Dense-Timed Petri Nets: Checking Zenoness, Token liveness and Boundedness

We consider Dense-Timed Petri Nets (TPN), an extension of Petri nets in which each token is equipped with a real-valued clock and where the semantics is lazy (i.e., enabled transitions need not fire; time can pass and disable transitions). We consider the following verification problems for TPNs. (i) Zenoness: whether there exists a zeno-computation from a given marking, i.e., an infinite computation which takes only a finite amount of time. We show decidability of zenoness for TPNs, thus solving an open problem from [Escrig et al.]. Furthermore, the related question if there exist arbitrarily fast computations from a given marking is also decidable. On the other hand, universal zenoness, i.e., the question if all infinite computations from a given marking are zeno, is undecidable. (ii) Token liveness: whether a token is alive in a marking, i.e., whether there is a computation from the marking which eventually consumes the token. We show decidability of the problem by reducing it to the coverability problem, which is decidable for TPNs. (iii) Boundedness: whether the size of the reachable markings is bounded. We consider two versions of the problem; namely semantic boundedness where only live tokens are taken into consideration in the markings, and syntactic boundedness where also dead tokens are considered. We show undecidability of semantic boundedness, while we prove that syntactic boundedness is decidable through an extension of the Karp-Miller algorithm.Comment: 61 pages, 18 figure

Modeling Time in Computing: A Taxonomy and a Comparative Survey

The increasing relevance of areas such as real-time and embedded systems, pervasive computing, hybrid systems control, and biological and social systems modeling is bringing a growing attention to the temporal aspects of computing, not only in the computer science domain, but also in more traditional fields of engineering. This article surveys various approaches to the formal modeling and analysis of the temporal features of computer-based systems, with a level of detail that is suitable also for non-specialists. In doing so, it provides a unifying framework, rather than just a comprehensive list of formalisms. The paper first lays out some key dimensions along which the various formalisms can be evaluated and compared. Then, a significant sample of formalisms for time modeling in computing are presented and discussed according to these dimensions. The adopted perspective is, to some extent, historical, going from "traditional" models and formalisms to more modern ones.Comment: More typos fixe

A Decidable Timeout based Extension of Propositional Linear Temporal Logic

We develop a timeout based extension of propositional linear temporal logic (which we call TLTL) to specify timing properties of timeout based models of real time systems. TLTL formulas explicitly refer to a running global clock together with static timing variables as well as a dynamic variable abstracting the timeout behavior. We extend LTL with the capability to express timeout constraints. From the expressiveness view point, TLTL is not comparable with important known clock based real-time logics including TPTL, XCTL, and MTL, i.e., TLTL can specify certain properties, which cannot be specified in these logics (also vice-versa). We define a corresponding timeout tableau for satisfiability checking of the TLTL formulas. Also a model checking algorithm over timeout Kripke structure is presented. Further we prove that the validity checking for such an extended logic remains PSPACE-complete even in the presence of timeout constraints and infinite state models. Under discrete time semantics, with bounded timeout increments, the model-checking problem that if a TLTL-formula holds in a timeout Kripke structure is also PSPACE complete. We further prove that when TLTL is interpreted over discrete time, it can be embedded in the monadic second order logic with time, and when TLTL is interpreted over dense time without the condition of non-zenoness, the resulting logic becomes $\Sigma_1^1$-complete

Quantitative Timed Analysis of Interactive Markov Chains

Abstract This paper presents new algorithms and accompanying tool support for analyzing interactive Markov chains (IMCs), a stochastic timed 1 1 2-player game in which delays are exponentially distributed. IMCs are compositional and act as semantic model for engineering for-malisms such as AADL and dynamic fault trees. We provide algorithms for determining the extremal expected time of reaching a set of states, and the long-run average of time spent in a set of states. The prototypical tool Imca supports these algorithms as well as the synthesis of ε-optimal piecewise constant timed policies for timed reachability objectives. Two case studies show the feasibility and scalability of the algorithms.

