On a uniform framework for the definition of stochastic process languages---Full Version---

In this paper we present how Rate Transition Systems (RTS) can be used as a unifying framework for the definition of the semantics of stochastic process algebras. RTS facilitate the compositional definition of such semantics exploiting operators on the next state functions which are the functional counterpart of classical process algebra operators. We apply this framework to representative fragments of major stochastic process calculi including TIPP, EMPA, PEPA and IML, and show how they solve the issue of transition multiplicity in a simple and elegant way. We, moreover, show how RTS help describing different languages, their differences and their similarities. For each calculus, we also show the formal correspondence between the RTS semantics and the standard SOS one.