Systems Engineering with SysML/UML

4.4. Allocation

An allocation is a general mechanism from the field of systems engineering to interconnect elements from different model areas. For example, binding an item flow in the internal block diagram, which occurs in a different form, as an object flow, in an activity diagram (Figure 4.21). Such a binding is normally present in a complete model through a wealth of details and deeply hidden paths, and not visible at a glance. A systems engineer cannot penetrate these detail depths. Nevertheless, they want to model the connections, even in an early project phase.

Figure 4-21. Example for an object flow allocation.

[View full size image]

There are different types of allocations. SysML proposes three general types and let’s the developer ...