The temporal specification and verification of real-time systems

We extend the specification language of temporal logic, the corresponding verification framework, and the underlying computational model to deal with real-time properties of reactive systems. Semantics We introduce the abstract computational model of timed transition systems as a conservative extension of traditional transition systems qualitative fairness requirements are superseded by quantitative real-time constraints on the transitions. Digital clocks are introduced as observers of continuous real-time behavior. We justify our semantical abstractions by demonstrating that a wide variety of concrete real-time systems can be modeled adequately. Specification We present two conservative extensions of temporal logic that allow for the specification of timing constraints while timed temporal logic provides access to time through a novel kind of time quantifier, metric temporal logic refers to time through time-bounded versions of the temporal operators. We justify our choice of specification languages by developing a general framework for the classification of real-time logics according to their complexity and expressive power. Verification We develop tools for determining if a real-time system that is modeled as a timed transition system meets a specification that is given in timed temporal logic or in metric temporal logic. We present both model-checking algorithms for the automatic verification of finite-state real-time systems and proof methods for the deductive verification of real-time systems.