UTP2: Higher-Order Equational Reasoning by Pointing

We describe a prototype theorem prover, UTP2, developed to match the style of hand-written proof work in the Unifying Theories of Programming semantical framework. This is based on alphabetised predicates in a 2nd-order logic, with a strong emphasis on equational reasoning. We present here an overview of the user-interface of this prover, which was developed from the outset using a point-and-click approach. We contrast this with the command-line paradigm that continues to dominate the mainstream theorem provers, and raises the question: can we have the best of both worlds?Comment: In Proceedings UITP 2014, arXiv:1410.785

UTP, Circus, and Isabelle

We dedicate this paper with great respect and friendship to He Jifeng on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Our research group owes much to him. The authors have over 150 publications on unifying theories of programming (UTP), a research topic Jifeng created with Tony Hoare. Our objective is to recount the history of Circus (a combination of Z, CSP, Dijkstra’s guarded command language, and Morgan’s refinement calculus) and the development of Isabelle/UTP. Our paper is in two parts. (1) We first discuss the activities needed to model systems: we need to formalise data models and their behaviours. We survey our work on these two aspects in the context of Circus. (2) Secondly, we describe our practical implementation of UTP in Isabelle/HOL. Mechanising UTP theories is the basis of novel verification tools. We also discuss ongoing and future work related to (1) and (2). Many colleagues have contributed to these works, and we acknowledge their support

Formal mutation testing for Circus

International audienceContext: The demand from industry for more dependable and scalable test-development mechanisms has fostered the use of formal models to guide the generation of tests. Despite many advancements having been obtained with state-based models, such as Finite State Machines (FSMs) and Input/Output Transition Systems (IOTSs), more advanced formalisms are required to specify large, state-rich, concurrent systems. Circus, a state-rich process algebra combining Z, CSP and a refinement calculus, is suitable for this; however, deriving tests from such models is accordingly more challenging. Recently, a testing theory has been stated for Circus, allowing the verification of process refinement based on exhaustive test sets. Objective: We investigate fault-based testing for refinement from Circus specifications using mutation. We seek the benefits of such techniques in test-set quality assertion and fault-based test-case selection. We target results relevant not only for Circus, but to any process algebra for refinement that combines CSP with a data language. Method: We present a formal definition for fault-based test sets, extending the Circus testing theory, and an extensive study of mutation operators for Circus. Using these results, we propose an approach to generate tests to kill mutants. Finally, we explain how prototype tool support can be obtained with the implementation of a mutant generator, a translator from Circus to CSP, and a refinement checker for CSP, and with

Embedding programming languages: Prolog in Haskell

This thesis focuses on combining the two most important and wide spread declarative programming paradigms, functional and logic programming. The proposed approach aims at adding logic programming features which are native to Prolog onto Haskell. We develop extensions which replicate the target language by utilizing advanced features of the host language for an efficient implementation. The thesis aims to provide insights into merging two declarative languages namely, Haskell and Prolog by embedding the latter into the former and analyzing the results of doing so as the two languages have conflicting characteristics. The finished products will be something similar to a haskellised Prolog which has logic programming-like capabilities. --Leaf ii.The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b214135

Unifying Theories of Logics with Undefinedness

A relational approach to the question of how different logics relate formally is described. We consider three three-valued logics, as well as classical and semi-classical logic. A fundamental representation of three-valued predicates is developed in the Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP) framework of Hoare and He. On this foundation, the five logics are encoded semantically as UTP theories. Several fundamental relationships are revealed using theory linking mechanisms, which corroborate results found in the literature, and which have direct applicability to the sound mixing of logics in order to prove facts. The initial development of the fundamental three-valued predicate model, on which the theories are based, is then applied to the novel systems-of-systems specification language CML, in order to reveal proof obligations which bridge a gap that exists between the semantics of CML and the existing semantics of one of its sub-languages, VDM. Finally, a detailed account is given of an envisioned model theory for our proposed structuring, which aims to lift the sentences of the five logics encoded to the second order, allowing them to range over elements of existing UTP theories of computation, such as designs and CSP processes. We explain how this would form a complete treatment of logic interplay that is expressed entirely inside UTP

A strategy to verify the code generation from concurrent and state-rich circus specifications to executable code

