Verifying Invariants by Deductive Model Checking

Kyungmin Bae, Santiago Escobar, Raúl López-Rueda, José Meseguer, Julia Sapiña

Abstract: We propose a new deductive model checking methodology where narrowing-based logical model checking of symbolic states specified as disjunctions of constrained patterns is synergistically combined with inductive theorem proving to discharge inductive verification conditions. An obvious synergy is to use an inductive theorem prover in automated mode as an oracle to help logical model checking reach a fixpoint. But this is not the only possible synergy. In this paper we focus instead on a new deductive model checking methodology to verify invariants—including inductive invariants—of infinite-state systems, where logical model checking automates large parts of the verification effort with the help of an inductive theorem prover as an oracle, and the remaining tasks are left to the inductive theorem prover used in interactive mode. We demonstrate this methodology by means of Maude examples using two tools working in tandem: the DM-Check symbolic model checker, and the NuITP inductive theorem prover.