Disjunctive image computation for embedded software verification

Finite state models generated from software programs have unique characteristics that are not exploited by existing model checking algorithms. In this paper, we propose a novel disjunctive image computation algorithm and other simplifications based on these characteristics. Our algorithm divides an image computation into a disjunctive set of easier ones that can be performed in isolation. Hypergraph partitioning is used to minimize the number of live variables in each disjunctive component. We use the live variables to simplify transition relations and reachable state subsets. Our experiments on a set of real-world C programs show that the new algorithm achieves orders-of-magnitude performance improvement over the best known conjunctive image computation algorithm.