Lecture Advanced Model Checking

Contents

This lecture develops techniques that extend the elementary algorithms introduced in Model Checking. One focus is the state-space explosion problem and the different ways of representing fewer states while preserving the properties being checked. A second focus is the analysis of systems with explicit timing constraints.

Topics include:

• Bisimulation, simulation, and algorithms for minimising state spaces.
• Partial-order reduction for concurrent systems.
• Symbolic representations using binary decision diagrams.
• Bounded model checking.
• Timed automata, finite abstractions, and timed reachability.

The real-time part connects mathematical models with verification problems arising in embedded systems, communication protocols, and robotics.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of automata theory, complexity theory, algorithms, and data structures is expected. Prior exposure to LTL and CTL model checking is recommended.

Further reading

The lecture uses Principles of Model Checking by Christel Baier and Joost-Pieter Katoen, supplemented with material on timed automata.