Design Methods

CT015-3-2 Version 1

Finite State Machine

 Topics and Structure of the Lesson

• Finite State Machine Modeling

-Notations
-Relationships

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 Learning objectives

• At the end of this lecture, you should be

able to :
– Describe the elements in a state machine
diagram
– Describe the relationships in a state
machine diagram
– Create a state machine diagram

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 Keywords

• State
• Orthogonal

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 Finite State Machines

• Also referred to as state machine

• Finite state machines are used for
modeling the control and sequencing view
of a system or object.
• Notations used to define finite state
machines are the state transition,
triggering events and actions.

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 Finite State Machines

• Shows the behavior of one object of a

single class
– shows all possible states of this object
– shows how the object’s state changes as a
result of messages it receives

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 States
• State = set of values that describe an object (its
condition/situation) at a specific moment in time
•State is determined based on the attribute values

Account overdrafted

balance : Float
states
ok

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 State

• Actions: Work the system does in response

to events
– States can have entry, exit, and do
activities performed while in the state
• E.g.

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 Transitions

• A transition is the path taken during a

change of state from one state to the next
in response to a triggeringevent
• Guard condition: Optional condition to be
evaluated; if false, the transition is not taken

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 State Machines

• State transitions:
Possible paths the
system may take from
one state to another
• Triggering events:
Instantaneous events that
stimulate state transitions

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 Orthogonal States

• To model different views of the same

object’s state.
• Are composite states with two or more
regions within the state.
• The two orthogonal statecharts are shown
separated by dashed line

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 Choice Points

• Choice points realize a dynamic

conditional branch
– Outputs transitions, each with a guard
condition, one of which must be true.

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 Junctions
• Junctions realize a static conditional branch
– Can be used to split or join multiple transitions
– Guard conditions are evaluated before transitions

are fired
• If all guard conditions return false, then remain in the source

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 Example of state machine
diagram

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 Example of state machine
diagram

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 Example of state machine
diagram

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 Quick & Review Question

• Which model elements can have

associated state machine diagrams?
• In what cases would you use state
machine diagrams?
• What is a choice point?
• What is a junction?

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 Summary of Teaching points

• Finite State Machine Modeling

-Notations
-Relationships

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 Q&A

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 What We Will Cover Next

• Revision and Assignment

Discussion/Progress

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