A knowledge based specification system for ASDSPN

A system specification animation tool, 'Live Specification Simulator' (LSS), is described. LSS is currently being developed by Plessey Research and Technology (Roke Manor) for GEC Plessey Telecommunications (GPT). The system is designed to assist the validation of the specification for the 'Automatically Switched Digital Service Protection Network' (ASDPSN) product, currently being developed by GPT to protect British Telecom's digital truck network. LSS is a rule-based system which supports the direct execution of the ASDSPN specification, it provides a graphical MMI, and supports a range of simulation tasks. LSS is implemented on an Apple Macintosh II, and currently models networks of up to 32 terminal stations and 64 sections in any arbitrary topology. The LSS approach appears to be applicable to a broad range of network specification and modelling scenarios.