Reactive Systems
Modelling, Specification and Verification

Accessible text describing the process algebraic approach to the specification and verification of software and software systems using mathematical logic.

Luca Aceto (Author), Anna Ingólfsdóttir (Author), Kim Guldstrand Larsen (Author), Jiri Srba (Author)

9780521875462, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 August 2007

302 pages, 28 b/w illus. 7 tables 188 exercises
24.6 x 18.2 x 2 cm, 0.68 kg

Formal methods is the term used to describe the specification and verification of software and software systems using mathematical logic. Various methodologies have been developed and incorporated into software tools. An important subclass is distributed systems. There are many books that look at particular methodologies for such systems, e.g. CSP, process algebra. This book offers a more balanced introduction for graduate students that describes the various approaches, their strengths and weaknesses, and when they are best used. Milner's CCS and its operational semantics are introduced, together with notions of behavioural equivalence based on bisimulation techniques and with variants of Hennessy-Milner modal logics. Later in the book, the presented theories are extended to take timing issues into account. The book has arisen from various courses taught in Iceland and Denmark and is designed to give students a broad introduction to the area, with exercises throughout.

Preface
Part I. A Classic Theory of Reactive Systems: 1. Introduction
2. The language CCS
3. Behavioural equivalences
4. Theory of fixed points and bisimulation equivalence
5. Hennessy-Milner logic
6. Hennessy-Milner logic with recursive definitions
7. Modelling and analysis of mutual exclusion algorithms
Part II. A Theory of Real-Time Systems: 8. Introduction
9. CCS with time delays
10. Timed automata
11. Timed behavioural equivalences
12. Hennessy-Milner logic with time
13. Modelling and analysis of Fischer's algorithm
Appendix
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Mathematical theory of computation [UYA], Software Engineering [UMZ]