Adaptive Application of SAT Solving Techniques

New heuristics and strategies have enabled major advancements in SAT solving in recent years. However, experimentation has shown that there is no winning solution that works in all cases. A degradation of orders of magnitude can be observed if the wrong heuristic is chosen. The problem is that it is impossible to know, in advance, which heuristics are best for a given problem. Consequently, many ideas - those that turn out to be useful for a small subset of the cases, but significantly increase run times on most others - are discarded.We propose the notion of Adaptive Solving as a possible solution to this problem. In our framework, the SAT solver monitors the effectiveness of the search on-the-fly using a Performance Metric. The metric gives a score according to its assessment of the search progress. Based on this score, one or more heuristics are turned on or off. The goal is to use a specific heuristic or strategy when it is advantageous, and turn it off when it is not, before it does too much damage. We suggest several possible metrics, and compare their effectiveness. Our adaptive solver achieves significant speedups on a large set of examples. We also show that applying different heuristics on different parts of the search space can improve run times even beyond what can be achieved by the best heuristic on its own.     

Solving the resolution-free SAT problem by submodel propagation in linear time

We present a method, called Unicorn-SAT, based on submodel propagation, which solves the resolution-free SAT problem in linear time. A formula is resolution-free if there are no two clauses which differ only in one variable, i.e., each clause is blocked for each literal in it. A resolution-free formula is satisfiable or it contains the empty clause. For such a restricted formula we can find a model in linear time by submodel propagation. Submodel propagation is hyper-unit propagation by a submodel generated from a minimal clause. Hyper-unit propagation is unit propagation simultaneously by literals, as unit clauses, of a partial assignment. We obtain a submodel, i.e., a part of the model, by negation of a neighbor-resolution-mate of a minimal clause, which is a clause with the smallest number of literals in the formula. We obtain a neighbor-resolution-mate of a clause by negating one literal in it. By submodel propagation we obtain a formula which has fewer variables and clauses and remains resolution-free. Therefore, we can obtain a model by joining the submodels while we perform submodel propagation recursively until the formula becomes empty.Sponsored by Upper Austrian Government (Ph.D. scholarship) and SFB/FWF project P1302.     

Solving the resolution-free SAT problem by submodel propagation in linear time

We present a method, called Unicorn-SAT, based on submodel propagation, which solves the resolution-free SAT problem in linear time. A formula is resolution-free if there are no two clauses which differ only in one variable, i.e., each clause is blocked for each literal in it. A resolution-free formula is satisfiable or it contains the empty clause. For such a restricted formula we can find a model in linear time by submodel propagation. Submodel propagation is hyper-unit propagation by a submodel generated from a minimal clause. Hyper-unit propagation is unit propagation simultaneously by literals, as unit clauses, of a partial assignment. We obtain a submodel, i.e., a part of the model, by negation of a neighbor-resolution-mate of a minimal clause, which is a clause with the smallest number of literals in the formula. We obtain a neighbor-resolution-mate of a clause by negating one literal in it. By submodel propagation we obtain a formula which has fewer variables and clauses and remains resolution-free. Therefore, we can obtain a model by joining the submodels while we perform submodel propagation recursively until the formula becomes empty.     

Einstein谜的SAT求解

Einstein谜,亦称Zebra谜,是爱因斯坦在20世纪初提出的,他说世界上有98%的人答不出来。该问题是一个典型的逻辑推理题,可以通过SAT求解给出问题的答案。现将Einstein谜转换成SAT求解问题,并使用当前流行的SAT求解器,如MinSat,对Einstein谜进行自动求解。     

