Using Model Checking to Automatically Find Retrieve Relations

Abstract

Downward and upward simulations form a sound and jointly complete methodology for verifying relational data refinement in state-based specification languages such as Z and B. In previous work, we showed how both downward and upward simulation conditions can be discharged using a CTL model checker. The approach was implemented in the SAL tool suite. Given the retrieve relation, each of the simulation conditions can be proven fully automatically. It has been recognised, however, that finding retrieve relations is often very hard. In this paper, we show how it is feasible to use the SAL model checkers to also generate retrieve relations.

Building a refinement checker for Z

“…A series of approaches to model-checking a refinement is described in [21,22,10] by Smith and Derrick with varying degrees of sophistication. They all work by taking two specifications, A and C say, and building a combined system M which encodes the behaviour of both in such a way that it is possible to write CTL properties to check the various aspects that are needed for simulation conditions to hold.…”

“…Our work on the second strand has derived a methodology for verifying a refinement using a modelchecker by combining two specifications in a special way and verifying particular CTL properties for this combination. Specifically, [21,22,10] described how refinements in Z and other state-based languages could be verified by encoding downward and upward simulations as CTL theorems -the simulation conditions being the standard way to verify refinements in state-based languages such as Z, B etc.…”

Formal Specification of Automatic DMARF Based on CSP

“…DMARF technology can be used to recognize the identity of the speaker, speaker's gender, his or her accent and so on. In this paper, we apply CSP methods [3,6,16] to describe the autonomic features of DMARF system and give the formal specifications of self-protection, self-optimization and self-healing. For the future, we can verify the autonomic features based on the formalization.…”

A Practical Single Refinement Method for B

“…Presumably this technique could be extended to generate powersimulations for arbitrary refinements, although this is not discussed in [5]. On the other hand [14] does describe automatic verification of arbitrary refinements in B using the ProB model checker [13].…”

“…In [5] model-checking is employed to generate retrieve relations for both forward and backward refinements. Presumably this technique could be extended to generate powersimulations for arbitrary refinements, although this is not discussed in [5].…”