Verification and synthesis of addition programs under the rules of correctness of statements

Deductive verification and synthesis of binary addition programs are carried out on the base of the rules of proving the correctness for statements of the predicate programming language P. The paper presents key fragments of verification and synthesis of the programs for the Ripple carry, Carry look-ahead and Ling adders. The correctness conditions of the programs were translated into the specification language of the PVS verification system. The proof is found to be a tedious procedure as compared with the ordinary programming. However, for program synthesis, the development of theories and proofs on PVS are easier and faster than for program verification.     

An axiomatic proof technique for parallel programs I

Summary A language for parallel programming, with a primitive construct for synchronization and mutual exclusion, is presented. Hoare's deductive system for proving partial correctness of sequential programs is extended to include the parallelism described by the language. The proof method lends insight into how one should understand and present parallel programs. Examples are given using several of the standard problems in the literature. Methods for proving termination and the absence of deadlock are also given.This research was partially supported by National Science Foundation grant GJ-42512.     

Specification and correctness proof of a WAM extension with abstract type constraints

We provide a mathematical specification of an extension of Warren's Abstract Machine (WAM) for executing Prolog to type-constraint logic programming and prove its correctness. Our aim is to provide a full specification and correctness proof of a concrete system, the PROTOS Abstract Machine (PAM), an extension of the WAM by polymorphic order-sorted unification as required by the logic programming language PROTOS-L.In this paper, while leaving the details of the PAM's type constraint representation and solving facilities to a sequel to this work, we keep the notion of types and dynamic type constraints abstract to allow applications to different constraint formalisms like Prolog III or CLP(R). This generality permits us to introduce modular extensions of Börger's and Rosenzweig's formal derivation of the WAM. Since the type constraint handling is orthogonal to the compilation of predicates and clauses, we start from type-constraint Prolog algebras with compiled AND/OR structure that are derived from Börger's and Rosenzweig's corresponding compiled standard Prolog algebras. The specification of the type-constraint WAM extension is then given by a sequence of evolving algebras, each representing a refinement level, and for each refinement step a correctness proof is given. Thus, we obtain the theorem that for every such abstract type-constraint logic programming system L, every compiler to the WAM extension with an abstract notion of types which satisfies the specified conditions, is correct.The first author was partially funded by the German Ministry for Research and Technology (BMFT) in the framework of the WISPRO Project (Grant 01 IW 206). He would also like to thank the Scientific Center of IBM Germany where the work reported here was started.     

A hoare-like proof system for analysing the computation time of programs

Versions of Hoare logic have been introduced to prove partial and total correctness properties of programs. In this paper it is shown how a Hoare-like proof system for while programs may be extended to prove properties of the computation time as well. It should be stressed that the system does not require the programs to be modified by inserting explicit operations upon a clock variable. We generalize the notions of arithmetically sound and complete and show that the proof system satisfies these. Also we derive formal rules corresponding to the informal rules for determining the computation time of while programs. The applicability of the proof system is illustrated by an example, the bubble sorting algorithm.     

Verification of object-oriented programs: A transformational approach

We show that verification of object-oriented programs by means of the assertional method can be achieved in a simple way by exploiting a syntax-directed transformation from object-oriented programs to recursive programs. This transformation suggests natural proofs rules and its correctness helps us to establish soundness and relative completeness of the proposed proof system. One of the difficulties is how to properly deal in the assertion language with the instance variables and aliasing. The discussed programming language supports arrays, instance variables, failures and recursive methods with parameters. We also explain how the transformational approach can be extended to deal with other features of object-oriented programming, like classes, inheritance, subtyping and dynamic binding.     

Integrating deductive verification and symbolic execution for abstract object creation in dynamic logic

We present a fully abstract weakest precondition calculus and its integration with symbolic execution. Our assertion language allows both specifying and verifying properties of objects at the abstraction level of the programming language, abstracting from a specific implementation of object creation. Objects which are not (yet) created never play any role. The corresponding proof theory is discussed and justified formally by soundness theorems. The usage of the assertion language and proof rules is illustrated with an example of a linked list reachability property. All proof rules presented are fully implemented in a version of the KeY verification system for Java programs.     

