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Regression Verification for Programmable Logic Controller Software

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Formal Methods and Software Engineering (ICFEM 2015)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 9407))

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Abstract

Automated production systems are usually driven by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). These systems are long-living – yet have to adapt to changing requirements over time. This paper presents a novel method for regression verification of PLC code, which allows one to prove that a new revision of the plant’s software does not break existing intended behavior.

Our main contribution is the design, implementation, and evaluation of a regression verification method for PLC code. We also clarify and define the notion of program equivalence for reactive PLC code. Core elements of our method are a translation of PLC code into the SMV input language for model checkers, the adaptation of the coupling invariants concept to reactive systems, and the implementation of a toolchain using a model checker supporting invariant generation.

We have successfully evaluated our approach using the Pick-and-Place Unit benchmark case study.

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank Alberto Griggio for his valuable input on the effective use of nuXmv and Vladimir Klebanov for his feedback on an earlier version of this paper.

This work was supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation) in Priority Programme SPP1593: Design For Future – Managed Software Evolution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Bernhard Beckert, Mattias Ulbrich & Alexander Weigl

  2. Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

    Birgit Vogel-Heuser

Authors
  1. Bernhard Beckert
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  2. Mattias Ulbrich
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  3. Birgit Vogel-Heuser
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  4. Alexander Weigl
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mattias Ulbrich .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom

    Michael Butler

  2. Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France

    Sylvain Conchon

  3. Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France

    Fatiha Zaïdi

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Beckert, B., Ulbrich, M., Vogel-Heuser, B., Weigl, A. (2015). Regression Verification for Programmable Logic Controller Software. In: Butler, M., Conchon, S., Zaïdi, F. (eds) Formal Methods and Software Engineering. ICFEM 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9407. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25423-4_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25423-4_15

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25423-4

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