A Branching Time Temporal Framework for Quantitative Reasoning

Temporal logics such as Computation Tree Logic (CTL) and Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) have become popular for specifying temporal properties over a wide variety of planning and verification problems. In this paper we work towards building a generalized framework for automated reasoning based on temporal logics. We present a powerful extension of CTL with first-order quantification over the set of reachable states for reasoning about extremal properties of weighted labeled transition systems in general. The proposed logic, which we call Weighted Quantified Computation Tree Logic (WQCTL), captures the essential elements common to the domain of planning and verification problems and can thereby be used as an effective specification language in both domains. We show that in spite of the rich, expressive power of the logic, we are able to evaluate WQCTL formulas in time polynomial in the size of the state space times the length of the formula. Wepresent experimental results on the WQCTL verifier.     

多智能体系统时态认知规范高效符号模型检测的算法研究

Clarke和McMillan提出了利用mu演算和OBDDs符号模型检测时态逻辑的方法.这些方法是非常有效的,能用于验证许多具有极大状态空间的实际系统(状态个数可以超过1020).但是,这些方法不能检测知识逻辑.而时态认知逻辑能更精确地描述分布式领域中系统和协议的规范.文章首先讨论了Kripke结构和mu演算的扩展,然后提出了利用扩展mu演算和OBDDs符号模型检测时态认知逻辑的方法.     

Model Checking for Combined Logics with an Application to Mobile Systems

In this paper, we develop model checking procedures for three ways of combining (temporal) logics: temporalization, independent combination, and join. We prove that they are terminating, sound, and complete, we analyze their computational complexity, and we report on experiments with implementations. We take a close look at mobile systems and show how the proposed combined model checking framework can be successfully applied to the specification and verification of their properties.     

Deciding Global Partial-Order Properties

Model checking of asynchronous systems is traditionally based on the interleaving model, where an execution is modeled by a total order between atomic events. Recently, the use of partial order semantics, representing the causal order between events, is becoming popular. This paper considers the model checking problem for partial-order temporal logics. Solutions to this problem exist for partial order logics over local states. For the more general global logics that are interpreted over global states, only undecidability results have been proved. In this paper, we present a decision procedure for a partial order temporal logic over global states. We also sharpen the undecidability results by showing that a single until operator is sufficient for undecidability.A preliminary version of this paper appears in Proceedings of the 25th International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP98), LNCS 1443, pp. 41–52, 1998.     

An Infinite Hierarchy of Temporal Logics over Branching Time

Many temporal logics have been suggested as branching time specification formalisms during the past 20 years. These logics were compared against each other for their expressive power, model checking complexity, and succinctness. Yet, unlike the case for linear time logics, no canonical temporal logic of branching time was agreed upon. We offer an explanation for the multiplicity of temporal logics over branching time and provide an objective quantified yardstick to measure these logics. We define an infinite hierarchy BTL_k of temporal logics and prove its strictness. We examine the expressive power of commonly used branching time temporal logics. We show that CTL* has no finite base, and that almost all of its many sublogics suggested in the literature are inside the second level of our hierarchy. We introduce new Ehrenfeucht–Fraissé games on trees and use them as our main tool to prove inexpressibility.     

带有时钟变量的线性时序逻辑与实时系统验证

为了描述实时系统的性质和行为,10多年来,各种不同的时序逻辑,如Timed Computation Tree Logic,Metric Interval Temporal Logic和Real-Time Temporal Logic等相继提出来.这些时序逻辑适于表示实时系统的性质和规范,但不适于表示实时系统的实现模型.这样,在基于时序逻辑的实时系统的研究中,系统的性质和实现通常是用两种不同的语言来表示的.定义了一个带有时钟变量的线性时序逻辑(linear temporal logic with clocks,简称LTLC).它是由Manna和Pnueli提出的线性时序逻辑在实时情况下的一个推广.LTLC既能表示实时系统的性质,又能很方便地表示实时系统的实现.它能在统一的语义框架中表示出从高级的需求规范到低级的实现模型之间的不同抽象层次上的系统描述,并且能用逻辑蕴涵来表示不同抽象层次的系统描述之间的语义一致性.LTLC的这个特点将有助于实时系统的性质验证和实时系统的逐步求精.     

