Analysis of Feature Models Using Alloy: A Survey

Feature Models (FMs) are a mechanism to model variability among a family of closely related software products, i.e. a software product line (SPL). Analysis of FMs using formal methods can reveal defects in the specification such as inconsistencies that cause the product line to have no valid products. A popular framework used in research for FM analysis is Alloy, a light-weight formal modeling notation equipped with an efficient model finder. Several works in the literature have proposed different strategies to encode and analyze FMs using Alloy. However, there is little discussion on the relative merits of each proposal, making it difficult to select the most suitable encoding for a specific analysis need. In this paper, we describe and compare those strategies according to various criteria such as the expressivity of the FM notation or the efficiency of the analysis. This survey is the first comparative study of research targeted towards using Alloy for FM analysis. This review aims to identify all the best practices on the use of Alloy, as a part of a framework for the automated extraction and analysis of rich FMs from natural language requirement specifications.Comment: In Proceedings FMSPLE 2016, arXiv:1603.0857

SPIN-ning Software Architectures: A Method for Exploring Complex Systems

When designing complex software systems that provide multiple non-functional properties, it is usual to try to reuse (and finally compose) simpler existing designs, which deal with each of these properties in solitude. The paper describes a method for automatically and quickly identifying all the different ways one can compose such designs, with the aid of a model checke

Sense, Model and Identify the Load Signatures of HVAC Systems in Metro Stations

The HVAC systems in subway stations are energy consuming giants, each of which may consume over 10, 000 Kilowatts per day for cooling and ventilation. To save energy for the HVAC systems, it is critically important to firstly know the "load signatures" of the HVAC system, i.e., the quantity of heat imported from the outdoor environments and by the passengers respectively in different periods of a day, which will significantly benefit the design of control policies. In this paper, we present a novel sensing and learning approach to identify the load signature of the HVAC system in the subway stations. In particular, sensors and smart meters were deployed to monitor the indoor, outdoor temperatures, and the energy consumptions of the HVAC system in real-time. The number of passengers was counted by the ticket checking system. At the same time, the cooling supply provided by the HVAC system was inferred via the energy consumption logs of the HVAC system. Since the indoor temperature variations are driven by the difference of the loads and the cooling supply, linear regression model was proposed for the load signature, whose coefficients are derived via a proposed algorithm . We collected real sensing data and energy log data from HaiDianHuangZhuang Subway station, which is in line 4 of Beijing from the duration of July 2012 to Sept. 2012. The data was used to evaluate the coefficients of the regression model. The experiment results show typical variation signatures of the loads from the passengers and from the outdoor environments respectively, which provide important contexts for smart control policies.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

On the Security of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Protocol

Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) is the communications protocol currently being rolled out as part of next generation air transportation systems. As the heart of modern air traffic control, it will play an essential role in the protection of two billion passengers per year, besides being crucial to many other interest groups in aviation. The inherent lack of security measures in the ADS-B protocol has long been a topic in both the aviation circles and in the academic community. Due to recently published proof-of-concept attacks, the topic is becoming ever more pressing, especially with the deadline for mandatory implementation in most airspaces fast approaching. This survey first summarizes the attacks and problems that have been reported in relation to ADS-B security. Thereafter, it surveys both the theoretical and practical efforts which have been previously conducted concerning these issues, including possible countermeasures. In addition, the survey seeks to go beyond the current state of the art and gives a detailed assessment of security measures which have been developed more generally for related wireless networks such as sensor networks and vehicular ad hoc networks, including a taxonomy of all considered approaches.Comment: Survey, 22 Pages, 21 Figure