Coverage based test-case generation using model checkers

Abstract

Presents a method for automatically generating test cases according to structural coverage criteria. We show how a model checker can be used to automatically generate complete test sequences that provide a pre-defined coverage of any software development artifact that can be represented as a finite state model. Our goal is to help reduce the high cost of developing test cases for safety-critical software applications that require a certain level of coverage for certification, e.g. safety-critical avionics systems that need to demonstrate MC/DC (modified condition and decision) coverage of the code. We define a formal framework which is suitable for modeling software artifacts like requirements models, software specifications or implementations. We then show how various structural coverage criteria can be formalized and used to make a model checker provide test sequences to achieve this coverage. To illustrate our approach, we demonstrate how a model checker can be used to generate test sequences for MC/DC coverage of a small case example.