Model checking embedded systems with PROMELA

The design process for embedded systems can benefit from the usage of formal methods, if some properties of the systems are checked, before design and implementation decisions are accomplished. This paper presents a model checking approach using the Spin tool, to verify some important properties of embedded systems, namely liveness, deadlock-freedom, and structural conflicts among transitions. The systems are modelled with a variant of Petri nets, called SIPN (synchronous and interpreted Petri nets), and this paper discusses how SIPN models should be specified with the PROMELA language (input format for the Spin model checker). The approach is exemplified with a case study.