CS405 Introduction to Empirical Modelling			22/10/03

Background to the assignment

You have been called in as a consultant to CheaperCHeating [CCH]: a company
that is involved in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of
central heating systems. CCH plans to make use of computer modelling and
simulation in order to support all aspects of their commercial activity.
Their motives for developing computer models of central heating systems
include:

- simulating system behaviour for the purposes of improving system design,
- teaching non-specialist users the general principles of central heating 
  system operation,
- helping home owners to understand how their specific central heating system 
  operates,
- assessing alternative designs for the system control interface,
- educating system designers and engineers about how a variety of central 
  heating systems work.

Your role is to help CCH to identify various computer models that would be
appropriate for their needs. To this end, you are requested to construct an
EM model of a central heating system that can be adapted to support a
variety of different applications, and from which it is possible to derive
simple prototype models relating to some or all of the above modelling
objectives. CCH have not specified the choice of which kind of central
heating boiler (whether gas, electric, oil-fired, solar-powered etc), the
specific model for the control interface, or the context for the heating
system - it is in their interests to have a variety of models that they can
deploy in different situations. CCH have only stipulated that some typical
generic components of central heating systems should be modelled, viz.
	- a control unit
	- a boiler
	- radiators - possibly with thermostatic valves
	- a room thermostat.

Your response to CCH should comprise a prototype model for a specific
system, to be presented in a form that is suitably documented for submission
to the EM archive (see http://empublic.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/register.php), that
includes:

1) A tkeden model of your chosen control unit and its interface that
incorporates a statechart and appropriate user controls, together with basic
tkeden models for each of the other generic components listed above.

2) A tkeden model to simulate the behaviour of a rudimentary central heating
system that incorporates at least one instance of each of the generic
components.

3) An LSD account of the role that each component plays as a state-changing
agent within the system, and that of any other relevant agents.

To guide you in your task, CCH have indicated that they expect the effort
you devote to each of these aspects to be divided in the approximate ratio
60:20:20. You will be expected to submit your model electronically not later
than 12 noon on Monday January 5th 2004, and to demonstrate it to CCH
representatives on the following day.  At the time of the demonstration, you
will be advised of specific adaptations to your model to be considered - and
where possible implemented through the introduction of supplementary files -
prior to the date of final submission, viz. 12 noon on Friday January 16th
2004. More details of the submission and evaluation procedures will be
released in due course.