Hennessy–Milner Logic

In computer science, Hennessy–Milner logic (HML) is a dynamic logic used to specify properties of a labeled transition system (LTS), a structure similar to an automaton. It was introduced in 1980 by Matthew Hennessy and Robin Milner in their paper "On observing nondeterminism and concurrency" (ICALP).

Another variant of the HML involves the use of recursion to extend the expressibility of the logic, and is commonly referred to as 'Hennessy-Milner Logic with recursion'. Recursion is enabled with the use of maximum and minimum fixed points.

Syntax

A formula is defined by the following BNF grammar for ''Act'' some set of actions:

:\Phi ::= \textit \,\,\, , \,\,\,\textit\,\,\, , \,\,\,\Phi_1 \land \Phi_2 \,\,\, , \,\,\,\Phi_1 \lor \Phi_2\,\,\, , \,\,\, ct\Phi\,\,\, , \,\,\, \langle Act \rangle \Phi

That is, a formula can be

; constant truth $\textit$: always true
; constant false $\textit$: always false
; formula conjunction
; formula disjunction
; $\scriptstyle$ formula : for all ''Act''-derivatives, ''Φ'' must hold
; $\scriptstyle$ formula : for some ''Act''-derivative, ''Φ'' must hold

Formal semantics

Let $L = (S, \mathsf, \rightarrow)$ be a labeled transition system, and let
$\mathsf$ be the set of HML formulae. The satisfiability
relation $\models \subseteq (S \times \mathsf)$ relates states of the LTS
to the formulae they satisfy, and is defined as the smallest relation such that, for all states $s \in S$
and formulae $\phi, \phi_1, \phi_2 \in \mathsf$,
* $s \models \textit$,
* there is no state $s \in S$ for which $s \models \textit$,
* if there exists a state $s' \in S$ such that $s \xrightarrow s'$ and $s' \models \phi$, then $s \models \langle a \rangle \phi$,
* if for all $s' \in S$ such that $s \xrightarrow s'$ it holds that $s' \models \phi$, then s \models a \phi,
* if $s \models \phi_1$, then $s \models \phi_1 \lor \phi_2$,
* if $s \models \phi_2$, then $s \models \phi_1 \lor \phi_2$,
* if $s \models \phi_1$ and $s \models \phi_2$, then $s \models \phi_1 \land \phi_2$.

See also

* The modal μ-calculus, which extends HML with fixed point operators
* Dynamic logic, a multimodal logic with infinitely many modalities

References

Sources

*
* Sören Holmström. 1988. "Hennessy-Milner Logic with Recursion as a Specification Language, and a Refinement Calculus based on It". In ''Proceedings of the BCS-FACS Workshop on Specification and Verification of Concurrent Systems'', Charles Rattray (Ed.). Springer-Verlag, London, UK, 294–330.

Concurrency (computer science)
Formal specification
Modal logic
Logic in computer science

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