Evaluation of the Matlab Simulink Design Verifier versus the model checker SPIN

Abstract

An increasing number of industrial strength software design tools come along with verification tools that offer some property checking capabilities. On the other hand, there is a large number of general purpose model checking tools available. The question whether users of the industrial strength design tool preferably use the built-in verification tool or a general purpose model checking tool arises quite naturally. In this bachelor thesis, the Simulink Design Verifier and the SPIN model checking tool are compared. The comparison is based on the case study of an AUTOSAR compliant memory management module. The comparison is both functional in that it analyzes the suitability to verify a set of basic system properties, and quantitative in comparing the computational efficiency of both tools. In this context, it is also described how Simulink / Stateflow models can be manually translated into the input language of the model checker SPIN.