A framework for automated and certified refinement steps

The refinement calculus provides a methodology for transforming an abstract specification into a concrete implementation, by following a succession of refinement rules. These rules have been mechanized in theorem provers, thus providing a formal and rigorous way to prove that a given program refines another one. In a previous work, we have extended this mechanization for object-oriented programs, where the memory is represented as a graph, and we have integrated our approach within the rCOS tool, a model-driven software development tool providing a refinement language. Hence, for any refinement step, the tool automatically generates the corresponding proof obligations and the user can manually discharge them, using a provided library of refinement lemmas. In this work, we propose an approach to automate the search of possible refinement rules from a program to another, using the rewriting tool Maude. Each refinement rule in Maude is associated with the corresponding lemma in Isabelle, thus allowing the tool to automatically generate the Isabelle proof when a refinement rule can be automatically found. The user can add a new refinement rule by providing the corresponding Maude rule and Isabelle lemma.     

A Verified SAT Solver Framework with Learn,Forget, Restart,and Incrementality

We developed a formal framework for conflict-driven clause learning (CDCL) using the Isabelle/HOL proof assistant. Through a chain of refinements, an abstract CDCL calculus is connected first to a more concrete calculus, then to a SAT solver expressed in a functional programming language, and finally to a SAT solver in an imperative language, with total correctness guarantees. The framework offers a convenient way to prove metatheorems and experiment with variants, including the Davis–Putnam–Logemann–Loveland (DPLL) calculus. The imperative program relies on the two-watched-literal data structure and other optimizations found in modern solvers. We used Isabelle’s Refinement Framework to automate the most tedious refinement steps. The most noteworthy aspects of our work are the inclusion of rules for forget, restart, and incremental solving and the application of stepwise refinement.     

Proving and applying program transformations expressed with second-order patterns

Summary We propose a program transformation method based on rewriting-rules composed of second-order schemas. A complete second-order matching algorithm is presented that allows effective use of these rules. We show how to formally prove the correctness of the rules using a denotational semantics for the programming language. We establish the correctness of the transformation method itself, and give techniques pertaining to its actual implementation. The paper is illustrated with recursion removal examples.A preliminary version of this paper appeared in the Proceedings of the International School of Theory and Application of Computers, ERICE (Sicily), May 1976     

Correctness of programs with Pascal-like procedures without global variables

We study a programming language L_Pas consisting of blockstructured programs with a Pascal-like procedure concept which allows procedures as parameters. Due to Clarke (1979) there cannot be any sound and relatively complete Hoare-like system proving partial correctness for the full language L_Pas. However, in Langmaack and Olderog (1980) it has been conjectured that such a system exists once global variables are disallowed.In this paper we prove a slightly weaker version of this conjecture by presenting a Hoare-like system which is sound and g-complete for all programs in L_Pas without global variables; g-completeness means completeness modulo a special second-order theory and an appropriate notion of expressiveness. The proof system provides new methods of dealing with procedures which are formalized in the Rule of Separation for procedure calls. The completeness proof for the system is carried out in a transparent way using modified formal computation trees. An example shows how to apply the proposed methods.     

Program proving: Coroutines

Summary Proof methods adequate for a wide range of computer programs have been given in [1–6]. This paper develops a method suitable for programs which incorporate coroutines. The implementation of coroutines described follows closely that given in SIMULA [7, 8], a language in which such features may be used to great advantage. Proof rules for establishing the correctness of coroutines are given and the method is illustrated by the proof of a useful program for histogram compilation.     

A security flow control algorithm and its denotational semantics correctness proof

We derive a security flow control algorithm for message-based, modular systems and prove the algorithm correct. The development is noteworthy because it is completely rigorous: the flow control algorithm is derived as an abstract interpretation of the denotational semantics of the programming language for the modular system, and the correctness proof is a proof by logical relations of the congruence between the denotational semantics and its abstract interpretation. Effectiveness is also addressed: we give conditions under which an abstract interpretation can be computed as a traditional iterative data flow analysis, and we prove that our security flow control algorithm satisfies the conditions. We also show that symbolic expressions (that is, data flow values that contain unknowns) can be used in a convergent, iterative analysis. An important consequence of the latter result is that the security flow control algorithm can analyse individual modules in a system for well formedness and later can link the analyses to obtain an analysis of the entire system.     

