Constraint Design Rewriting

We propose an algebraic approach to the design and transformation of constraint networks, inspired by Architectural Design Rewriting. The approach can be understood as (i) an extension of ADR with constraints, and (ii) an application of ADR to the design of reconfigurable constraint networks. The main idea is to consider classes of constraint networks as algebras whose operators are used to denote constraint networks with terms. Constraint network transformations such as constraint propagations are specified with rewrite rules exploiting the network’s structure provided by terms

Constraint design rewriting

Constraint networks are hyper-graphs whose nodes and hyper-edges represent variables and relations between them, respectively. The problem to assign values to variables by satisfying all constraints is NP-complete. We propose an algebraic approach to the design and transformation of constraint networks, inspired by Architectural Design Rewriting (ADR). The main idea is to exploit ADR to equip constraint networks with some hierarchical structure and represent them as terms of a suitable algebra, when possible. Constraint network transformations such as constraint propagations are then specified with efficient rewrite rules exploiting the network's structure provided by terms. The approach can be understood as (i) an extension of ADR with constraints, and (ii) an application of ADR to the design of reconfigurable constraint networks

Constraint design rewriting

Constraint networks are hyper-graphs whose nodes and hyper-edges represent variables and relations between them, respectively. The problem to assign values to variables by satisfying all constraints is NP-complete. We propose an algebraic approach to the design and transformation of constraint networks, inspired by Architectural Design Rewriting (ADR). The main idea is to exploit ADR to equip constraint networks with some hierarchical structure and represent them as terms of a suitable algebra, when possible. Constraint network transformations such as constraint propagations are then specified with efficient rewrite rules exploiting the network's structure provided by terms. The approach can be understood as (i) an extension of ADR with constraints, and (ii) an application of ADR to the design of reconfigurable constraint networks