On the existence of translations of structured specifications

We provide a set of sufficient conditions for the existence of translations of structured specifications across specification formalisms. The most basic condition is the existence of a translation between the logical systems underlying the specification formalisms, which corresponds to the unstructured situation. Our approach is based upon institution theory and especially upon a recent abstract approach to structured specifications in which both the underlying logics and the structuring systems are treated fully abstractly. Hence our result is applicable to a wide range of actual specification formalisms that may employ different logics as well as different structuring systems, and is very relevant within the context of the fastly developing heterogeneous specification paradigm.     

First-Order Temporal Verification in Practice

First-order temporal logic, the extension of first-order logic with operators dealing with time, is a powerful and expressive formalism with many potential applications. This expressive logic can be viewed as a framework in which to investigate problems specified in other logics. The monodic fragment of first-order temporal logic is a useful fragment that possesses good computational properties such as completeness and sometimes even decidability. Temporal logics of knowledge are useful for dealing with situations where the knowledge of agents in a system is involved. In this paper we present a translation from temporal logics of knowledge into the monodic fragment of first-order temporal logic. We can then use a theorem prover for monodic first-order temporal logic to prove properties of the translated formulas. This allows problems specified in temporal logics of knowledge to be verified automatically without needing a specialized theorem prover for temporal logics of knowledge. We present the translation, its correctness, and examples of its use. Partially supported by EPSRC project: Analysis and Mechanisation of Decidable First-Order Temporal Logics (GR/R45376/01).     

Event calculus and temporal action logics compared

We compare the event calculus and temporal action logics (TAL), two formalisms for reasoning about action and change. We prove that, if the formalisms are restricted to integer time, inertial fluents, and relational fluents, and if TAL action type specifications are restricted to definite reassignment of a single fluent, then the formalisms are not equivalent. We argue that equivalence cannot be restored by using more general TAL action type specifications. We prove however that, if the formalisms are further restricted to single-step actions, then they are logically equivalent.     

Formal timing analysis of distributed systems

Although a large number of formal methods have been reported in the literature, most of them are applicable only at the initial stages of software development. A major reason for this situation is that those formalisms lack expressiveness to describe the behavior of systems with respect to their underlying configurations. On the other hand, recent experience has shown that the complex nature of distributed systems is conveniently described, constructed and managed in terms of their configuration. In this context, with the twin objectives of accurately modelling the real-timed behavior of distributed systems and supporting the analysis of timing behavior with respect to their underlying configurations, we formulate a logic language called distributed logic (DL). DL is a first-order logic augmented with temporal and spatial modalities. The semantics of DL are based on ideas drawn from both the interleaving and partial order models. In addition to the syntax and semantics of the logic, a formal proof scheme for a distributed programming model is also presented. Finally, use of the proof method is illustrated through the analysis of the real-time properties of a sample problem.     

Specification and verification of reactive system behaviour: The Railroad Crossing example

In this paper we present an approach to the specification and verification of reactive systems. The approach uses Timed Statecharts and Real Time Logic for the specification of temporal behaviour, and theorem proving techniques for the verification of safety and utility properties. Formal verification is achieved through the automation of semi-formal (rigorous) proofs using a theorem prover (Proofpower HOL). To illustrate the approach, we use the Railroad Crossing Problem, which has been proposed, along with a set of criteria for assessment, as a benchmark for the comparison of real-time formalisms. We conclude with our assessment of the approach against the proposed criteria.     

Interpretability of first-order linear temporal logics in fork algebras

In this paper we prove theorems on the interpretability of the first-order temporal logics LTL and TL into Fork Algebras. This result is part of a research project on the interpretability of logics in Fork Algebras, and has important applications towards the relational specification of properties of systems within the Ar_gentum tool.     

