We consider the reachability problem for timed automata. A standard solution
to this problem involves computing a search tree whose nodes are abstractions
of zones. These abstractions preserve underlying simulation relations on the
state space of the automaton. For both effectiveness and efficiency reasons,
they are parametrized by the maximal lower and upper bounds (LU-bounds)
occurring in the guards of the automaton. We consider the aLU abstraction
defined by Behrmann et al. Since this abstraction can potentially yield
non-convex sets, it has not been used in implementations. We prove that aLU
abstraction is the biggest abstraction with respect to LU-bounds that is sound
and complete for reachability. We also provide an efficient technique to use
the aLU abstraction to solve the reachability problem.Comment: Extended version of LICS 2012 paper (conference paper till v6). in
Information and Computation, available online 27 July 201
