Early Analysis of Ambient Systems SysML Properties using OMEGA2-IFx

International audienceFormal methods provide tools to verify the consistency and correctness of a specification with respect to the desired properties of the system. This verification is important as the development of an AAL (Ambient Assisted Living) system involves different technologies (medical services, surveillance cameras, intelligent devices, etc.) requiring a strong consistency checking between models. We illustrate in this paper how we prove some of the properties of the system before the development even starts. To model the AAL system, we use the SysML language. In terms of tools, we used Rational Rhapsody in combination with the OMEGA2 profile which is an executable Uml/SysML profile used for the formal specification and validation of critical real-time systems. This profile is supported by the IFx toolset which provides mechanisms for the model simulation and properties verification of the AAL system

Modeling and verification of Functional and Non-Functional Requirements of ambient Self-Adaptive Systems

International audienceSelf-Adaptive Systems modify their behavior at run-time in response to changing environmental conditions. For these systems, Non-Functional Requirements play an important role, and one has to identify as early as possible the requirements that are adaptable. We propose an integrated approach for modeling and verify- ing the requirements of Self-Adaptive Systems using Model Driven Engineering techniques. For this, we use Relax, which is a Requirements Engineering language which introduces flexibility in Non-Functional Require- ments. We then use the concepts of Goal-Oriented Requirements Engineering for eliciting and modeling the requirements of Self-Adaptive Systems. For properties verification, we use OMEGA2/IFx profile and toolset. We illustrate our proposed approach by applying it on an academic case study

Méthodes de diagnostic avancées dans la validation formelle des modèles

Malgré l'existence d'un nombre important d'approches et outils de vérification à base de modèles, leur utilisation dans l'industrie reste très limitée. Parmi les raisons qui expliquent ce décalage il y a l'exploitation, aujourd'hui difficile, des résultats du processus de vérification. Dans cette thèse, nous étudions l'utilisation des outils de vérification dans les processus actuels de modélisation de systèmes qui utilisent intensivement la validation à base de modèles. Nous établissons ensuite les limites des approches existantes, surtout en termes d'utilisabilité. A partir de cette étude, nous analysons les causes de l'état actuel des pratiques. Nous proposons une approche complète et outillée d'aide au diagnostic d'erreur qui améliore l'exploitation des résultats de vérification, en introduisant des techniques mettant à profit la visualisation d'information et l'ergonomie cognitive. En particulier, nous proposons un ensemble de recommandations pour la conception d'outils de diagnostic, un processus générique adaptable aux processus de validation intégrant une activité de diagnostic, ainsi qu'un framework basé sur les techniques de l'Ingénierie Dirigée par les Modèles (IDM) permettant une implémentation et une personnalisation rapide de visualisations. Notre approche a été appliquée à une chaîne d'outils existante, qui intègre la validation de modèles UML et SysML de systèmes temps réel critiques. Une validation empirique des résultats a démontré une amélioration significative de l'utilisabilité de l'outil de diagnostic, après la prise en compte de nos préconisations.A plethora of theoretical results are available which make possible the use of dynamic analysis and model-checking for software and system models expressed in high-level modeling languages like UML, SDL or AADL. Their usage is hindered by the complexity of information processing demanded from the modeller in order to apply them and to effectively exploit their results. Our thesis is that by improving the visual presentation of the analysis results, their exploitation can be highly improved. To support this thesis, we define a diagnostic trace analysis approach based on information visualisation and human factors techniques. This approach offers the basis for new types of scenario visualizations, improving diagnostic trace understanding. Our contribution was implemented in an existing UML/SysML analyzer and was validated in a controlled experiment that shows a significant increase in the usability of our tool, both in terms of task performance speed and in terms of user satisfaction. The pertinence of our approach is assessed through an evaluation, based on well-established evaluation mechanisms. In order to perform such an evaluation, we needed to adapt the notion of usability to the context of formal methods usability, and to adapt the evaluation process to our setting. The goal of this experiment was to see whether extending analysis tools with a well-designed event-based visualization would significantly improve analysis results exploitation and the results are meeting our expectations