Model based systems engineering using a continuous-time extension of the Unified Modeling Language (UML)

Abstract Modeling languages intended for capturing essential properties of complex technical systems need to cover both software and physical components in a holistic framework. Object‐oriented modeling languages are often used for software, and possess many features that are attractive also in a general modeling notation for systems engineering. However, software oriented languages lack certain features that are essential when modeling physical components, in particular the ability to deal with the continuous‐time relationships needed to describe the dynamics of such components. In this paper, we investigate how the expressiveness of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) can be increased to make it suitable also for describing physical components. A case study of an automotive mechatronic system is elaborated to show the practical usefulness of the results. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 5: 165–179, 2002