Model Checking Linear Logic Specifications

The overall goal of this paper is to investigate the theoretical foundations of algorithmic verification techniques for first order linear logic specifications. The fragment of linear logic we consider in this paper is based on the linear logic programming language called LO enriched with universally quantified goal formulas. Although LO was originally introduced as a theoretical foundation for extensions of logic programming languages, it can also be viewed as a very general language to specify a wide range of infinite-state concurrent systems. Our approach is based on the relation between backward reachability and provability highlighted in our previous work on propositional LO programs. Following this line of research, we define here a general framework for the bottom-up evaluation of first order linear logic specifications. The evaluation procedure is based on an effective fixpoint operator working on a symbolic representation of infinite collections of first order linear logic formulas. The theory of well quasi-orderings can be used to provide sufficient conditions for the termination of the evaluation of non trivial fragments of first order linear logic.Comment: 53 pages, 12 figures "Under consideration for publication in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming

Lost in Abstraction: Monotonicity in Multi-Threaded Programs (Extended Technical Report)

Monotonicity in concurrent systems stipulates that, in any global state, extant system actions remain executable when new processes are added to the state. This concept is not only natural and common in multi-threaded software, but also useful: if every thread's memory is finite, monotonicity often guarantees the decidability of safety property verification even when the number of running threads is unknown. In this paper, we show that the act of obtaining finite-data thread abstractions for model checking can be at odds with monotonicity: Predicate-abstracting certain widely used monotone software results in non-monotone multi-threaded Boolean programs - the monotonicity is lost in the abstraction. As a result, well-established sound and complete safety checking algorithms become inapplicable; in fact, safety checking turns out to be undecidable for the obtained class of unbounded-thread Boolean programs. We demonstrate how the abstract programs can be modified into monotone ones, without affecting safety properties of the non-monotone abstraction. This significantly improves earlier approaches of enforcing monotonicity via overapproximations

Invariants and Home Spaces in Transition Systems and Petri Nets

This lecture note focuses on comparing the notions of invariance and home spaces in Transition Systems and more particularly, in Petri Nets. We also describe how linear algebra relates to these basic notions in Computer Science, how it can be used for extracting invariant properties from a parallel system described by a Labeled Transition System in general and a Petri Net in particular. We endeavor to regroup a number of algebraic results dispersed throughout the Petri Nets literature with the addition of new results around the notions of semiflows and generating sets. Examples are given to illustrate how invariants can be handled to prove behavioral properties of a Petri Net. Some additional thoughts on invariants and home spaces will conclude this note.Comment: 83 page

Modeling and analysis of concurrent systems

A survey of modeling and analysis techniques in common use for modeling and analyzing concurrent systems. The models surveyed are CSP (Communicating Sequential Processes), Path Expressions, CCS (Calculus of Communicating Systems), CIRCAL, Petri Nets, Coloured Petri Nets, Predicate-Action Nets, Numerical Petri Nets, Contour-Transition Nets, and several varieties of Timed Petri Nets. The analysis techniques are state-space analysis, temporal logic, structural analysis, and inductive analysis