An SMT-based approach to coverability analysis

Abstract

Model checkers based on Petri net coverability have been used successfully in recent years to verify safety properties of concurrent shared-memory or asynchronous message-passing software. We revisit a constraint approach to coverability based on classical Petri net analysis techniques. We show how to utilize an SMT solver to implement the constraint approach, and additionally, to generate an inductive invariant from a safety proof. We empirically evaluate our procedure on a large set of existing Petri net benchmarks. Even though our technique is incomplete, it can quickly discharge most of the safe instances. Additionally, the inductive invariants computed are usually orders of magnitude smaller than those produced by existing solvers. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.