求解SAT问题的拟人退火算法

该文利用一个简单的变换，将可满足性（SAT）问题转换为一个求相应目标函数最小值的优化问题，提出了一种用于跳出局部陷阱的拟人策略，基于模拟退火算法和拟人策略，为SAT问题的高效近注解得出了拟人退火算法（PA），该方法不仅具有模拟退火算法的全局收敛性质，而且具有一定的并行性，继承性。数值实验表明，对于本文随机产生的测试问题例，采用拟人策略的模拟退火算法的结果优于局部搜索算法，模拟退火算法以及近来国际上流行的WALKSAT算法，因此拟人退火算法是可行的和有效的。     

Solving SAT problem by heuristic polarity decision-making algorithm

This paper presents a heuristic polarity decision-making algorithm for solving Boolean satisfiability (SAT). The algorithm inherits many features of the current state-of-the-art SAT solvers, such as fast BCP, clause recording, restarts, etc. In addition, a preconditioning step that calculates the polarities of variables according to the cover distribution of Karnaugh map is introduced into DPLL procedure, which greatly reduces the number of conflicts in the search process. The proposed approach is implemented as a SAT solver named DiffSat. Experiments show that DiffSat can solve many "real-life" instances in a reasonable time while the best existing SAT solvers, such as Zchaff and MiniSat, cannot. In particular, DiffSat can solve every instance of Bart benchmark suite in less than 0.03 s while Zchaff and MiniSat fail under a 900 s time limit. Furthermore, DiffSat even outperforms the outstanding incomplete algorithm DLM in some instances.     

Survey Propagation：一种求解SAT的高效算法

Survey propagation是一种新生的SAT(CSP)算法。它基于统计物理的spin glass模型，针对具体问题进行纵览(survey)，从而极大地降低求解的复杂度。但sp算法在某些时候不收敛，或引导向错误的解。对此，G．Parisi提出一种复杂回溯(backtrack)算法，而作者在sp中加入简单回溯，也使一部分此类问题得到解决。     

求解SAT问题的退火遗传算法

提出一种将遗传算法与模拟退火算法相结合的SAT问题求解算法SAT-SAGA.该算法以遗传算法流程为主体,并把模拟退火机制融入其中,用以调整优化群体,防止陷入局部最优和出现早熟;在进化过程中算法采用了最优染色体保存策略,防止进化过程的发散.实验表明:该算法在求解速度、成功率和求解问题的规模等方面都有明显的改善.     

Guided Local Search for Solving SAT and Weighted MAX-SAT Problems

In this paper, we show how Guided Local Search (GLS) can be applied to the SAT problem and show how the resulting algorithm can be naturally extended to solve the weighted MAX-SAT problem. GLS is a general, penalty-based meta-heuristic, which sits on top of local search algorithms to help guide them out of local minima. GLS has been shown to be successful in solving a number of practical real-life problems, such as the traveling salesman problem, BT"s workforce scheduling problem, the radio link frequency assignment problem, and the vehicle routing problem. We present empirical results of applying GLS to instances of the SAT problem from the DIMACS archive and also a small set of weighted MAX-SAT problem instances and compare them with the results of other local search algorithms for the SAT problem.     

基于子句权重学习的求解SAT问题的遗传算法

该文提出了一种求解SAT问题的改进遗传算法（SAT—WAGA）．SAT-WAGA算法有多个改进性特点：将SAT问题的结构信息量化为子句权重,增加了学习算子和判定早熟参数,学习算子能根据求解过程中的动态信息对子句权重进行调整,以便防止遗传进程的早熟,同时,算法还采用了最优染色体保存策略,防止进化过程的发散．该文最后描述了实现包括SAT—WAGA等多个算法的实验系统,对选择最佳早熟判定参数值给出了一些有效的建议．实验结果表明：与一般遗传算法相比,SAT—WAGA算法在求解速度、成功率和求解问题的规模等方面都有明显的改善．     