Temporal Development Methods for Agent-Based

In this paper we overview one specific approach to the formal development of multi-agent systems. This approach is based on the use of temporal logics to represent both the behaviour of individual agents, and the macro-level behaviour of multi-agent systems. We describe how formal specification, verification and refinement can all be developed using this temporal basis, and how implementation can be achieved by directly executing these formal representations. We also show how the basic framework can be extended in various ways to handle the representation and implementation of agents capable of more complex deliberation and reasoning.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Specifying safety-critical systems with a decidable duration logic

Punctual timing constraints are important in formal modelling of safety-critical real-time systems. But they are very expensive to express in dense time. In most cases, punctuality and dense-time lead to undecidability. Efforts have been successful to obtain decidability; but the results are either non-primitive recursive or nonelementary. In this paper we propose a duration logic which can express quantitative temporal constraints and punctuality timing constraints over continuous intervals and has a reasonable complexity. Our logic allows most specifications that are interesting in practice, and retains punctuality. It can capture the semantics of both events and states, and incorporates the notions duration and accumulation. We call this logic ESDL (the acronym stands for Event- and State-based Duration Logic). We show that the satisfiability problem is decidable, and the complexity of the satisfiability problem is NEXPTIME. ESDL is one of a few decidable interval temporal logics with metric operators. Through some case studies, we also show that ESDL can specify many safety-critical real-time system properties which were previously specified by undecidable interval logics or their decidable reductions based on some abstractions.     

Reasoning about Minimal Knowledge in Nonmonotonic Modal Logics

We study the problem of embedding Halpern and Moses's modal logic of minimal knowledge states into two families of modal formalism for nonmonotonic reasoning, McDermott and Doyle's nonmonotonic modal logics and ground nonmonotonic modal logics. First, we prove that Halpern and Moses's logic can be embedded into all ground logics; moreover, the translation employed allows for establishing a lower bound (3p) for the problem of skeptical reasoning in all ground logics. Then, we show a translation of Halpern and Moses's logic into a significant subset of McDermott and Doyle's formalisms. Such a translation both indicates the ability of Halpern and Moses's logic of expressing minimal knowledge states in a more compact way than McDermott and Doyle's logics, and allows for a comparison of the epistemological properties of such nonmonotonic modal formalisms.     

QoS-oriented design of embedded systems with specification PEARL

Only recently have methodical tools adequate to design real-time systems been formally introduced in design methodologies. Naturally, they were present from the beginning, but due to the large diversity of embedded systems’ areas of deployment, specially dedicated formalisms have been developed and used. High-level language programming and integration of modeling formalisms into design methods eased the development of more complex real-time applications. With the emerging object-oriented programming languages and design methods, their integration into larger information systems has become more transparent. It was the UML methodology, however, which eventually merged also the design methods and concepts of real-time systems into a consistent whole. It took a large consortium and a long process to persuade industry of the benefits the new integral methodology can offer. On the other hand, there are some trade-offs, and there are some features not completely covered, yet. Here, a different, more straightforward approach to program and design (embedded) real-time systems is presented. Since it emerged from the real-time community, it includes most features relevant there. Independent of the UML profile for schedulability, performance and time specification, a profile was devised for use in PEARL-oriented UML design. The strengths of the mentioned language and design methods for QoS-oriented design of (embedded) real-time systems are emphasised throughout this article.     

时态逻辑与程序验证

近年来,时态逻辑大量应用于程序验证,采取的途径随使用的时态逻辑的形式和方法的不同而异。本文用自动机理论研究几种时态逻辑(LTL,BTL,POTL)的模型和模型生成子,并讨论用时态逻辑进行程序验证的的重要途径。     

Proof Theory for Casari's Comparative Logics

Comparative logics were introduced by Casari in the 1980s totreat aspects of comparative reasoning occurring in naturallanguage. In this article Gentzen systems are defined for theselogics by means of a special mix rule that combines calculifor various substructural logics with a hypersequent calculusfor Meyer and Slaney's Abelian logic. Cut-elimination is establishedfor all these systems, and as a consequence, a positive answeris given to an open problem on the decidability of the basiccomparative logic.