Model-driven development and analysis of high assurance systems

Capturing, refining, and analyzing requirements are some of the most challenging tasks in building a software system. How well these tasks are performed significantly impacts the quality of the developed software system. The difficulty of these tasks is greatly exacerbated for the software of embedded systems, since these systems are commonly used for critical applications, have to operate reliably for long periods of time, and need to adhere to real-time constraints. In this dissertation, we introduce a modeling and analysis approach for centralized and distributed real-time embedded systems that supports the use of formal specifications and model checking. The approach comprises four main elements: First, we developed specification patterns for specifying real-time, properties to aid the developer in formally specifying critical real-time system properties. Second, to enhance the accessibility of the specification patterns, we developed natural language representation and specification capabilities for qualitative and real-time properties. Third, based on industrial project information, we developed object analysis patterns to facilitate the creation of UML analysis models of embedded systems. Fourth, we defined an iterative modeling and analysis process using incremental change and providing rapid feedback to construct the UML models. The process incorporates object analysis patterns to facilitate the creation of conceptual UML models and the natural language property specification approach to specify critical properties. In order to validate our approach, we applied it to the development of several embedded system descriptions obtained from industrial collaborators.