Bounded Model Checking Method Research Articles

Comparing sat-based bounded model checking rtectl and ectl properties

We compare two SAT-based bounded model checking algorithms for the properties expressed in the existential fragment of a soft real-time computation tree logic (RTECTL) and in the existential fragment of computation tree logic (ECTL). To this end, we use the generic pipeline paradigm (GPP) and the train controller system (TC), the classic concurrency problems, which we formalise by means of a finite transition system. We consider several properties of the problems that can be expressed in both RTECTL and ECTL, and we present the performance evaluation of the mentioned bounded model checking methods by means of the running time and the memory used.

Checking RTECTL properties of STSs via SMT-based Bounded Model Checking

We present an SMT-based bounded model checking (BMC) method for Simply-Timed Systems (STSs) and for the existential fragment of the Real-time Computation Tree Logic. We implemented the SMT-based BMC algorithm and compared it with the SAT-based BMC method for the same systems and the same property language on several benchmarks for STSs. For the SAT-based BMC we used the PicoSAT solver and for the SMT-based BMC we used the Z3 solver. The experimental results show that the SMT-based BMC performs quite well and is, in fact, sometimes significantly faster than the tested SAT-based BMC.

A Translation of the Existential Model Checking Problem from MITL to HLTL

In the paper we propose a translation of the existential model checking problem for timed automata and properties expressible in MITL to the existential model checking problem for HLTL. Such a translation, for example, allows to adopt LTL bounded model checking method for verification of the MITL properties.

A New Translation from ECTL* to SAT

In this paper we present a new translation from ECTL* to SAT and show that the proposed translation substantially increases the efficiency of verifying temporal properties using the Bounded Model Checking method. We have implemented our new translation and made experimental results, which demonstrate the efficiency of the method.

Towards SAT-based BMC for LTLK over Interleaved Interpreted Systems

This paper makes two contributions to the verification of multi-agent systems modelled by interleaved interpreted systems. Firstly, the paper presents theoretical underpinnings of the SAT-based bounded model checking (BMC) approach for LTL extended with the epistemic component (LTLK) over interleaved interpreted systems. Secondly, the BMC method has been implemented and tested on several benchmarks for MAS. The preliminary experimental results reveal advantages and disadvantages of our SAT-based BMC for LTLK and show that the method has a significant potential.

Multi-Level Bounded Model Checking with Symbolic Counterexamples

Bounded model checking is a widely used formal technique in both hardware and software verification. However, it cannot be applied if the bounds (number of time frames to be analyzed) become large, and deep bugs which are observed only through very long counter-examples cannot be detected. This paper presents a method concatenating multiple bounded model checking results efficiently with symbolic simulation. A bounded model checking with a large bound is recursively decomposed into multiple ones with smaller bounds, and symbolic simulation on each counterexample supports smooth connections to the others. A strong heuristic for the proposed method that targets deep bugs is also presented, and can be applied together with other efficient bounded model checking methods since it does not touch the basic bounded model checking algorithm.

Improving the Translation from ECTL to SAT

The objective of this paper is to offer an improvement to the translation from ECTL to SAT introduced in [14] and show that the improvement proposed substantially increases the efficiency of verify...

Bounded Model Checking for Temporal Epistemic Logic in Synchronous Multi-Agent Systems

This paper presents an approach to the verification of temporal epistemic logic in synchronous multi-Agent systems via bounded model checking (BMC). By incorporating epistemic modalities into temporal logic CTL*, a temporal epistemic logic ECKLn is introduced, and it is interpreted under the semantics of synchronous interpreted system. The temporal epistemic expressive power of ECKLn is greater than that of Penczek and Lomuscio's logic CTLK. Agents' knowledge interpreted under synchronous semantics can be skillfully attained by the state position function, which avoids extending the encoding of the states and the transition relation of plain temporal epistemic model for time domain. The technical details and the correctness of the BMC method for logic AECKLn/EECKLn (the universal or existential fragment of ECKLn) are given. A case study of train controller system is presented to illustrate the processing of the BMC method.