A model category for the homotopy theory of concurrency

We construct a cofibrantly generated model structure on the category of flows such that any flow is fibrant and such that two cofibrant flows are homotopy equivalent for this model structure if and only if they are S-homotopy equivalent. This result provides an interpretation of the notion of S-homotopy equivalence in the framework of model categories.Comment: 45 pages ; 4 figure ; First paper corresponding to the content of math.AT/0201252 ; final versio

Towards a homotopy theory of process algebra

This paper proves that labelled flows are expressive enough to contain all process algebras which are a standard model for concurrency. More precisely, we construct the space of execution paths and of higher dimensional homotopies between them for every process name of every process algebra with any synchronization algebra using a notion of labelled flow. This interpretation of process algebra satisfies the paradigm of higher dimensional automata (HDA): one non-degenerate full $n$-dimensional cube (no more no less) in the underlying space of the time flow corresponding to the concurrent execution of $n$ actions. This result will enable us in future papers to develop a homotopical approach of process algebras. Indeed, several homological constructions related to the causal structure of time flow are possible only in the framework of flows.Comment: 33 pages ; LaTeX2e ; 1 eps figure ; package semantics included ; v2 HDA paradigm clearly stated and simplification in a homotopical argument ; v3 "bug" fixed in notion of non-twisted shell + several redactional improvements ; v4 minor correction : the set of labels must not be ordered ; published at http://intlpress.com/HHA/v10/n1/a16

Combinatorics of branchings in higher dimensional automata

We explore the combinatorial properties of the branching areas of execution paths in higher dimensional automata. Mathematically, this means that we investigate the combinatorics of the negative corner (or branching) homology of a globular $\omega$-category and the combinatorics of a new homology theory called the reduced branching homology. The latter is the homology of the quotient of the branching complex by the sub-complex generated by its thin elements. Conjecturally it coincides with the non reduced theory for higher dimensional automata, that is $\omega$-categories freely generated by precubical sets. As application, we calculate the branching homology of some $\omega$-categories and we give some invariance results for the reduced branching homology. We only treat the branching side. The merging side, that is the case of merging areas of execution paths is similar and can be easily deduced from the branching side.Comment: Final version, see http://www.tac.mta.ca/tac/volumes/8/n12/abstract.htm

The homotopy branching space of a flow

In this talk, I will explain the importance of the homotopy branching space functor (and of the homotopy merging space functor) in dihomotopy theory. The paper is a detailed abstract of math.AT/0304112 and math.AT/0305169.Comment: Expository paper ; 11 pages ; to appear in GETCO'03 proceedin

T-homotopy and refinement of observation (III) : Invariance of the branching and merging homologies

This series explores a new notion of T-homotopy equivalence of flows. The new definition involves embeddings of finite bounded posets preserving the bottom and the top elements and the associated cofibrations of flows. In this third part, it is proved that the generalized T-homotopy equivalences preserve the branching and merging homology theories of a flow. These homology theories are of interest in computer science since they detect the non-deterministic branching and merging areas of execution paths in the time flow of a higher dimensional automaton. The proof is based on Reedy model category techniques.Comment: 30 pages ; final preprint version before publication ; see http://nyjm.albany.edu:8000/j/2006/Vol12.ht