An Algebraic Model for Communicating Processes

Abstract

A new semantics for communicating processes is introduced which modifies the ideas of Milner (1980) and Winskel (1982, 1983, and 1986). This semantics, inspired by a model of Staples and Nguyen (1985) for nondeterministic data flow, allows one to avoid explicit representation of hidden events of processes, which simplifies the concept of observation equivalence of processes. It offers also a framework to cope with indivisible sets of communication events.