7,065 research outputs found
Finite Satisfiability for Guarded Fixpoint Logic
The finite satisfiability problem for guarded fixpoint logic is decidable and
complete for 2ExpTime (resp. ExpTime for formulas of bounded width)
Distributed Graph Automata and Verification of Distributed Algorithms
Combining ideas from distributed algorithms and alternating automata, we
introduce a new class of finite graph automata that recognize precisely the
languages of finite graphs definable in monadic second-order logic. By
restricting transitions to be nondeterministic or deterministic, we also obtain
two strictly weaker variants of our automata for which the emptiness problem is
decidable. As an application, we suggest how suitable graph automata might be
useful in formal verification of distributed algorithms, using Floyd-Hoare
logic.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures, includes a condensed version of the author's
Master's thesis arXiv:1404.6503. (This version of the article (v2) is
identical to the previous one (v1), except for minor changes in phrasing.
Two-Way Automata Making Choices Only at the Endmarkers
The question of the state-size cost for simulation of two-way
nondeterministic automata (2NFAs) by two-way deterministic automata (2DFAs) was
raised in 1978 and, despite many attempts, it is still open. Subsequently, the
problem was attacked by restricting the power of 2DFAs (e.g., using a
restricted input head movement) to the degree for which it was already possible
to derive some exponential gaps between the weaker model and the standard
2NFAs. Here we use an opposite approach, increasing the power of 2DFAs to the
degree for which it is still possible to obtain a subexponential conversion
from the stronger model to the standard 2DFAs. In particular, it turns out that
subexponential conversion is possible for two-way automata that make
nondeterministic choices only when the input head scans one of the input tape
endmarkers. However, there is no restriction on the input head movement. This
implies that an exponential gap between 2NFAs and 2DFAs can be obtained only
for unrestricted 2NFAs using capabilities beyond the proposed new model. As an
additional bonus, conversion into a machine for the complement of the original
language is polynomial in this model. The same holds for making such machines
self-verifying, halting, or unambiguous. Finally, any superpolynomial lower
bound for the simulation of such machines by standard 2DFAs would imply LNL.
In the same way, the alternating version of these machines is related to L =?
NL =? P, the classical computational complexity problems.Comment: 23 page
On Pebble Automata for Data Languages with Decidable Emptiness Problem
In this paper we study a subclass of pebble automata (PA) for data languages
for which the emptiness problem is decidable. Namely, we introduce the
so-called top view weak PA. Roughly speaking, top view weak PA are weak PA
where the equality test is performed only between the data values seen by the
two most recently placed pebbles. The emptiness problem for this model is
decidable. We also show that it is robust: alternating, nondeterministic and
deterministic top view weak PA have the same recognition power. Moreover, this
model is strong enough to accept all data languages expressible in Linear
Temporal Logic with the future-time operators, augmented with one register
freeze quantifier.Comment: An extended abstract of this work has been published in the
proceedings of the 34th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations
of Computer Science (MFCS) 2009}, Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science
5734, pages 712-72
Intersection problem for Droms RAAGs
We solve the subgroup intersection problem (SIP) for any RAAG G of Droms type
(i.e., with defining graph not containing induced squares or paths of length
3): there is an algorithm which, given finite sets of generators for two
subgroups H,K of G, decides whether is finitely generated or not,
and, in the affirmative case, it computes a set of generators for .
Taking advantage of the recursive characterization of Droms groups, the proof
consists in separately showing that the solvability of SIP passes through free
products, and through direct products with free-abelian groups. We note that
most of RAAGs are not Howson, and many (e.g. F_2 x F_2) even have unsolvable
SIP.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures (revised following the referee's suggestions
Truly On-The-Fly LTL Model Checking
We propose a novel algorithm for automata-based LTL model checking that
interleaves the construction of the generalized B\"{u}chi automaton for the
negation of the formula and the emptiness check. Our algorithm first converts
the LTL formula into a linear weak alternating automaton; configurations of the
alternating automaton correspond to the locations of a generalized B\"{u}chi
automaton, and a variant of Tarjan's algorithm is used to decide the existence
of an accepting run of the product of the transition system and the automaton.
Because we avoid an explicit construction of the B\"{u}chi automaton, our
approach can yield significant improvements in runtime and memory, for large
LTL formulas. The algorithm has been implemented within the SPIN model checker,
and we present experimental results for some benchmark examples
The \mu-Calculus Alternation Hierarchy Collapses over Structures with Restricted Connectivity
It is known that the alternation hierarchy of least and greatest fixpoint
operators in the mu-calculus is strict. However, the strictness of the
alternation hierarchy does not necessarily carry over when considering
restricted classes of structures. A prominent instance is the class of infinite
words over which the alternation-free fragment is already as expressive as the
full mu-calculus. Our current understanding of when and why the mu-calculus
alternation hierarchy is not strict is limited. This paper makes progress in
answering these questions by showing that the alternation hierarchy of the
mu-calculus collapses to the alternation-free fragment over some classes of
structures, including infinite nested words and finite graphs with feedback
vertex sets of a bounded size. Common to these classes is that the connectivity
between the components in a structure from such a class is restricted in the
sense that the removal of certain vertices from the structure's graph
decomposes it into graphs in which all paths are of finite length. Our collapse
results are obtained in an automata-theoretic setting. They subsume,
generalize, and strengthen several prior results on the expressivity of the
mu-calculus over restricted classes of structures.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2012, arXiv:1210.202
Automata with Nested Pebbles Capture First-Order Logic with Transitive Closure
String languages recognizable in (deterministic) log-space are characterized
either by two-way (deterministic) multi-head automata, or following Immerman,
by first-order logic with (deterministic) transitive closure. Here we elaborate
this result, and match the number of heads to the arity of the transitive
closure. More precisely, first-order logic with k-ary deterministic transitive
closure has the same power as deterministic automata walking on their input
with k heads, additionally using a finite set of nested pebbles. This result is
valid for strings, ordered trees, and in general for families of graphs having
a fixed automaton that can be used to traverse the nodes of each of the graphs
in the family. Other examples of such families are grids, toruses, and
rectangular mazes. For nondeterministic automata, the logic is restricted to
positive occurrences of transitive closure.
The special case of k=1 for trees, shows that single-head deterministic
tree-walking automata with nested pebbles are characterized by first-order
logic with unary deterministic transitive closure. This refines our earlier
result that placed these automata between first-order and monadic second-order
logic on trees.Comment: Paper for Logical Methods in Computer Science, 27 pages, 1 figur
Turing Automata and Graph Machines
Indexed monoidal algebras are introduced as an equivalent structure for
self-dual compact closed categories, and a coherence theorem is proved for the
category of such algebras. Turing automata and Turing graph machines are
defined by generalizing the classical Turing machine concept, so that the
collection of such machines becomes an indexed monoidal algebra. On the analogy
of the von Neumann data-flow computer architecture, Turing graph machines are
proposed as potentially reversible low-level universal computational devices,
and a truly reversible molecular size hardware model is presented as an
example
Intersection problem for Droms RAAGs
We solve the subgroup intersection problem (SIP) for any RAAG G of Droms type
(i.e., with defining graph not containing induced squares or paths of length
3): there is an algorithm which, given finite sets of generators for two
subgroups H,K of G, decides whether is finitely generated or not,
and, in the affirmative case, it computes a set of generators for .
Taking advantage of the recursive characterization of Droms groups, the proof
consists in separately showing that the solvability of SIP passes through free
products, and through direct products with free-abelian groups. We note that
most of RAAGs are not Howson, and many (e.g. F_2 x F_2) even have unsolvable
SIP.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures (revised following the referee's suggestions
- …