Model Theoretic Complexity of Automatic Structures

We study the complexity of automatic structures via well-established concepts from both logic and model theory, including ordinal heights (of well-founded relations), Scott ranks of structures, and Cantor-Bendixson ranks (of trees). We prove the following results: 1) The ordinal height of any automatic well- founded partial order is bounded by \omega^\omega ; 2) The ordinal heights of automatic well-founded relations are unbounded below the first non-computable ordinal; 3) For any computable ordinal there is an automatic structure of Scott rank at least that ordinal. Moreover, there are automatic structures of Scott rank the first non-computable ordinal and its successor; 4) For any computable ordinal, there is an automatic successor tree of Cantor-Bendixson rank that ordinal.Comment: 23 pages. Extended abstract appeared in Proceedings of TAMC '08, LNCS 4978 pp 514-52

(Un)Decidability Results for Word Equations with Length and Regular Expression Constraints

We prove several decidability and undecidability results for the satisfiability and validity problems for languages that can express solutions to word equations with length constraints. The atomic formulas over this language are equality over string terms (word equations), linear inequality over the length function (length constraints), and membership in regular sets. These questions are important in logic, program analysis, and formal verification. Variants of these questions have been studied for many decades by mathematicians. More recently, practical satisfiability procedures (aka SMT solvers) for these formulas have become increasingly important in the context of security analysis for string-manipulating programs such as web applications. We prove three main theorems. First, we give a new proof of undecidability for the validity problem for the set of sentences written as a forall-exists quantifier alternation applied to positive word equations. A corollary of this undecidability result is that this set is undecidable even with sentences with at most two occurrences of a string variable. Second, we consider Boolean combinations of quantifier-free formulas constructed out of word equations and length constraints. We show that if word equations can be converted to a solved form, a form relevant in practice, then the satisfiability problem for Boolean combinations of word equations and length constraints is decidable. Third, we show that the satisfiability problem for quantifier-free formulas over word equations in regular solved form, length constraints, and the membership predicate over regular expressions is also decidable.Comment: Invited Paper at ADDCT Workshop 2013 (co-located with CADE 2013

Computability and Complexity Properties of Automatic Structures and their Applications

Finite state automata are Turing machines with fixed finite bounds on resource use. Automata lend themselves well to real-time computations and efficient algorithms. Continuing a tradition of studying computability in mathematics, we examine automatic structures, mathematical objects which can be represented by automata, and apply resulting observations to computer science. We measure the complexity of automatic structures via well-established concepts from model theory, topology, and set theory. We prove the following results. The ordinal height of any automatic well-founded partial order is bounded by \omega^\omega. The ordinal heights of automatic well-founded relations are unbounded below the first uncomputable ordinal. For any computable ordinal, there is an automatic structure of Scott rank at least that ordinal. Moreover, there are automatic structures of Scott rank the first uncomputable ordinal and the successor of the first uncomputable ordinal. For any computable ordinal, there is an automatic successor tree of Cantor-Bendixson rank that ordinal. Next, we study infinite graphs produced from a natural unfolding operation applied to finite graphs. Graphs produced via such operations have finite degree and can be described by finite automata over a one-letter alphabet. We investigate algorithmic properties of such graphs in terms of their finite presentations. In particular, we ask how hard it is to check whether a given node belongs to an infinite component, whether two given nodes in the graph are reachable from one another, and whether the graph is connected. We give polynomial-time algorithms answering each of these questions. For a fixed input graph, the algorithm for infinite component membership works in constant time and reachability is decided uniformly by a single automaton. Hence, we improve on previous work, in which nonelementary or nonuniform algorithms were found. We turn our attention to automata techniques for deciding first-order logical theories. These techniques are useful in Integer Linear Programming and Mixed Integer Linear Programming, which in turn have applications in diverse areas of computer science and engineering. We extend known work to address the enumeration problem for linear programming solutions. Then, we apply a similar paradigm to give an automata theoretic decision procedure for the p-adic valued ring under addition and for formal Laurent series over a finite field with valuation and addition

What is Decidable about Strings?

We prove several decidability and undecidability results for the satisfiability/validity problem of formulas over a language of finite-length strings and integers (interpreted as lengths of strings). The atomic formulas over this language are equality over string terms (word equations), linear inequality over length function (length constraints), and membership predicate over regularexpressions (r.e.). These decidability questions are important in logic, program analysis and formal verification. Logicians have been attempting to resolve some of these questions for many decades, while practical satisfiability procedures for these formulas are increasingly important in the analysis of string-manipulating programs such as web applications and scripts. We prove three main theorems. First, we consider Boolean combination of quantifier-free formulas constructed out of word equations and length constraints. We show that if word equations can be converted to a solved form, a form relevant in practice, then the satisfiability problem for Boolean combination of word equations and length constraints is decidable. Second, we show that the satisfiability problem for word equations in solved form that areregular, length constraints and r.e. membership predicate is also decidable. Third, we show that the validity problem for the set of sentences written as a forall-exists quantifier alternation applied to positive word equations is undecidable. A corollary of this undecidability result is that this set is undecidable even with sentences with at most two occurrences of a string variable

UNARY AUTOMATIC GRAPHS: ALGORITHMIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract. This paper studies infinite graphs produced from a natural unfolding operation applied to finite graphs. Graphs produced via such operations are of finite degree and automatic over the unary alphabet (that is, they can be described by finite automata over unary alphabet). We investigate algorithmic properties of such unfolded graphs given their finite presentations. In particular, we ask whether a given node belongs to an infinite component, whether two given nodes in the graph are reachable from one another, and whether the graph is connected. We give polynomial time algorithms for each of these questions. For a fixed input graph, the algorithm for the first question is in constant time and the second question is decided using an automaton that recognizes reachability relation in a uniform way. Hence, we improve on previous work, in which non-elementary or non-uniform algorithms were found. 1