Abstract State Machines 1988-1998: Commented ASM Bibliography

An annotated bibliography of papers which deal with or use Abstract State Machines (ASMs), as of January 1998.Comment: Also maintained as a BibTeX file at http://www.eecs.umich.edu/gasm

Weak Progressive Forward Simulation Is Necessary and Sufficient for Strong Observational Refinement

Hyperproperties are correctness conditions for labelled transition systems that are more expressive than traditional trace properties, with particular relevance to security. Recently, Attiya and Enea studied a notion of strong observational refinement that preserves all hyperproperties. They analyse the correspondence between forward simulation and strong observational refinement in a setting with only finite traces. We study this correspondence in a setting with both finite and infinite traces. In particular, we show that forward simulation does not preserve hyperliveness properties in this setting. We extend the forward simulation proof obligation with a (weak) progress condition, and prove that this weak progressive forward simulation is equivalent to strong observational refinement

Fusion of Information and Analytics: A Discussion on Potential Methods to Cope with Uncertainty in Complex Environments (Big Data and IoT)

International audienceInformation overload and complexity are core problems to most organizations of today. The advances in networking capabilities have created the conditions of complexity by enabling richer, real-time interactions between and among individuals, objects, systems and organizations. Fusion of Information and Analytics Technologies (FIAT) are key enablers for the design of current and future decision support systems to support prognosis, diagnosis, and prescriptive tasks in such complex environments. Hundreds of methods and technologies exist, and several books have been dedicated to either analytics or information fusion so far. However, very few have discussed the methodological aspects and the need of integrating frameworks for these techniques coming from multiple disciplines. This paper presents a discussion of potential integrating frameworks as well as the development of a computational model to evolve FIAT-based systems capable of meeting the challenges of complex environments such as in Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT)

A formal framework for specification-based embedded real-time system engineering

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, p. 517-545).The increasing size and complexity of modern software-intensive systems present novel challenges when engineering high-integrity artifacts within aggressive budgetary constraints. Among these challenges, ensuring confidence in the engineered system, through validation and verification activities, represents the high cost item on many projects. The expensive nature of engineering high-integrity systems using traditional approaches can be partly attributed to the lack of analysis facilities during the early phases of the lifecycle, causing the validation and verification activities to begin too late in the engineering lifecycle. Other challenges include the management of complexity, opportunities for reuse without compromising confidence, and the ability to trace system features across lifecycle phases. The use of models as a specification mechanism provides an approach to mitigate complexity through abstraction. Furthermore, if the specification approach has formal underpinnings, the use of models can be leveraged to automate engineering activities such as formal analysis and test case generation. The research presented in this thesis proposes an engineering framework which addresses the high cost of validation and verification activities through specification-based system engineering. More specifically, the framework provides an integrated approach to embedded real-time system engineering which incorporates specification, simulation, formal verification, and test-case generation. The framework aggregates the state-of-the-art in individual software engineering disciplines to provide an end-to-end approach to embedded real-time system engineering. The key aspects of the framework include: * A novel specification language, the Timed Abstract State Machine (TASM) language, which extends the theory of Abstract State Machines (ASM).(cont.) The TASM language is a literate formal specification language which can be applied and multiple levels of abstraction and which can express the three key aspects of embedded real-time systems - function, time, and resources. * Automated verification capabilities achieved through the integration of mature analysis engines, namely the UPPAAL tool suite and the SAT4J SAT solver. The verification capabilities provided by the framework include completeness and consistency verification, model checking, execution time analysis, and resource consumption analysis. * Bi-directional traceability of model features across levels of abstraction and lifecycle phases. Traceability is achieved syntactically through archetypical refinement types; each refinement type provides correctness criteria, which, if met, guarantee semantic integrity through the refinement. * Automated test case generation capabilities for unit testing, integration testing, and regression testing. Unit test cases are generated to achieve TASM specification coverage through the rule coverage criterion. Integration test case generation is achieved through the hierarchical composition of unit test cases. Regression test case generation is achieved by leveraging the bi-directional traceability of model features. The framework is implemented into an integrated tool suite, the TASM toolset, which incorporates the UPPAAL tool suite and the SAT4J SAT solver. The toolset and framework are evaluated through experimentation on three industrial case studies - an automated manufacturing system, a "drive-by-wire" system used at a major automotive manufacturer, and a scripting environment used on the International Space Station.by Martin Ouimet.Ph.D

Infinitary λ\lambda-Calculi from a Linear Perspective (Long Version)

We introduce a linear infinitary $\lambda$-calculus, called $\ell\Lambda_{\infty}$, in which two exponential modalities are available, the first one being the usual, finitary one, the other being the only construct interpreted coinductively. The obtained calculus embeds the infinitary applicative $\lambda$-calculus and is universal for computations over infinite strings. What is particularly interesting about $\ell\Lambda_{\infty}$, is that the refinement induced by linear logic allows to restrict both modalities so as to get calculi which are terminating inductively and productive coinductively. We exemplify this idea by analysing a fragment of $\ell\Lambda$ built around the principles of $\mathsf{SLL}$ and $\mathsf{4LL}$. Interestingly, it enjoys confluence, contrarily to what happens in ordinary infinitary $\lambda$-calculi