8 research outputs found
Learning Quantum Finite Automata with Queries
{\it Learning finite automata} (termed as {\it model learning}) has become an
important field in machine learning and has been useful realistic applications.
Quantum finite automata (QFA) are simple models of quantum computers with
finite memory. Due to their simplicity, QFA have well physical realizability,
but one-way QFA still have essential advantages over classical finite automata
with regard to state complexity (two-way QFA are more powerful than classical
finite automata in computation ability as well). As a different problem in {\it
quantum learning theory} and {\it quantum machine learning}, in this paper, our
purpose is to initiate the study of {\it learning QFA with queries} (naturally
it may be termed as {\it quantum model learning}), and the main results are
regarding learning two basic one-way QFA: (1) We propose a learning algorithm
for measure-once one-way QFA (MO-1QFA) with query complexity of polynomial
time; (2) We propose a learning algorithm for measure-many one-way QFA
(MM-1QFA) with query complexity of polynomial-time, as well.Comment: 18pages; comments are welcom
Residual Nominal Automata
Nominal automata are models for accepting languages over infinite alphabets.
In this paper we refine the hierarchy of nondeterministic nominal automata, by
developing the theory of residual nominal automata. In particular, we show that
they admit canonical minimal representatives, and that the universality problem
becomes decidable. We also study exact learning of these automata, and settle
questions that were left open about their learnability via observations
Canonical automata via distributive law homomorphisms
The classical powerset construction is a standard method converting a
nondeterministic automaton into a deterministic one recognising the same
language. Recently, the powerset construction has been lifted to a more general
framework that converts an automaton with side-effects, given by a monad, into
a deterministic automaton accepting the same language. The resulting automaton
has additional algebraic properties, both in the state space and transition
structure, inherited from the monad. In this paper, we study the reverse
construction and present a framework in which a deterministic automaton with
additional algebraic structure over a given monad can be converted into an
equivalent succinct automaton with side-effects. Apart from recovering examples
from the literature, such as the canonical residual finite-state automaton and
the \'atomaton, we discover a new canonical automaton for a regular language by
relating the free vector space monad over the two element field to the
neighbourhood monad. Finally, we show that every regular language satisfying a
suitable property parametric in two monads admits a size-minimal succinct
acceptor
To Heck With Ethics: Thinking About Public Issues With a Framework for CS Students
This paper proposes that the ethics class in the CS curriculum incorporate the Lawrence Lessig model of regulation as an analytical tool for social issues. Lessig’s use of the notion of architecture, the rules and boundaries of the sometimes artificial world within which social issues play out, is particularly resonant with computing professionals. The CS curriculum guidelines include only ethical frameworks as the tool for our students to engage with societal issues. The regulation framework shows how the market, law, social norms, and architecture can all be applied toward understanding social issues
CALF: Categorical Automata Learning Framework
Automata learning is a popular technique used to automatically construct an automaton model from queries, and much research has gone into devising specific adaptations of such algorithms for different types of automata. This thesis presents a unifying approach to many existing algorithms using category theory, which eases correctness proofs and guides the design of new automata learning algorithms. We provide a categorical automata learning framework---CALF---that at its core includes an abstract version of the popular L* algorithm. Using this abstract algorithm we derive several concrete ones. We instantiate the framework to a large class of Set functors, by which we recover for the first time a tree automata learning algorithm from an abstract framework, which moreover is the first to cover also algebras of quotiented polynomial functors. We further develop a general algorithm to learn weighted automata over a semiring. On the one hand, we identify a class of semirings, principal ideal domains, for which this algorithm terminates and for which no learning algorithm previously existed; on the other hand, we show that it does not terminate over the natural numbers. Finally, we develop an algorithm to learn automata with side-effects determined by a monad and provide several optimisations, as well as an implementation with experimental evaluation. This allows us to improve existing algorithms and opens the door to learning a wide range of automata
Canonical Algebraic Generators in Automata Learning
Many methods for the verification of complex computer systems require the
