Algorithmic properties of inverse monoids with hyperbolic and tree-like Sch\"utzenberger graphs

We prove that the class of finitely presented inverse monoids whose Sch\"utzenberger graphs are quasi-isometric to trees has a uniformly solvable word problem, furthermore, the languages of their Sch\"utzenberger automata are context-free. On the other hand, we show that there is a finitely presented inverse monoid with hyperbolic Sch\"utzenberger graphs and an unsolvable word problem

Generalized Results on Monoids as Memory

We show that some results from the theory of group automata and monoid automata still hold for more general classes of monoids and models. Extending previous work for finite automata over commutative groups, we demonstrate a context-free language that can not be recognized by any rational monoid automaton over a finitely generated permutable monoid. We show that the class of languages recognized by rational monoid automata over finitely generated completely simple or completely 0-simple permutable monoids is a semi-linear full trio. Furthermore, we investigate valence pushdown automata, and prove that they are only as powerful as (finite) valence automata. We observe that certain results proven for monoid automata can be easily lifted to the case of context-free valence grammars.Comment: In Proceedings AFL 2017, arXiv:1708.0622

A Fibrational Approach to Automata Theory

For predual categories C and D we establish isomorphisms between opfibrations representing local varieties of languages in C, local pseudovarieties of D-monoids, and finitely generated profinite D-monoids. The global sections of these opfibrations are shown to correspond to varieties of languages in C, pseudovarieties of D-monoids, and profinite equational theories of D-monoids, respectively. As an application, we obtain a new proof of Eilenberg's variety theorem along with several related results, covering varieties of languages and their coalgebraic modifications, Straubing's C-varieties, fully invariant local varieties, etc., within a single framework

Word problems recognisable by deterministic blind monoid automata

We consider blind, deterministic, finite automata equipped with a register which stores an element of a given monoid, and which is modified by right multiplication by monoid elements. We show that, for monoids M drawn from a large class including groups, such an automaton accepts the word problem of a group H if and only if H has a finite index subgroup which embeds in the group of units of M. In the case that M is a group, this answers a question of Elston and Ostheimer.Comment: 8 pages, fixed some typos and clarified ambiguity in the abstract, results unchange

On the rational subset problem for groups

We use language theory to study the rational subset problem for groups and monoids. We show that the decidability of this problem is preserved under graph of groups constructions with finite edge groups. In particular, it passes through free products amalgamated over finite subgroups and HNN extensions with finite associated subgroups. We provide a simple proof of a result of Grunschlag showing that the decidability of this problem is a virtual property. We prove further that the problem is decidable for a direct product of a group G with a monoid M if and only if membership is uniformly decidable for G-automata subsets of M. It follows that a direct product of a free group with any abelian group or commutative monoid has decidable rational subset membership.Comment: 19 page