Fault coverage measurement of a timed test case generation approach

Abstract

Ensuring that a Real-Time Embedded System (RTES) is absent of major faults that may affect the way it performs is a non-trivial task. RTES behaviour is based on the interactions with its surrounding environment and on the timing characteristics of that same environment. As a result, time poses a new dimension to the complexity of the testing process. In previous research, we introduced a 'priority-based' approach which tested the logical and timing behaviour of an RTES modeled formally as Uppaal automata. The 'prioritybased' approach was based on producing sets of timed test traces by achieving timing constraints coverage according to three sets of priorities, namely boundary, out-boundary and in-boundary. In this paper, we extend that work by validating the 'priority-based' approach according to a well-known timed fault model. The validation process shows promising results, notably, that the 'priority-based' approach is capable of detecting all the fault types included in the proposed fault model. © 2010 IEEE.