FOREST | Overview | Product Model | Reference Model | Basic Notions |
System | is a part of the real world that is for some reason considered as a unit. In a system, several phenomena are collected and combined. |
Phenomenon | is an aspect in the real world that is essential for a system. Phenomena are, for example, states of a system (e.g., the light intensity in a room), events occurring in the real world (e.g., the switching on of a light), objects (e.g., sensors and actuators), and individuals (e.g., a facility manager of a building). |
Terms | (e.g., words in natural language) are used to designate specific phenomena of a system. They are a prerequisite for each conversation about real world phenomena. We demand that there is a one--to--one relation between phenomena and terms, i.e., for each phenomenon there is exactly one term designating it, and each term designates exactly one phenomenon. |
Statements | express relationships between several phenomena. Each statement is constructed of the terms representing the considered phenomena. An example of a statement is: If a room is occupied, then the light is on. Here, a relation between the terms room, occupied, light, and on is expressed. |