existence of a tractable mathematical abstraction of the system, often in the
form of an automaton. In reality, however, such a model is hard to come up
with, in particular manually. Automata learning is a technique that can
automatically infer an automaton model from a system -- by observing its
behaviour. The majority of automata learning algorithms is based on the
so-called L* algorithm. The acceptor learned by L* has an important property:
it is canonical, in the sense that, it is, up to isomorphism, the unique
deterministic finite automaton of minimal size accepting a given regular
language. Establishing a similar result for other classes of acceptors, often
with side-effects, is of great practical importance. Non-deterministic finite
automata, for instance, can be exponentially more succinct than deterministic
ones, allowing verification to scale. Unfortunately, identifying a canonical
size-minimal non-deterministic acceptor of a given regular language is in
general not possible: it can happen that a regular language is accepted by two
non-isomorphic non-deterministic finite automata of minimal size. In
particular, it thus is unclear which one of the automata should be targeted by
a learning algorithm. In this thesis, we further explore the issue and identify
(sub-)classes of acceptors that admit canonical size-minimal representatives.Comment: PhD thesi
Canonical Algebraic Generators in Automata Learning
Many methods for the verification of complex computer systems require the existence of a tractable mathematical abstraction of the system, often in the form of an automaton. In reality, however, such a model is hard to come up with, in particular manually. Automata learning is a technique that can automatically infer an automaton model from a system -- by observing its behaviour. The majority of automata learning algorithms is based on the so-called L* algorithm. The acceptor learned by L* has an important property: it is canonical, in the sense that, it is, up to isomorphism, the unique deterministic finite automaton of minimal size accepting a given regular language. Establishing a similar result for other classes of acceptors, often with side-effects, is of great practical importance. Non-deterministic finite automata, for instance, can be exponentially more succinct than deterministic ones, allowing verification to scale. Unfortunately, identifying a canonical size-minimal non-deterministic acceptor of a given regular language is in general not possible: it can happen that a regular language is accepted by two non-isomorphic non-deterministic finite automata of minimal size. In particular, it thus is unclear which one of the automata should be targeted by a learning algorithm. In this thesis, we further explore the issue and identify (sub-)classes of acceptors that admit canonical size-minimal representatives.
In more detail, the contributions of this thesis are three-fold.
First, we expand the automata (learning) theory of Guarded Kleene Algebra with Tests (GKAT), an efficiently decidable logic expressive enough to model simple imperative programs. In particular, we present GL*, an algorithm that learns the unique size-minimal GKAT automaton for a given deterministic language, and prove that GL* is more efficient than an existing variation of L*. We implement both algorithms in OCaml, and compare them on example programs.
Second, we present a category-theoretical framework based on generators, bialgebras, and distributive laws, which identifies, for a wide class of automata with side-effects in a monad, canonical target models for automata learning. Apart from recovering examples from the literature, we discover a new canonical acceptor of regular languages, and present a unifying minimality result.
Finally, we show that the construction underlying our framework is an instance of a more general theory. First, we see that deriving a minimal bialgebra from a minimal coalgebra can be realized by applying a monad on a category of subobjects with respect to an epi-mono factorisation system. Second, we explore the abstract theory of generators and bases for algebras over a monad: we discuss bases for bialgebras, the product of bases, generalise the representation theory of linear maps, and compare our ideas to a coalgebra-based approach
Learning Residual Alternating Automata
Residuality plays an essential role for learning finite automata. While residual deterministic and non-deterministic automata have been understood quite well, fundamental questions concerning alternating automata (AFA) remain open. Recently, Angluin, Eisenstat, and Fisman (2015) have initiated a systematic study of residual AFAs and proposed an algorithm called AL* – an extension of the popular L* algorithm – to learn AFAs. Based on computer experiments they have conjectured that AL* produces residual AFAs, but have not been able to give a proof. In this paper we disprove this conjecture by constructing a counterexample. As our main positive result we design an efficient learning algorithm, named AL** and give a proof that it outputs residual AFAs only. In addition, we investigate the succinctness of these different FA types in more detail