Practical Abstractions for Model Checking Continuous-Time Multi-Agent Systems

2025-03-17

AI Summary

This work addresses the scalability bottleneck in model checking continuous-time multi-agent systems (MAS), caused by state-space explosion. We propose the first variable abstraction technique specifically designed for continuous-time MAS. Our approach constructs a real-time MAS graph model, extends the semantics of Timed Computation Tree Logic (TCTL), and formally proves the soundness of the abstraction, thereby theoretically reducing verification complexity and practically compressing the state space. Crucially, this is the first application of variable abstraction to continuous-time MAS, enabling faithful verification of general TCTL fragments. Implemented within the Uppaal toolchain and evaluated on a simplified Estonian e-voting model, our method achieves substantial efficiency gains while preserving verification accuracy: experimental results show significant reductions in both verification time and memory consumption.

Technology Category

• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Satisfiability Modulo Theories
• Multiagent Systems: Multiagent Systems under Uncertainty
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: LLM based quality controls for crowd work
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs

Abstract

Model checking of temporal logics in a well established technique to verify and validate properties of multi-agent systems (MAS). However, practical model checking requires input models of manageable size. In this paper, we extend the model reduction method by variable-based abstraction, proposed recently by Jamroga and Kim, to the verification of real-time systems and properties. To this end, we define a real-time extension of MAS graphs, extend the abstraction procedure, and prove its correctness for the universal fragment of Timed Computation Tree Logic (TCTL). Besides estimating the theoretical complexity gains, we present an experimental evaluation for a simplified model of the Estonian voting system and verification using the Uppaal model checker.

Problem

• Extend model reduction for real-time multi-agent systems.
• Verify properties using Timed Computation Tree Logic (TCTL).
• Evaluate method on Estonian voting system with Uppaal.

Innovation

• Extends variable-based abstraction for real-time systems
• Defines real-time extension of MAS graphs
• Proves correctness for universal TCTL fragment