逻辑语言中启发式控制

本文论述从逻辑程序本身提取启发式控制信息,以克服由于逻辑语言系统中控制策略的机械性所带来的不完备性和低效性。具体地给出若干启发式控制规则,并证明了这些规则的正确性。运用这些控制规则可以大大地提高系统的运行效率或改善逻辑程序的语义性质。文章最后给出启发式WAM(记作HWAM),并且用实例说明HWAM比WAM更有效,更完善。     

A Fully Abstract Semantics for Concurrent Constraint Programming

A compositional and fully abstract semantics for concurrent constraint programming is developed. It is the first fully abstract semantics which takes into account both non-determinism, infinite computations, and fairness. We present a simple concurrent constraint programming language, whose semantics is given by a set of reduction rules augmented with fairness requirements. In the fully abstract semantics we consider two aspects of a trace, viz. the function computed by the trace (the functionality) and the set of input and output data (the limit of the trace). We then derive the fully abstract semantics from the set of traces using a closure operation. We give two proofs of full abstraction; the first relies on the use of a syntactically infinite context. The second proof requires only a finite context, but assumes as input a representation of the function to be computed by the context. Finally, we examine the algebraic properties of the programming language with respect to the fully abstract semantics. It turns out that the non-deterministic selection operation can be defined using operations derived from parallel composition and the usual set-theoretic operations on sets of traces.     

An intermediate language to define dynamic semantics

An instruction set is given for an abstract machine which uses a pushdown stack as its principal memory. The proposed instructions serve the similar purposes of (1) defining the dynamic semantics of programming languages by describing the operations of programs on the abstract machine and (2) describing an intermediate language to be used in compiling programming languages into machine language. It is shown how the intermediate language can be used in the translation of the programming languages ADA, FORTRAN and PASCAL into IBM 360 assembly language and advantages over other intermediate languages such as three-address code and P-code.     

Sound refactorings

Refactoring consists in restructuring an object-oriented program without changing its behaviour. In this paper, we present refactorings as transformation rules for programs written in a refinement language inspired on Java that allows reasoning about object-oriented programs and specifications. A set of programming laws is available for the imperative constructs of this language as well as for its object-oriented features; soundness of the laws is proved against a weakest precondition semantics. The proof that the refactoring rules preserve behaviour (semantics) is accomplished by the application of these programming laws and data simulation. As illustration of our approach to refactoring, we use our rules to restructure a program to be in accordance with a design pattern.     

Derivation of a parsing algorithm in martin-löf's theory of types

Type Theory is a mathematical language with computation rules developed by Per Martin-Löf. Type Theory was initially developed as a formalization of constructive mathematics but Martin-Löf has pointed out that it can also be viewed as a formal system for the development of provably correct programs. Here, a parser for a simple expression language is specified and a program derived from the proof of correctness of its specification using the formalism of Type Theory. The proof is compared with a proof of the same problem formalized in the Edinburgh LCF system.     

Reasoning about plan revision in BDI agent programs

Facilities for handling plan execution failures are essential for agents which must cope with the effects of nondeterministic actions, and some form of failure handling can be found in most mature agent programming languages and platforms. While such features simplify the development of more robust agents, they make it hard to reason about the execution of agent programs, e.g., to verify their correctness. In this paper, we present an approach to the verification of agent programs which admit exceptional executions. We consider executions of the BDI-based agent programming language 3APL in which plans containing non-executable actions can be revised using plan revision rules, and present a logic for reasoning about normal and exceptional executions of 3APL programs. We provide a complete axiomatization for the logic and, using a simple example, show how to express properties of 3APL programs as formulas of the logic.     

Uses of the SIMULA process concept

The class concept of the SIMULA programming language is well known as the father of the concept of abstract data types. A SIMULA class can however also act as a process. This paper illustrates by some examples for existing programs how the process aspect of the class concept can be used to structure programs in neat ways. All the examples are taken from real production programs in heavy usage today, but the examples have been simplified in this paper to illustrate the main ideas.     

Verifying atomic data types

Atomic transactions are a widely-accepted technique for organizing computation in fault-tolerant distributed systems. In most languages and systems based on transactions, atomicity is implemented through atomic objects, typed data objects that provide their own synchronization and recovery. Hence, atomicity is the key correctness condition required of a data type implementation. This paper presents a technique for verifying the correctness of implementations of atomic data types. The significant aspect of this technique is the extension of Hoare's abstraction function to map to a set of sequences of abstract operations, not just to a single abstract value. We give an example of a proof for an atomic queue implemented in the programming language Avalon/C++.