Contribution to the verification of timed automata (determinization, quantitative verification and reachability in networks of automata)

Cette thèse porte sur la vérification des automates temporisés, un modèle bien établi pour les systèmes temps-réels. La thèse est constituée de trois parties. La première est dédiée à la déterminisation des automates temporisés, problème qui n'a pas de solution en général. Nous proposons une méthode approchée (sur-approximation, sous-approximation, mélange des deux) fondée sur la construction d'un jeu de sûreté. Cette méthode améliore les approches existantes en combinant leurs avantages respectifs. Nous appliquons ensuite cette méthode de déterminisation à la génération automatique de tests de conformité. Dans la seconde partie, nous prenons en compte des aspects quantitatifs des systèmes temps-réel grâce à une notion de fréquence des états acceptants dans une exécution d'un automate temporisé. Plus précisément, la fréquence d'une exécution est la proportion de temps passée dans les états acceptants. Nous intéressons alors à l'ensemble des fréquences des exécutions d'un automate temporisé pour étudier, par exemple, le vide de langages seuils. Nous montrons ainsi que les bornes de l'ensemble des fréquences sont calculables pour deux classes d'automates temporisés. D'une part, les bornes peuvent être calculées en espace logarithmique par une procédure non-déterministe dans les automates temporisés à une horloge. D'autre part, elles peuvent être calculées en espace polynomial dans les automates temporisés à plusieurs horloges ne contenant pas de cycles forçant la convergence d'horloges. Finalement, nous étudions le problème de l'accessibilité des états acceptants dans des réseaux d'automates temporisés qui communiquent via des files FIFO. Nous considérons tout d'abord des automates temporisés à temps discret, et caractérisons les topologies de réseaux pour lesquelles l'accessibilité est décidable. Cette caractérisation est ensuite étendue aux automates temporisés à temps continu.This thesis is about verification of timed automata, a well-established model for real time systems. The document is structured in three parts. The first part is dedicated to the determinization of timed automata, a problem which has no solution in general. We propose an approximate (over-approximation/under-approximation/mix) method based on the construction of a safety game. This method improves both existing approaches by combining their respective advantages. Then, we apply this determinization approach to the generation of conformance tests. In the second part, we take into account quantitative aspects of real time systems thanks to a notion of frequency of accepting states along executions of timed automata. More precisely, the frequency of a run is the proportion of time elapsed in accepting states. Then, we study the set of frequencies of runs of a timed automaton in order to decide, for example, the emptiness of threshold languages. We thus prove that the bounds of the set of frequencies are computable for two classes of timed automata. On the one hand, we prove that bounds are computable in logarithmic space by a non-deterministic procedure in one-clock timed automata. On the other hand, they can be computed in polynomial space in timed automata with several clocks, but having no cycle that forces the convergence between clocks. Finally, we study the reachability problem in networks of timed automata communicating through FIFO channels. We first consider dicrete timed automata, and characterize topologies of networks for which reachability is decidable. Then, this characterization is extended to dense-time automata.RENNES1-Bibl. électronique (352382106) / SudocSudocFranceF

Second Generation General System Theory: Perspectives in Philosophy and Approaches in Complex Systems

Following the classical work of Norbert Wiener, Ross Ashby, Ludwig von Bertalanffy and many others, the concept of System has been elaborated in different disciplinary fields, allowing interdisciplinary approaches in areas such as Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Economics, Engineering, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Medicine, Artificial Intelligence, and Philosophy. The new challenge of Complexity and Emergence has made the concept of System even more relevant to the study of problems with high contextuality. This Special Issue focuses on the nature of new problems arising from the study and modelling of complexity, their eventual common aspects, properties and approaches—already partially considered by different disciplines—as well as focusing on new, possibly unitary, theoretical frameworks. This Special Issue aims to introduce fresh impetus into systems research when the possible detection and correction of mistakes require the development of new knowledge. This book contains contributions presenting new approaches and results, problems and proposals. The context is an interdisciplinary framework dealing, in order, with electronic engineering problems; the problem of the observer; transdisciplinarity; problems of organised complexity; theoretical incompleteness; design of digital systems in a user-centred way; reaction networks as a framework for systems modelling; emergence of a stable system in reaction networks; emergence at the fundamental systems level; behavioural realization of memoryless functions