Towards the Semantics and Verification of BPEL4WS
In this paper, we discuss the semantics of BPEL4WS language which is a de facto standard for specifying and execution workflow specification for web service composition and orchestration. We propose a language @m-BPEL that includes most primitive and structured activities of BPEL4WS, and define its semantics. As the Timed Automata (TA) is powerful in designing real-time models with multiple clocks and has well developed automatic tool support, we define a map from @m-BPEL into composable TA. Therefore, the properties we want to check can be verified in TA network correspondingly. Furthermore, we prove that the mapping from @m-BPEL to TA is a simulation, which means that the TA network simulates correctly the corresponding @m-BPEL specification. The case study with model checker Uppaal shows that our method is effective, and a Java supporting tool based on Uppaal model checker engine has been developed.

title: Semantics of BPEL4WS-Like Fault and Compensation Handling
abstract: BPEL4WS is one of the most important business process modelling languages. One distinct feature of it is the fully programmable fault and compensation handling mechanism, which allows the user to specify the compensation behaviors of processes in application-specific manners. In this paper, we present a formal operational semantics to a simplified version of BPEL4WS, with some important concepts related to fault and compensation handling proposed and discussed, especially, the compensation closure and the compensation context. We also discuss some insights into the BPEL4WS language and its implementation obtained from this study.

title: Model Checking Dynamic UML Consistency
abstract: UML is widely accepted and extensively used in software modeling. However, using different diagrams to model different aspects of a system brings the risk of inconsistency among diagrams. In this paper, we investigate an approach to check the consistency between the sequence diagrams and statechart diagrams using the SPIN model checker. To deal with the hierarchy structure of statechart diagrams, we propose a formalism called Split Automata, a variant of automata, which is helpful to bridge the statechart diagrams to SPIN efficiently. Compared with the existing work on model checking UML which do not have formal verification for their translation from UML to the model checker, we formally define the semantics and prove that the automatically translated model (i.e. Split Automata) does simulate the UML model. In this way, we can guarantee that the translated model does represent the original model.

title: Type Checking Choreography Description Language
abstract: The Web Services Choreography Description Language (WS-CDL) is a W3C specification developed for the description of peer-to-peer collaborations of participants from a global viewpoint. Currently WS-CDL has no rigorous static type checking. We believe that introducing a type system will exclude many design and description errors, and ensure desirable properties of the choreography specifications. In this paper, we took a core language CDL, which covers most of the important features of the WS-CDL, and is more convenient for the study. We developed the abstract syntax and operational semantics of CDL, and defined a collection of rules which can be used to check if choreography is well-typed. Moreover, we also proved some type safety theorems for CDL in the sense that well-typed choreography cannot get stuck. We show how the use of type information can allow us to gain confidence in the correctness of choreography.

title: A Multi-Agent System for E-Business Processes Monitoring in a Web-Based Environment
abstract: In this paper, we present a multi-agent system MAGS for the e-business processes monitoring in a web-based environment. We classify the types of agents in MAGS by their monitoring capabilities. An algorithm is given to explain the mechanism of supervising and controlling the execution of business processes. An abstract model of alerts, which can give warnings of infringement on business policies, is proposed. Access control can also be realized by MAGS, which manifests in delivering different view of the business process to different roles participate in it. Being successfully adopted in a customer service management system, MAGS has been proven flexible and practical.

title: Complexity of argument-based default reasoning with specificity
abstract: In this paper we investigate the complexity of Dung and Son's approach to default reasoning with specificity. We show that the three decision problems: existence of extensions, brave reasoning and cautious reasoning are generally complete for the second level of the polynomial hierarchy. For some restricted cases, e.g., Horn and 2CNF default theories, all the three problems are intractable although classical brave reasoning in these cases is tractable. Finally, we show that stratification can not reduce the complexity of brave and cautious reasoning although it guarantees the existence of extensions.

title: Flexible network support for mobility
abstract: Fueled by the large number of powerful tight-weight portable computers, the expanding availability of wirel= networks, and the popularity of the Internet, there is an increasing de mand to connect portable computers to the Internet at any time and in any place. However, the dynamic nature of such connectivity requires more flexible network support than has typically been atiable for stationary workstations. ThM paper introducw the following two me~anisms, in the context of Mobile 1P [24], to ensure a mobile host’s convenient and efficient communication with other hosts in a &anging environment. One me&anism supports multiple packet defivery methods (such as regular 1P or Mobile 1P) and adaptively selects the most appropriate one to use Wcordlng to the char=teristim of eti trfic flow. The other medanism enables a mobile host to make use of multiple wtive network interfww simultaneously and to control the selection of the most dwirable network interfaces for both outgoing and incoming pdets for different traffic flows. We demonstrate the usefdnm of these two network layer me&anisms and describe how they are implemented.

title: Source authentication in group communication systems
abstract: Many group communication systems need to enforce a restriction that limits members are authorized to send messages to the group. Receivers therefore need to authenticate message sources before the received messages are accepted. Source authentication in peer-to-peer systems is trivial: the two communication parties can agree on one pair key and use this key to authenticate each other. However, because the group key is shared by all members in a group system, it is quite challenging to identify the sender and determine its authorization. Furthermore, if the authorization can be changed at run-time, source authentication problem can be even harder. This paper presents a source authentication technique called TTA scheme (Transitive Trust Authentication). TTA supports source authentication as well as dynamic authorization change. In addition, its computation and communication overhead is low.

title: Flexible Network Support for Mobile Hosts
abstract: Fueled by the large number of powerful light-weight portable computers, the expanding availability of wireless networks, and the popularity of the Internet, there is an increasing demand to connect portable computers to the Internet at any time and in any place. However, the dynamic nature of a mobile host's connectivity and its use of multiple network interfaces require more flexible network support than has typically been available for stationary workstations.This paper introduces two flow-oriented mechanisms, in the context of Mobile IP , to ensure a mobile host's robust and efficient communication with other hosts in a changing environment. One mechanism supports multiple packet delivery methods (such as regular IP or Mobile IP) and adaptively selects the most appropriate one to use according to the characteristics of each traffic flow. The other mechanism enables a mobile host to make use of multiple network interfaces simultaneously and to control the selection of the most desirable network interfaces for both outgoing and incoming packets for different traffic flows. We demonstrate the usefulness of these two network layer mechanisms and describe their implementation and performance.