Formal Modeling and Analysis of Wireless Sensor Network Algorithms in Real-Time Maude

By Peter Csaba Ölveczky and Stian Thorvaldsen

In Proc. 20th International Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium (IPDPS 2006), IEEE Computer Society Press, 2006.

Invited paper at the 14th International Workshop on Parallel and Distributed Real-Time Systems (WPDRTS) 2006, held in conjunction with IPDPS 2006, April 25-26, 2006 Rhodes, Greece.

Abstract

Advanced wireless sensor network algorithms pose challenges to their formal modeling and analysis, such as modeling probabilistic and real-time behaviors and novel forms of communication, and analyzing both correctness and performance. In this paper, we propose using Real-Time Maude to formally model, simulate, and further analyze such algorithms. The Real-Time Maude formalism is expressive yet intuitive, and the tool provides a spectrum of analysis methods, including simulation, reachability analysis, and temporal logic model checking.
We have used Real-Time Maude to formally model and analyze the sophisticated OGDC algorithm. We could perform all the analyses performed by the OGDC developers using the simulation tool ns-2, as well as further analyses which are beyond the capabilities of simulation tools. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a formal tool has been applied to such a complex wireless sensor network algorithm.

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