Postcondition Element for Directed Model Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Verification tools for model-based designs face inefficiencies in focusing on meaningful scenarios and achieving desired behaviors due to the need for exhaustive input combinations and resource-intensive configurations, making it challenging to concentrate on specific, practical scenarios of interest.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a postcondition element in graphical models allows designers to specify desired results or objectives for verification, directing tests without altering the model's behavior, enabling focused verification and guided design exploration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If verification tools run exhaustive combinations of scenarios to provide comprehensive coverage, then verification completeness is improved, but verification time and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the model designer specify postconditions before verification execution. These postconditions act as pre-planned verification criteria that guide the verification tool to focus on specific scenarios of interest, rather than requiring exhaustive exploration after the fact. This allows comprehensive verification to be directed toward meaningful scenarios identified in advance by the designer.
2Reliability
If verification tools execute all possible scenarios to ensure comprehensive coverage, then verification thoroughness is improved, but computational resources and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing verification to be customized to specific local areas of interest rather than treating the entire model uniformly. Designers can specify postconditions that focus verification on particular scenarios, functions, or components that are most critical to the design, while other areas may be verified less extensively or not at all. This localized approach maintains thoroughness where needed while reducing overall complexity.
3Ease of operation
If designers specify preconditions to focus verification on meaningful scenarios, then verification focus is improved, but the designer must understand and provide proper input constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional verification approach by using postconditions instead of preconditions. Instead of requiring designers to specify input constraints and boundary conditions before verification (which demands deep understanding of the model's execution requirements), the designer specifies the desired output or end-state conditions. The verification tool then works backward to generate test scenarios that would produce these postconditions, significantly reducing the designer's burden while maintaining verification focus.
4Productivity
If verification tools are configured to limit scenarios to reduce resource consumption, then resource efficiency is improved, but verification coverage of practical scenarios decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by establishing a loop where the designer specifies postconditions, the verification tool generates scenarios based on these postconditions, and the verification results can be fed back to refine future verification efforts. This feedback mechanism ensures that resource-efficient verification still covers practical scenarios by continuously aligning verification focus with the designer's identified needs and priorities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides methods and systems for using a element in a graphical model to represent and identify a postcondition for use by a verification tool in verifying an executable form of the design represented by the graphical model. The postcondition element comprises desired result for verification without affecting the behavior of the design. The desired result is to be achieved or tested for in verifying the design. As such, the postcondition element of the present invention provides a mechanism and formalism in a model-based design approach that is used to direct automatically generated tests or verification of the design represented by the graphical model.