Stavros Tripakis

Loosely time-triggered architectures based on communication-by-sampling

We address the problem of mapping a set of processes which communicate synchronously on a distributed platform. The Time Triggered Architecture (TTA) proposed by Kopetz for the communication mechanism of a distributed platform offers a direct mapping that would preserve the semantics of the specification. However, its exact implementation may, at times, be problematic as it requires the distributed platform to have the clocks of its components perfectly synchronized. We propose as implementation architecture a relaxation of TTA called Loosely Time-Triggered Architecture (LTTA), in which computing units perform writes into and reads from the communication medium independently, triggered by local, quasi-periodic but non synchronized, clocks. LTTA offers some of the advantages of TTA with lower hardware cost and greater flexibility. So far LTTA was studied for single directional two-users communications over an LTT bus. General topology was not studied. In this paper we propose a design flow that ensures semantics preservation for an LTT communication network with arbitrary topology. Key elements are two new protocols for clock regeneration and predictive traffic shaping. Our approach relies on a mathematical Model of Communication (MoC) that we describe in detail.

Sensor Minimization Problems with Static or Dynamic Observers for Fault Diagnosis

We study sensor minimization problems in the context of fault diagnosis. Fault diagnosis consists of synthesizing a diagnoser that observes a given plant and identifies faults in the plant as soon as possible after their occurrence. Existing literature on this problem has considered the case of static observers, where the set of observable events does not change during execution of the system. In this paper, we consider static as well as dynamic observers, where the observer can switch sensors on or off, thus dynamically changing the set of events it wishes to observe.

Synthesis Of Optimal-Cost Dynamic Observers for Fault Diagnosis of Discrete-Event Systems

Fault diagnosis consists in synthesizing a diagnoser that observes a given plant through a set of observable events, and identifies faults which are not observable as soon as possible after their occurrence. Existing literature on this problem has considered the case of static observers, where the set of observable events does not change during execution of the system. In this paper, we consider dynamic observers, where the observer can switch sensors on or off, thus dynamically changing the set of events it wishes to observe. We define a notion of cost for such dynamic observers and show that (i) the cost of a given dynamic observer can be computed and (ii) an optimal dynamic observer can be synthesized.

Interesting properties of the real-time conformance relation tioco

We are interested in black-box conformance testing of real-time systems. Our framework is based on the model of timed automata with inputs and outputs (TAIO). We use a timed conformance relation called tioco which is the extension of the untimed relation ioco. We show that considering only lazy-input TAIO is enough for describing all possible non-blocking specifications. We compare between tioco and the trace-inclusion relation. We prove that tioco is undecidable and that it does not distinguish specifications with the same set of observable traces. We prove tioco to be transitive and stable w.r.t both compositionality and action hiding for input-complete specifications. We compare between tioco and two other timed conformance relations, rtioco and

Communication by sampling in time-sensitive distributed systems

sqsubseteq_{mathsf{it tioco}}

In this work, we propose two translations: one from extended

.

State-Identification problems for finite-state transducers

In time-sensitive systems writing to and reading from the communication medium is on a purely time-triggered but asynchronous basis. Writes and reads can occur at any time and the data are stored and sustained until overwritten. We study how to maintain data semantics when the duration of the actions change from specification to implementation.In doing so, we rely on tag systems formerly introduced by the authors. The exibility of tag systems allows handling the problem in a formal, yet tractable way.

Synthesis Of Optimal Dynamic Observers for Fault Diagnosis of Discrete-Event Systems

We study the monitoring and fault-diagnosis problems for dense-time real-time systems, where observers (monitors and diagnosers) have access to digital rather than analog clocks. Analog clocks are infinitely-precise, thus, not implementable. We show how, given a specification modeled as a timed automaton and a timed automaton model of the digital clock, a sound and optimal (i.e., as precise as possible) digital-clock monitor can be synthesized. We also show how, given plant and digital clock modeled as timed automata, we can check existence of a digital-clock diagnoser and, if one exists, how to synthesize it. Finally, we consider the problem of existence of digital-clock diagnosers where the digital clock is unknown. We show that there are cases where a digital clock, no matter how precise, does not exist, even though the system is diagnosable with analog clocks. Finally, we provide a sufficient condition for digital-clock diagnosability.We study the monitoring and fault-diagnosis problems for dense-time real-time systems, where observers (monitors and diagnosers) have access to digital rather than analog clocks. Analog clocks are infinitely-precise, thus, not implementable. We show how, given a specification modeled as a timed automaton and a timed automaton model of the digital clock, a sound and optimal (i.e., as precise as possible) digital-clock monitor can be synthesized. We also show how, given plant and digital clock modeled as timed automata, we can check existence of a digital-clock diagnoser and, if one exists, how to synthesize it. Finally, we consider the problem of existence of digital-clock diagnosers where the digital clock is unknown. We show that there are cases where a digital clock, no matter how precise, does not exist, even though the system is diagnosable with analog clocks. Finally, we provide a sufficient condition for digital-clock diagnosability.

Test generation for duration systems

A well-established theory exists for testing finite-state machines, in particular Moore and Mealy machines. A fundamental class of problems handled by this theory is state identification: we are given a machine with known state space and transition relation but unknown initial state, and we are asked to find experiments which permit to identify the initial or final state of the machine, called distinguishing and homing experiments, respectively. n nIn this paper, we study state-identification for finite-state transducers. The latter are a generalization of Mealy machines where outputs are sequences rather than symbols. Transducers permit to model systems where inputs and outputs are not synchronous, as is the case in Mealy machines. It is well-known that every deterministic and minimal Mealy machine admits a homing experiment. We show that this property fails for transducers, even when the latter are deterministic and minimal. We provide answers to the decidability question, namely, checking whether a given transducer admits a particular type of experiment. First, we show how the standard successor-tree algorithm for Mealy machines can be turned into a semi-algorithm for transducers. Second, we show that the state-identification problems are undecidable for finite-state transducers in general. Finally, we identify a sub-class of transducers for which these problems are decidable. A transducer in this sub-class can be transformed into a Mealy machine, to which existing methods apply.