Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages

Families of DFAs (FDFAs) provide an alternative formalism for recognizing $\omega$-regular languages. The motivation for introducing them was a desired correlation between the automaton states and right congruence relations, in a manner similar to the Myhill-Nerode theorem for regular languages. Thi...

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Main Authors: Dana Angluin, Udi Boker, Dana Fisman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Logical Methods in Computer Science e.V. 2018-02-01
Series:Logical Methods in Computer Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://lmcs.episciences.org/2624/pdf
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author Dana Angluin
Udi Boker
Dana Fisman
author_facet Dana Angluin
Udi Boker
Dana Fisman
author_sort Dana Angluin
collection DOAJ
description Families of DFAs (FDFAs) provide an alternative formalism for recognizing $\omega$-regular languages. The motivation for introducing them was a desired correlation between the automaton states and right congruence relations, in a manner similar to the Myhill-Nerode theorem for regular languages. This correlation is beneficial for learning algorithms, and indeed it was recently shown that $\omega$-regular languages can be learned from membership and equivalence queries, using FDFAs as the acceptors. In this paper, we look into the question of how suitable FDFAs are for defining omega-regular languages. Specifically, we look into the complexity of performing Boolean operations, such as complementation and intersection, on FDFAs, the complexity of solving decision problems, such as emptiness and language containment, and the succinctness of FDFAs compared to standard deterministic and nondeterministic $\omega$-automata. We show that FDFAs enjoy the benefits of deterministic automata with respect to Boolean operations and decision problems. Namely, they can all be performed in nondeterministic logarithmic space. We provide polynomial translations of deterministic B\"uchi and co-B\"uchi automata to FDFAs and of FDFAs to nondeterministic B\"uchi automata (NBAs). We show that translation of an NBA to an FDFA may involve an exponential blowup. Last, we show that FDFAs are more succinct than deterministic parity automata (DPAs) in the sense that translating a DPA to an FDFA can always be done with only a polynomial increase, yet the other direction involves an inevitable exponential blowup in the worst case.
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spelling doaj.art-4a0c4736a6aa4775814223e4d5fc47a12024-03-08T09:53:24ZengLogical Methods in Computer Science e.V.Logical Methods in Computer Science1860-59742018-02-01Volume 14, Issue 110.23638/LMCS-14(1:15)20182624Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular LanguagesDana AngluinUdi BokerDana FismanFamilies of DFAs (FDFAs) provide an alternative formalism for recognizing $\omega$-regular languages. The motivation for introducing them was a desired correlation between the automaton states and right congruence relations, in a manner similar to the Myhill-Nerode theorem for regular languages. This correlation is beneficial for learning algorithms, and indeed it was recently shown that $\omega$-regular languages can be learned from membership and equivalence queries, using FDFAs as the acceptors. In this paper, we look into the question of how suitable FDFAs are for defining omega-regular languages. Specifically, we look into the complexity of performing Boolean operations, such as complementation and intersection, on FDFAs, the complexity of solving decision problems, such as emptiness and language containment, and the succinctness of FDFAs compared to standard deterministic and nondeterministic $\omega$-automata. We show that FDFAs enjoy the benefits of deterministic automata with respect to Boolean operations and decision problems. Namely, they can all be performed in nondeterministic logarithmic space. We provide polynomial translations of deterministic B\"uchi and co-B\"uchi automata to FDFAs and of FDFAs to nondeterministic B\"uchi automata (NBAs). We show that translation of an NBA to an FDFA may involve an exponential blowup. Last, we show that FDFAs are more succinct than deterministic parity automata (DPAs) in the sense that translating a DPA to an FDFA can always be done with only a polynomial increase, yet the other direction involves an inevitable exponential blowup in the worst case.https://lmcs.episciences.org/2624/pdfcomputer science - formal languages and automata theoryf.1.1d.2.4
spellingShingle Dana Angluin
Udi Boker
Dana Fisman
Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
Logical Methods in Computer Science
computer science - formal languages and automata theory
f.1.1
d.2.4
title Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
title_full Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
title_fullStr Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
title_full_unstemmed Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
title_short Families of DFAs as Acceptors of $\omega$-Regular Languages
title_sort families of dfas as acceptors of omega regular languages
topic computer science - formal languages and automata theory
f.1.1
d.2.4
url https://lmcs.episciences.org/2624/pdf
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