Abstract
This paper defines a formal framework for testing mobile agents based on the existing concepts of conformance testing. First, we introduce a model of mobile agent based on transition systems. Our goal is to propose a model which have the properties of abstraction required for the test, in the same way as test models based on transition systems for conformance testing. Then we propose an approach of observation of the behaviour of mobile agents in their environment to finally define a parametrized conformance relation between mobile agents. The relation is parametrized because the conformance depends on what can be observed on the agent in a mobile setting. We then define a test object named “observer” that fully characterizes the set of correct implementations according to the conformance relation, depending on a specification and the degree of observation available on the environment. A method to create this observer from a specification is given which we prove to embody a sound and exhaustive test suite for validating the conformance of an implementation. Last, we propose on this framework a solution to execute real tests on mobile agents, i.e how to execute an observer to prove the conformance of an implementation. This solution is already implemented through a simulation tool.
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Marche, M., Quemener, YM. (2003). A Model for Conformance Testing of Mobile Agents in a MASIF Framework. In: Hinchey, M.G., Rash, J.L., Truszkowski, W.F., Rouff, C., Gordon-Spears, D. (eds) Formal Approaches to Agent-Based Systems. FAABS 2002. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 2699. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45133-4_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45133-4_15
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