L2C2: Logic-based LSC Consistency Checking

TL;DR

This paper presents a logic-based framework for checking the consistency of Live Sequence Charts (LSCs) in reactive systems, incorporating a simulator, formal notation for event sequences, and methods for testing temporal properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel logic-based approach with a simulator and formal notation to verify LSC consistency and test temporal properties in reactive systems.

Findings

Implemented an LSC simulator using logic programming.

Extended event sequence notation with parallel operator and testing control.

Provided methods for state transition and failure trace analysis.

Abstract

Live sequence charts (LSCs) have been proposed as an inter-object scenario-based specification and visual programming language for reactive systems. In this paper, we introduce a logic-based framework to check the consistency of an LSC specification. An LSC simulator has been implemented in logic programming, utilizing a memoized depth-first search strategy, to show how a reactive system in LSCs would response to a set of external event sequences. A formal notation is defined to specify external event sequences, extending the regular expression with a parallel operator and a testing control. The parallel operator allows interleaved parallel external events to be tested in LSCs simultaneously; while the testing control provides users to a new approach to specify and test certain temporal properties (e.g., CTL formula) in a form of LSC. Our framework further provides either a state transition graph or a failure trace to justify the consistency checking results.