From States to Transitions: Improving Translation of LTL Formulae to Büchi Automata

Model checking is an automated technique for checking that a system satisfies a set of required properties. With explicit-state model checkers, properties are typically defined in linear-time temporal logic (LTL), and are translated into Büchi automata in order to be checked. This paper describes how, by labeling automata transitions rather than states, we significantly reduce the size of automata generated by existing tableau-based translation algorithms. Our optimizations apply to the core of the translation process, where generalized Büchi automata are constructed. These automata are subsequently transformed in a single efficient step into Büchi automata as used by model checkers. The tool that implements the work described here is released as part of the Java PathFinder software (JPF), an explicit state model checker of Java programs under development at the NASA Ames Research Center.