Test generation from P systems using model checking

This paper presents some testing approaches based on model checking and using different testing criteria. First, test sets are built from different Kripke structure representations. Second, various rule coverage criteria for transitional, non-deterministic, cell-like P systems, are considered in order to generate adequate test sets. Rule based coverage criteria (simple rule coverage, context-dependent rule coverage and variants) are defined and, for each criterion, a set of LTL (Linear Temporal Logic) formulas is provided. A codification of a P system as a Kripke structure and the sets of LTL properties are used in test generation: for each criterion, test cases are obtained from the counterexamples of the associated LTL formulas, which are automatically generated from the Kripke structure codification of the P system. The method is illustrated with an implementation using a specific model checker, NuSMV. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Testing Non-deterministic Stream X-machine Models and P systems

AbstractUnder certain well defined conditions, the stream X-machine testing method can produce a test set that is guaranteed to determine the correctness of an implementation. The testing method has originally assumed that an implementation of each processing function or relation is proven to be correct before the actual testing can take place. Such a limitation has been removed in a subsequent paper, but only for deterministic X-machines. This paper extends this result to non-deterministic stream X-machines and considers a conformance relationship between a specification and an implementation, rather than mere equivalence. Furthermore, it shows how this method can be applied to test a P system by building a suitable stream X-machine from the derivation tree associated with a partial computation

Mutation Based Testing of P Systems

Although testing is an essential part of software development, until recently, P system testing has been completely neglected. Mutation testing (mutation analysis) is a structural software testing method which involves modifying the program in small ways. Mutation analysis has been largely used in white-box testing, but only a few tentative attempts to use this idea in black-box testing have been reported in the literature. In this paper, we provide a formal way of generating mutants for systems specified by context- free grammars. Furthermore, the paper shows how the proposed method can be used to construct mutants for a P system specification, thus making a significant progress in the area of P system testin

Modeling, Verification and Testing of P Systems Using Rodin and ProB

In this paper we present an approach to modelling, verification and testing for cell-like P-systems based on Event-B and the Rodin platform. We present a general framework for modelling P systems using Event-B, which we then use to implement two P-system models in the Rodin platform. For each of the two models, we use the associated Pro-B model checker to verify properties and we present some of the results obtaine

Towards Automated Verification of P Systems Using Spin

This paper presents an approach to P systems verification using the Spin model checker. A tool which implements the proposed approach has been developed and can automatically transform P system specifications from P-Lingua into Promela, the language accepted by the well known model checker Spin. The properties expected for the P system are specified using some patterns, representing high level descriptions of frequently asked questions, formulated in natural language. These properties are automatically translated into LTL specifications for the Promela model and the Spin model checker is run against them. In case a counterexample is received, the Spin trace is decoded and expressed as a P system computation. The tool has been tested on a number of examples and the results obtained are presented in the paper

Model Checking Based Test Generation from P Systems Using P-Lingua

This paper presents an approach for P system testing, that uses model- checking for automatic test generation and P-Lingua as specification language. This approach is based on a transformation of the transitional, non-deterministic, cell-like P system into a Kripke structure, which is further used for test generation, by adding convenient temporal logic specifications. This paper extends our previous work in this field to multi-membrane, transitional P system, having cooperative rules, communication between membranes and membrane dissolution. A tool, which takes as input a P system specified in P-Lingua and translates it into the language accepted by the model checker NuSMV was developed and used for test case generation. Some hints regarding the automatic test generation using NuSMV and P-Lingua are also given

Privacy-preserving Linear Computations in Spiking Neural P Systems

Spiking Neural P systems are a class of membrane computing models inspired directly by biological neurons. Besides the theoretical progress made in this new computational model, there are also numerous applications of P systems in fields like formal verification, artificial intelligence, or cryptography. Motivated by all the use cases of SN P systems, in this paper, we present a new privacy-preserving protocol that enables a client to compute a linear function using an SN P system hosted on a remote server. Our protocol allows the client to use the server to evaluate functions of the form t_1k + t_2 without revealing t_1, t_2 or k and without the server knowing the result. We also present an SN P system to implement any linear function over natural numbers and some security considerations of our protocol in the honest-but-curious security model.Comment: In Proceedings FROM 2023, arXiv:2309.1295

Search Based Software Engineering in Membrane Computing

This paper presents a testing approach for kernel P Systems (kP systems), based on test data generation for a given scenario. This method uses Genetic Algorithms to generate the input sets needed to trigger the given computation steps

Formal Aspects of Computing Testing Conditions for Communicating Stream X-machine Systems

Abstract. X-machines were proposed by Holcombe as a possible specification language and since then a number of further investigations have demonstrated that the model is intuitive and easy to use. In particular, stream X-machines (SXM), a particular class of X-machines, have been found to be extremely useful in practice. Furthermore, a method of testing systems specified as SXMs exists and is proved to detect all faults of the implementation provided that the system meets certain "design for test conditions". Recently, a system of communicating SXMs was introduced as a means of modelling parallel processing. This paper proves that each communicating machine component can be transformed in a straightforward manner so that the entire system will behave like a single stream X-machine -the equivalent SXM of the system. The paper goes on to investigate the applicability of the SXM testing method to a system of communicating SXMs and identifies a class of communicating SXMs for which the equivalent SXM of the system meets the "design for test conditions"

Search-based testing using state-based fitness

Abstract , in order to find input parameters for a given path in a state machine which satisfy some given constraints for each transition. The approach level was adapted to correspond to all followed transitions from the machine path (instead of only critical branches like in structural testing [2]); the normalized branch level was derived from the predicate of the first unsatisfied transition constraint, using the same transformations as in structural search-based testin