Bisimulations for Delimited-Control Operators

We present a comprehensive study of the behavioral theory of an untyped $\lambda$-calculus extended with the delimited-control operators shift and reset. To that end, we define a contextual equivalence for this calculus, that we then aim to characterize with coinductively defined relations, called bisimilarities. We consider different styles of bisimilarities (namely applicative, normal-form, and environmental) within a unifying framework, and we give several examples to illustrate their respective strengths and weaknesses. We also discuss how to extend this work to other delimited-control operators

A Complete Normal-Form Bisimilarity for Algebraic Effects and Handlers

We present a complete coinductive syntactic theory for an untyped calculus of algebraic operations and handlers, a relatively recent concept that augments a programming language with unprecedented flexibility to define, combine and interpret computational effects. Our theory takes the form of a normal-form bisimilarity and its soundness w.r.t. contextual equivalence hinges on using so-called context variables to test evaluation contexts comprising normal forms other than values. The theory is formulated in purely syntactic elementary terms and its completeness demonstrates the discriminating power of handlers. It crucially takes advantage of the clean separation of effect handling code from effect raising construct, a distinctive feature of algebraic effects, not present in other closely related control structures such as delimited-control operators

Environmental Bisimulations for Delimited-Control Operators with Dynamic Prompt Generation

International audienceWe present sound and complete environmental bisimilarities for a variant of Dybvig et al.'s calculus of multi-prompted delimited-control operators with dynamic prompt generation. The reasoning principles that we obtain generalize and advance the existing techniques for establishing program equivalence in calculi with single-prompted delimited control. The basic theory that we develop is presented using Madiot et al.'s framework that allows for smooth integration and composition of up-to techniques facilitating bisimulation proofs. We also generalize the framework in order to express environmental bisimulations that support equivalence proofs of evaluation contexts representing continuations. This change leads to a novel and powerful up-to technique enhancing bisimulation proofs in the presence of control operators

Proving Soundness of Extensional Normal-Form Bisimilarities

International audienceNormal-form bisimilarity is a simple, easy-to-use behavioral equivalence that relates terms in λ-calculi by decomposing their normal forms into bisimilar subterms. Besides, they allow for powerful up-to techniques, such as bisimulation up to context, which simplify bisimulation proofs even further. However, proving soundness of these relations becomes complicated in the presence of η-expansion and usually relies on ad-hoc proof methods which depend on the language. In this paper, we propose a more systematic proof method to show that an extensional normal-form bisimilarity along with its corresponding bisimulation up to context are sound. We illustrate our technique with the call-by-value λ-calculus, before applying it to a call-by-value λ-calculus with the delimited-control operators shift and reset. In both cases, there was previously no sound bisimulation up to context validating the η-law. Our results have been formalized in the Coq proof assistant

Environmental Bisimulations for Delimited-Control Operators

International audienceWe present a theory of environmental bisimilarity for the delimited-control operators shift and reset. We consider two different notions of contextual equivalence: one that does not require the presence of a top-level control delimiter when executing tested terms, and another one, fully compatible with the original CPS semantics of shift and reset, that does. For each of them, we develop sound and complete environmental bisimilarities, and we discuss up-to techniques

A Complete, Co-Inductive Syntactic Theory of Sequential Control and State

We present a new co-inductive syntactic theory, eager normal form bisimilarity, for the untyped call-by-value lambda calculus extended with continuations and mutable references. We demonstrate that the associated bisimulation proof principle is easy to use and that it is a powerful tool for proving equivalences between recursive imperative higher-order programs. The theory is modular in the sense that eager normal form bisimilarity for each of the calculi extended with continuations and/or mutable references is a fully abstract extension of eager normal form bisimilarity for its sub-calculi. For each calculus, we prove that eager normal form bisimilarity is a congruence and is sound with respect to contextual equivalence. Furthermore, for the calculus with both continuations and mutable references, we show that eager normal form bisimilarity is complete: it coincides with contextual equivalence

Conservative Extensions and Satisfiability in Fragments of First-Order Logic : Complexity and Expressive Power

In this thesis, we investigate the decidability and computational complexity of (deductive) conservative extensions in expressive fragments of first-order logic, such as two-variable and guarded fragments. Moreover, we also investigate the complexity of (query) conservative extensions in Horn description logics with inverse roles. Aditionally, we investigate the computational complexity of the satisfiability problem in the unary negation fragment of first-order logic extended with regular path expressions. Besides complexity results, we also study the expressive power of relation-changing modal logics. In particular, we provide translations intto hybrid logic and compare their expressive power using appropriate notions of bisimulations

Modular coinduction up-to for higher-order languages via first-order transition systems

The bisimulation proof method can be enhanced by employing ‘bisimulations up-to’ techniques. A comprehensive theory of such enhancements has been developed for first-order (i.e., CCS-like) labelled transition systems (LTSs) and bisimilarity, based on abstract fixed-point theory and compatible functions. We transport this theory onto languages whose bisimilarity and LTS go beyond those of first-order models. The approach consists in exhibiting fully abstract translations of the more sophisticated LTSs and bisimilarities onto the first-order ones. This allows us to reuse directly the large corpus of up-to techniques that are available on first-order LTSs. The only ingredient that has to be manually supplied is the compatibility of basic up-to techniques that are specific to the new languages. We investigate the method on the π-calculus, the λ-calculus, and a (call-by-value) λ-calculus with references

A Complete Normal-Form Bisimilarity for State

International audienceWe present a sound and complete bisimilarity for an untyped $λ-calculus$ with higher-order local references. Our relation compares values by applying them to a fresh variable, like normal-form bisimilarity, and it uses environments to account for the evolving store. We achieve completeness by a careful treatment of evaluation contexts comprising open stuck terms. This work improves over Støvring and Lassen's incomplete environment-based normal-form bisimilarity for the $λρ-calculus$, and confirms, in relatively elementary terms, Jaber and Tabareau's result , that the state construct is discriminative enough to be characterized with a bisimilarity without any quantification over testing arguments

Formal mechanization of device interactions with a process algebra

The principle emphasis is to develop a methodology to formally verify correct synchronization communication of devices in a composed hardware system. Previous system integration efforts have focused on vertical integration of one layer on top of another. This task examines 'horizontal' integration of peer devices. To formally reason about communication, we mechanize a process algebra in the Higher Order Logic (HOL) theorem proving system. Using this formalization we show how four types of device interactions can be represented and verified to behave as specified. The report also describes the specification of a system consisting of an AVM-1 microprocessor and a memory management unit which were verified in previous work. A proof of correct communication is presented, and the extensions to the system specification to add a direct memory device are discussed