Linear weak alternating automata and the model checking problem

Abstract. Automata-based model checking is a widely used approach towards software model checking. Traditionally, nondeterministic Büchi automata are used to represent the temporal logic property to be checked. We take a look at a special kind of alternating automata, the linear weak alternating automata. They can be constructed from LTL formula in an elegant way in linear time. The emptiness check on linear weak alternating automata, on the other hand, requires exponential time, whereas the emptiness of nondeterministic Büchi automata, being of exponential size with respect to the size of the LTL formula they represent, can be checked in linear time. We try to use the advantage of the better constructability of linear weak alternating automata in model checking by implementing a model checker using “on-the-fly generalized Büchi automata generation”. The emptiness check is conducted using an extended version of Tarjan’s algorithm. After obtaining promising results, we adapt the SPIN model checker to the new algorithm. Automata-based model checking is a widely used approach towards software model checking. Traditionally, nondeterministic Büchi automata are used to represent the temporal logic property to be checked. We take a look at a special kind of alternating automata, the linear weak alternating automata. They can be constructed from LTL formula in an elegant way in linear time. The emptiness check on linear weak alternating automata, on the other hand, requires exponential time, whereas the emptiness of nondeterministic Büchi automata, being of exponential size with respect to the size of the LTL formula they represent, can be checked in linear time. We try to use the advantage of the better constructability of linear weak alternating automata in model checking by implementing a model checker using “on-the-fly generalized Büchi automata generation”. The emptiness check is conducted using an extended version of Tarjan’s algorithm. After obtaining promising results, we adapt the SPIN model checker to the new algorithm.