9 research outputs found
Binding bigraphs as symmetric monoidal closed theories
Milner's bigraphs are a general framework for reasoning about distributed and
concurrent programming languages. Notably, it has been designed to encompass
both the pi-calculus and the Ambient calculus. This paper is only concerned
with bigraphical syntax: given what we here call a bigraphical signature K,
Milner constructs a (pre-) category of bigraphs BBig(K), whose main features
are (1) the presence of relative pushouts (RPOs), which makes them well-behaved
w.r.t. bisimulations, and that (2) the so-called structural equations become
equalities. Examples of the latter include, e.g., in pi and Ambient, renaming
of bound variables, associativity and commutativity of parallel composition, or
scope extrusion for restricted names. Also, bigraphs follow a scoping
discipline ensuring that, roughly, bound variables never escape their scope.
Here, we reconstruct bigraphs using a standard categorical tool: symmetric
monoidal closed (SMC) theories. Our theory enforces the same scoping discipline
as bigraphs, as a direct property of SMC structure. Furthermore, it elucidates
the slightly mysterious status of so-called links in bigraphs. Finally, our
category is also considerably larger than the category of bigraphs, notably
encompassing in the same framework terms and a flexible form of higher-order
contexts.Comment: 17 pages, uses Paul Taylor's diagram
Algebras for Tree Decomposable Graphs
Complex problems can be sometimes solved efficiently via recursive decomposition strategies. In this line, the tree decomposition approach equips problems modelled as graphs with tree-like parsing structures. Following Milner’s flowgraph algebra, in a previous paper two of the authors introduced a strong network algebra to represent open graphs (up to isomorphism), so that homomorphic properties of open graphs can be computed via structural recursion. This paper extends this graphical-algebraic foundation to tree decomposable graphs. The correspondence is shown: (i) on the algebraic side by a loose network algebra, which relaxes the restriction reordering and scope extension axioms of the strong one; and (ii) on the graphical side by Milner’s binding bigraphs, and elementary tree decompositions. Conveniently, an interpreted loose algebra gives the evaluation complexity of each graph decomposition. As a key contribution, we apply our results to dynamic programming (DP). The initial statement of the problem is transformed into a term (this is the secondary optimisation problem of DP). Noting that when the scope extension axiom is applied to reduce the scope of the restriction, then also the complexity is reduced (or not changed), only so-called canonical terms (in the loose algebra) are considered. Then, the canonical term is evaluated obtaining a solution which is locally optimal for complexity. Finding a global optimum remains an NP-hard problem
Graph Algebras for Bigraphs
Binding bigraphs are a graphical formalism intended to be a meta-model for mobile, concurrent and communicating systems. In this paper we present an algebra of typed graph terms which correspond precisely to binding bigraphs over a given signature. As particular cases, pure bigraphs and local bigraphs are described by two sublanguages which can be given a simple syntactic characterization.
Moreover, we give a formal connection between these languages and Synchronized Hyperedge Replacement algebras and the hierarchical graphs used in Architectural Design Rewriting. This allows to transfer results and constructions among formalisms which have been developed independently, e.g., the systematic definition of congruent bisimulations for SHR graphs via the IPO construction
Bigraphs and Their Algebra
AbstractBigraphs are a framework in which both existing process calculi and new models of behaviour can be formulated, yielding theory that is shared among these models. A short survey of the main features of bigraphs is presented, showing how they can be developed from standard graph theory using elementary category theory. The algebraic manipulation of bigraphs is outlined with the help of illustrations. The treatment of dynamics is then summarised. Finally, origins and some related work are discussed. The paper provides a motivating introduction to bigraphs
Matching of Bigraphs
We analyze the matching problem for bigraphs. In particular, we present a sound and complete inductive characterization of matching of binding bigraphs. Our results pave the way for a provably correct matching algorithm, as needed for an implementation of bigraphical reactive systems
Bigraphs with sharing and applications in wireless networks
Bigraphs are a fully graphical process algebraic formalism, capable of representing both the position in space of agents and their inter-connections. However, they assume a topology
based on sets of trees and thus cannot represent spatial locations that are shared among several entities in a simple or intuitive way. This is a problem, because shared locations are often a requirement, for example, when modelling scenarios in the physical world or in modern complex computer systems such as wireless networks and spatial-aware applications in ubiquitous computing.
We propose bigraphs with sharing, a generalisation of the original definition of bigraphs, to allow for overlapping topologies. The new locality model is based on directed acyclic graphs.
We demonstrate the new formalism can be defined in the general framework of bigraphical theories and wide reactive systems, as originally devised by Robin Milner. We do so
by defining a categorical interpretation of bigraphs with sharing, an axiomatisation derived from the equations of a bialgebra over finite ordinals, and a normal form to express
bigraphical terms. We illustrate how sharing is essential for modelling overlapping localities by presenting two example case studies in the field of wireless networking. We show that bigraphs with sharing can be used realistically in a production environment by describing the implementation of an efficient matching algorithm and a software tool for the definition, simulation, visualisation and analysis of bigraphical reactive systems