Title: A formal framework for black-box conformance testing of distributed real-time systems

Authors: Moez Krichen

Addresses: Research Unit of Development and Control of Distributed Applications, Higher Institute of Computer Science and Multimedia of Sfax, University of Sfax, Technopole de Sfax BP 242, 3021, Sfax, Tunisia

Abstract: We extend our previous work on model-based conformance testing (Bensalem et al., 2007; Krichen and Tripakis, 2009). We propose a formal framework for black-box conformance testing for distributed real-time systems. Our framework is based on the model of partially-observable, non-deterministic timed automata. A given distributed system can be modelled either as a single timed automaton or a network of timed automata. We recall the definition of the timed input-output conformance relation tioco. We consider two types of tests: analogue-clock tests and digital-clock tests. Our algorithm for generating analogue-clock tests is based on an on-the-fly determinisation of the specification automaton during the execution of the test, which in turn relies on reachability computations. We also provide algorithms for static or on-the-fly generation of digital-clock tests. These tests measure time only with finite-precision digital clocks. Our testing architecture may be either centralised or not.

Keywords: black box conformance testing; model-based conformance testing; real-time systems; distributed systems; conformance relation; analogue clocks; digital clocks; centralised testing architecture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCCBS.2012.045075

International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems, 2012 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.26 - 43

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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