The use of Automatic Code Generators for Formal Methods not only minimizes efforts on the implementation of Software Systems, but also reduces the chance of existing errors on the execution of such Systems. These tools, however, can themselves have faults on their source codes that may cause errors on the generation of Software Systems, and thus verification of such tools is encouraged. This PhD thesis aims at creating and developing a strategy to verify the code generation from the Circus formal method to Java Code. The interest in Circus comes from the fact that it allows the specification of concurrent and state-rich aspects of a System in a straightforward manner. The code generation envisaged to be verified is performed by JCircus, a tool that translates a large subset of Circus to Java code that implements the JCSP API. The strategy of verification consists on the following steps: (1) extension of Woodcock’s Operational Semantics to Circus processes and proof that it is sound with respect to the Denotational Semantics of Circus in the Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP), that is a framework that allows proof and unification of different theories; (2) development and implementation of a strategy that refinement-checks the code generated by JCircus, through a toolchain that encompasses (2.1) a Labelled Predicate Transition System (LPTS) Generator for Circus and (2.2) a Model Generator that inputs (I) a LPTS and (II) the code generated by JCircus, and generates a model (that uses the Java Pathfinder code model-checker) that refinement-checks the code generated by JCircus. Combined with coverage-based techniques on the source code of JCircus, we envisage improving the reliability of the Code Generation from Circus to Java.O uso de Geradores Automáticos de Código para Métodos Formais não apenas minimiza esforços na implementação de Sistemas de Software, como também reduz a chance da existência de erros na execução destes Sistemas. Estas ferramentas, no entanto, podem ter faltas em seus códigos-fonte que causam erros na geração dos Sistemas de Software, e então a verificação de tais ferramentas é encorajada. Esta tese de Doutorado visa criar e desenvolver uma estratégia para verificar JCircus, um Gerador Automático de Código de um amplo sub-conjunto de Circus para Java. O interesse em Circus vem do fato de que ele permite a especificação dos aspectos concorrentes e de estado de um Sistema de maneira direta. A estratégia de verificação consiste nos seguintes passos: (1) extensão da Semântica Operacional de Woodcock e prova de que ela é sólida com respeito à Semântica Denotacional existente de Circus na Teoria Unificada de Programação (UTP), que é um framework que permite prova e unificação entre diferentes teorias; (2) desenvolvimento e implementação de uma estratégia que verifica o refinamento do código gerado por JCircus, através de uma toolchain que engloba um Gerador de Sistema de Transições Rotuladas com Predicado (LPTS) para Circus e um Gerador de Modelos que aceita como entrada (I) o LPTS e (II) o código gerado por JCircus, e gera um modelo em Java Pathfinder que verifica o refinamento do código gerado por JCircus. Através da aplicação do passo (2) combinada com técnicas baseadas em cobertura no código fonte de JCircus, nós visamos aumentar a confiabilidade do código gerado de Circus para Java

The Diffusion of a Discipline: Examining Social Marketing\u27s Institutionalization within Environmental Contexts

As a social change discipline, social marketing has demonstrated its effectiveness in addressing many types of wicked problems. However, despite its utility in environmental contexts, it is neither well known nor widespread in its uptake in these settings. This study’s purpose is to reveal opportunities to drive the adoption, implementation, and diffusion (“institutionalization”) of social marketing within the domains of environmental sustainability and natural resource conservation. This research considers the use of social marketing as an innovative practice within a diffusion of innovations framework and uses a systems lens to examine early adopter social marketing professionals and the institutional contexts in which they operate. It employs an exploratory sequential mixed-methods research design within a two-phased inquiry consisting of three independent but interconnected studies. The dataset includes 90 qualitative interviews and two quantitative surveys. The first phase of this research examined 1) challenges and opportunities facing the discipline, and 2) status and trends within social marketing formal academic training. Findings from this phase included a thematic analysis of challenges related to institutionalization that centered the conceptualization of the discipline alongside the importance of key aspects of organizational culture and the critical role of formal education and professional development opportunities. Recommendations were developed to address these challenges broadly as well as increase social marketing academic programming. The second phase consisted of a case study of environmental social marketing within the Pacific Northwest United States. Findings revealed several aspects of organizational culture and practice that can be considered success factors driving social marketing implementation, particularly the diffusion concepts of observability, relative advantage, adaptation and reinvention, and innovation champions. This study also identified disconnects affecting social marketing’s institutionalization; most notably a gap between the initiation and implementation stages of the organizational innovation process, and a gap in perceived efficacy between the micro and meso systems levels. Recommendations for practice were proposed to address these gaps. This study’s contribution to theory and practice centers around demonstrating the utility of a systems approach to explore and identify elements of organizational culture that can be considered potential leverage points for advancing the institutionalization of social marketing

Bioinspired metaheuristic algorithms for global optimization

This paper presents concise comparison study of newly developed bioinspired algorithms for global optimization problems. Three different metaheuristic techniques, namely Accelerated Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO), Firefly Algorithm (FA), and Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) are investigated and implemented in Matlab environment. These methods are compared on four unimodal and multimodal nonlinear functions in order to find global optimum values. Computational results indicate that GWO outperforms other intelligent techniques, and that all aforementioned algorithms can be successfully used for optimization of continuous functions

Experimental Evaluation of Growing and Pruning Hyper Basis Function Neural Networks Trained with Extended Information Filter

In this paper we test Extended Information Filter (EIF) for sequential training of Hyper Basis Function Neural Networks with growing and pruning ability (HBF-GP). The HBF neuron allows different scaling of input dimensions to provide better generalization property when dealing with complex nonlinear problems in engineering practice. The main intuition behind HBF is in generalization of Gaussian type of neuron that applies Mahalanobis-like distance as a distance metrics between input training sample and prototype vector. We exploit concept of neuron’s significance and allow growing and pruning of HBF neurons during sequential learning process. From engineer’s perspective, EIF is attractive for training of neural networks because it allows a designer to have scarce initial knowledge of the system/problem. Extensive experimental study shows that HBF neural network trained with EIF achieves same prediction error and compactness of network topology when compared to EKF, but without the need to know initial state uncertainty, which is its main advantage over EKF