QOBJ modeling - A new approach in discrete event simulation

This paper deals with a new discrete event simulation modeling concept, called qobj, which comes from two well-known paradigms: objects and queuing networks. The first provides important conceptual tools for model organization, while the second one allows for nice visualization of models' internal state and processes. Thanks to the integration of these two paradigms, the qobj concept allows the suppression of several dichotomies characterizing current simulation modeling approaches. For instance, qobj allows the description of system elements which are both mobile and able to do processing, and allows the dynamic instantiation of static and mobile elements during simulation. The design of lift group models for an industrial project illustrates the main features of the qobj concept.