Skip to main content

Formal Methods in Avionic Software Certification: The DO-178C Perspective

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 7610))

Abstract

The ideal of correct software has always been the goal of research in the field of Information Technologies. For the next years scientific communities hope for a great challenge: a complete strategy in software programming and software engineering supported by a range of analysis tools to design, develop, integrate, verify and maintain software applications with mathematical rigor. In this challenge formal methods shall play a key role. The adoption of these methodologies should be placed in the proper software engineering framework according to the software domain. In the avionic domain safety-critical software has to accomplish Federal Aviation Regulations by DO-178C or DO-278A means of compliance giving evidence that software implements its intended functions and does not perform unintended functions. DO-178B and DO-278A allowed formal methods without addressing specific process requirements. DO-178C instead is accompanied by a new RTCA Guideline DO-333 “Formal methods supplement to DO-178C and DO-278A”. The paper aims to provide an overview of the above mentioned standard. It highlights key concepts about the proper adoption of formal methods to accomplish the standard and the related certification objectives and provides different cases according to the different granted verification techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. RTCA/DO-178B, EUROCAE/ED-12B: Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification (December 1, 1992)

    Google Scholar 

  2. RTCA/DO-178C: Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification (December 13, 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  3. RTCA Inc., Document RTCA/DO-178B, Federal Aviation Administration (January 11, 1993), Advisory Circular 20-115B

    Google Scholar 

  4. Formal Methods and the Certification of Critical Systems, John Rushby, Technical Report CSL-93-7 (December 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Heimdahl, M.P.E., Leveson, N.G.: Completeness and Consistency in Hierarchical State-Based Requirements. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 22(6) (June 1996)

    Google Scholar 

  6. van Lamsweerde, A.: Formal Specification: a Roadmap. In: ICSE - Future of SE Track, pp. 147–159. ACM (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  7. System Design and Analysis, Federal Aviation Administration (June 21, 1988), Advisory Circular 25.1309-1A

    Google Scholar 

  8. Manna, Z.: STeP: Deductive-Algorithmic Verification of Reactive and Real-Time Systems. In: Alur, R., Henzinger, T.A. (eds.) CAV 1996. LNCS, vol. 1102, pp. 415–418. Springer, Heidelberg (1996)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Hall, R.J.: Explanation-Based Scenario Generation for Reactive System Models. In: ASE 1998, Hawaii (October 1998)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Thompson, J.M., Heimdahl, M.P.E., Miller, S.P.: Specification-Based Prototyping for Embedded Systems. In: Wang, J., Lemoine, M. (eds.) ESEC 1999 and ESEC-FSE 1999. LNCS, vol. 1687, pp. 163–179. Springer, Heidelberg (1999)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Jeffords, R., Heitmeyer, C.: Automatic Generation of State Invariants from Requirements Specifications. In: Proc. FSE-6: 6th ACM SIGSOFT Intl Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, Lake Buena Vista, pp. 56–69 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Roong-Ko, D., Frankl, P.G.: The ASTOOT approach to testing object-oriented programs. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology 3(2), 101–130 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zaremski, A.M., Wing, J.: Specification Matching of Software Components. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology 6(4), 333–369 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lutz, R.R.: Analyzing software requirements errors in safety-critical embedded systems. In: IEEE International Symposium on Requirements Engineering, San Diego, CA, pp. 126–133 (January 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  15. RTCA/DO-333: Formal Methods Supplement to DO-178C and DO-278A (December 13, 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  16. NASA-GB-002-95, Formal Methods Specification and Verification Guidebook for Software and Computer Systems – Volume I: Planning and Technology Insertion, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (July 1995)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Gigante, G., Pascarella, D. (2012). Formal Methods in Avionic Software Certification: The DO-178C Perspective. In: Margaria, T., Steffen, B. (eds) Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods, Verification and Validation. Applications and Case Studies. ISoLA 2012. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7610. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34032-1_21

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34032-1_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-34031-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-34032-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics