Partial model checking with ROBDDs

This paper introduces a technique for localizing model checking of concurrent state-based systems. The technique, called partial model checking, is fully automatic and performs model checking by gradually specializing the specification with respect to the concurrent components one by one, computing a ''concurrent weakest precondition.'' Specifications are invariance properties and the concurrent components are sets of transitions. Both are expressed as predicates represented by Reduced Ordered Binary Decision Diagrams (ROBDDs). The self-reducing properties of ROBDDs are important for the success of the technique. We describe experimental results obtained on four different examples.