Optimising Communication Structure for Model Checking

Model checking is an effective tool in the verification of concurrent systems but can require skillful use. The choice of representation for a particular system can make a substantial difference to whether the verification will prove tractable. We present a method for improving the choice of representation by effective use of communication structure. The main contribution is a technique for selecting a communication structure which yields a reduced search space whilst preserving the essential behaviour of a representation. We illustrate our method with examples based on the model-checker Spin.