A Prediction System for Dynamic Optimisation-Based Execution Time Analysis

Evolutionary testing is an optimisation-based test-case generation technique. It can be applied to timing analysis of real-time systems where it is used to uncover temporal errors. Testability is the ability of the test technique to uncover faults. Evolutionary testability is the ability of an evolutionary algorithm to successfully generate test-cases with the goal to uncover faults, in this instance violations of the timing specification. Some properties of real-time programs were found to greatly inhibit evolutionary testability. These are small path domains, high-data dependence, large input vectors, and nesting. This paper defines source code measures which aim to express the effects of these properties on evolutionary testing. The measurement and prediction system developed from the experiments is able to forecast evolutionary testability with almost 90% accuracy. The prediction system will be used to assess whether the application of evolutionary testing to a real-time system will be sufficient for successful dynamic timing analysis, or whether additional testing strategies are needed.