From Model-Based Design to Formal Verification of Adaptive Embedded Systems

Abstract

Abstract. Adaptation is important in dependable embedded systems to cope with changing environmental conditions. However, adaptation significantly complicates system design and poses new challenges to system correctness. We propose an integrated model-based development approach facilitating intuitive modelling as well as formal verification of dynamic adaptation behaviour. Our modelling concepts ease the specification of adaptation behaviour and improve the design of adaptive embedded systems by hiding the increased complexity from the developer. Based on a formal framework for representing adaptation behaviour, our approach allows to employ theorem proving, model checking as well as specialised verification techniques to prove properties characteristic for adaptive systems such as stability.

A White Box Perspective on Behavioural Adaptation

“…(ii) It allows us to relate approaches presented independently and in different areas but sharing, essentially, the same category of control data. This is, e.g., the case of the approaches based on modes of operation proposed by the Software Engineering [11] adaptation coordination strategies adaptation strategy 4.1 [48] adaptation rules adaptation strategy 5.3 [15] architecture architecture 3.1 [46] architecture architecture 3.2 [60] architecture architecture 3.2 [66] module stack architecture 3.2 [22] current workflow architecture 3.2 [7] connectors architecture 3.2 [11] architecture architecture 4.1 [76] effector channel architecture 4.3 [48] set of activities architecture 5.3 [61] entire programs entire program 4.1 [55] rewrite rules entire program 4.2 [35] processes entire program 4.3 [30] processes entire program 4.3 [28] features operation mode 4.1 [53] regions operation mode 4.1 [83] operation mode operation mode 4.1 [1] active configuration operation mode 4.1 [72] active configuration operation mode 4.1 [19] control proposition operation mode 4.1 [82] steady state programs operation mode 4.1 [42] state space zones operation mode 4.1 [33] graph rewrite rules operation mode 4.2 [80] base level Petri net operation mode 4.3 [51] adaptor processes operation mode 4.3 [16] adaptable (local) processes operation mode 4.3 [69] context stack operation mode 5.1 [36] advices operation mode 5.2 [44] policies operation mode 5.3 community with paradigm-oriented approaches and by the Theoretical Computer Science community with automata and process-algebraic approaches. (iii) It allows us to compare approaches apparently similar (and falling in the same section) but based on different categories of control data.…”

“…Another example of labelled transition system variant used for modeling self-adaptive systems are the Synchronous Adaptive Systems of MARS [1,72], where systems are modeled as sets of modules, each having a set of configurations. At runtime only one configuration is active.…”

Towards a verification approach for reconfigurable embedded systems

“…The verification of reconfigurable ones is not considered. In this direction, the authors in [6] present an integrated model-based development approach allowing the modeling as well as the formal verification of dynamic adaptation behaviour of embedded systems. However, this work treats only the behavior adaptation of embedded systems.…”

Translation Validation of System Abstractions

“…We have successfully applied it in several case studies in the context of the EVAS project [1] and proved that interesting system properties were preserved by abstractions. Our largest example with domain abstractions contained amongst others 39 variables with infinite domains.…”

“…By induction hypothesis T SAS |= C(ψ 1 ) and thus T SAS |= C(ϕ). -φ = ψ 1 ∧ ψ 2 where ψ 1 , ψ 2 path formulae: T SAS |=φ implies that T SAS |= ψ 1 and that T SAS |= ψ 2 . By induction hypothesis T SAS |= C(ψ 1 ) and T SAS |= C(ψ 2 ).…”