An Algorithm for Strengthening State Invariants Generated from Requirements Specifications
Abstract
In earlier work, we developed a fix point algorithm for automatically generating state invariants, properties that hold in each reachable state of a state machine model, from state-based requirements specifications. Such invariants are useful both in validating requirements specifications and as auxiliary lemmas in proofs that a requirements specification satisfies other invariant properties. This paper describes a new related algorithm that strengthens state invariants generated by our initial algorithm and demonstrates the new algorithm on a simplified version of an automobile cruise control system. The paper concludes by describing how the two algorithms were used to generate state invariants from a requirements specification of a cryptographic device and how the invariants in conjunction with a theorem prover were used to prove formally that the device satisfies a set of critical security properties.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA464288
Entities
People
- Constance L. Heitmeyer
- Ralph D. Jeffords
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory