Discovery of Invariants through Automated Theory Formation
  Refinement is a powerful mechanism for mastering the complexities that arise when formally modelling systems. Refinement also brings with it additional proof obligations -- requiring a developer to discover properties relating to their design decisions. With the goal of reducing this burden, we have investigated how a general purpose theory formation tool, HR, can be used to automate the discovery of such properties within the context of Event-B. Here we develop a heuristic approach to the automatic discovery of invariants and report upon a series of experiments that we undertook in order to evaluate our approach. The set of heuristics developed provides systematic guidance in tailoring HR for a given Event-B development. These heuristics are based upon proof-failure analysis, and have given rise to some promising results. 
Maria Teresa Llano (Heriot-Watt University), Andrew Ireland   (Heriot-Watt University), Alison Pease (University of Edinburgh)
cs.LO cs.AI cs.SE