inclusive system conceptualization methodology can be traced back to professional, methodological and cultural differences between the abovementioned domains of development. The objective of our research is to make a step towards a theoretical framework that can support transdisciplinary modeling of CPSs. Architectural and operational modeling have been identified as two principal and interrelated dimensions of system modeling, and a mereo-operandi theory (MOT) has been identified as target. Mereotopology has been considered as the basis of architectural modeling. Operational modeling has been based on parameterized representation of the underlying physical principles, the morphological characteristics, the operation elements, and the overall operation flows. A demonstrative case study is presented to evidence the practical feasibility and utility of the proposed MOT. Our follow up research will focus on using this as a conceptual framework and computational basis for specification of system manifestation features and on a computational implementation to support embedded customization.@en