基于函数变换的求解SAT问题的新算法

提出了一种基于函数变换的求解SAT问题的新算法,这个新算法利用SAT问题自身的特点将判定问题转化为连续函数的求极值问题。随机选取一组初始值,利用最速下降法求解变换后的连续函数在每个初始值邻域内所能达到的局部极值,如果这个局部极值为0,则该SAT问题就是可满足的。实验结果表明：与现有的求解SAT问题的算法相比,基于函数变换的求解算法在求解速度、成功率和求解问题的规模等方面都有明显的提高。     

结合DOEC极小化策略的SAT求解极小碰集方法

在基于模型诊断中,诊断解通常是根据极小冲突集合簇进行相应的计算得到所有的极小碰集,所以提高极小碰集的求解效率是模型诊断的核心问题.因此提出结合基于元素覆盖集合度(degree of element coverage, DOEC)极小化策略的SAT求解极小碰集的方法SAT-MHS(satisfiability problem-minimal hitting sets).首先,方法SAT-MHS将碰集求解问题转换成SAT问题,即把所有的冲突集合以子句形式表示成SAT的输入CNF进行迭代求解.其次,提出比现有的基于子超集检测极小化策略(sub-superset detecting minimization, SSDM)更为高效的DOEC极小化策略进行极小化处理.由实验数据可见,与SSDM极小化策略相比,其优点是缩减了求解空间和迭代求解次数,尤其当求解规模较大问题时,其极小化效率越高.主要是因为其极小化不会随着待求解问题规模的增加而增加,而是只与冲突集合簇的大小相关,因此时间复杂度较低.实验结果表明,对于一些较大的实例,与目前效率最好的Boolean方法相比,SAT-MHS方法高效且易于实现,求解速度能提高10~20倍,DOEC极小化策略对比传统SSDM极小化策略能达到40倍左右.     

一种SAT邻域的快速搜索算法

用局部搜索算法求解SAT问题．通常都需要在较大的邻域中。寻找合适的邻解。如果对邻域中的每个邻解。都通过重新判断每个子句是否为可满足来得到其可满足的子句个数．则时间耗费较多。已经有一些经典的处理方法．例如通过修改邻域结构．来减小搜索空间。从另外一个角度来考虑搜索过程．根据当前解和邻解的内在关系．介绍一种SAT邻域的快速搜索算法。该算法能在不影响解质量的前提下．快速寻找合适的邻解．从而进一步提高局部搜索算法的求解速度。另外．该算法还提供用于提高解质量的信息。有助于研究新的局部搜索算法。     

SAT问题中局部搜索法的改进

局部搜索方法在求解SAT问题的高效率使其成为一研究热点.提出用初始概率的方法对局部搜索算法中变量的初始随机指派进行适当的约束.使在局部搜索的开始阶段,可满足的子句数大大增加,减少了翻转的次数,加快了求解的速度.用该方法对目前的一些重要的SAT问题的局部搜索算法(如WSAT,TSAT,NSAT,SDF等)进行改进,通过对不同规模的随机3-SAT问题的实例和一些不同规模的结构性SAT问题的实例,以及利用相变现象构造的难解SAT实例测试表明,改进后的这些局部搜索算法的求解效率有了很大的提高.该方法对其他局部搜索法的改进具有参考价值.     

Visualizing SAT Instances and Runs of the DPLL Algorithm

SAT-solvers have turned into essential tools in many areas of applied logic like, for example, hardware verification or satisfiability checking modulo theories. However, although recent implementations are able to solve problems with hundreds of thousands of variables and millions of clauses, much smaller instances remain unsolved. What makes a particular instance hard or easy is at most partially understood – and is often attributed to the instance’s internal structure. By converting SAT instances into graphs and applying established graph layout techniques, this internal structure can be visualized and thus serve as the basis of subsequent analysis. Moreover, by providing tools that animate the structure during the run of a SAT algorithm, dynamic changes of the problem instance become observable. Thus, we expect both to gain new insights into the hardness of the SAT problem and to help in teaching SAT algorithms.     

基于Android平台的SAT考试助手的开发

该文阐述了基于Android平台的SAT考试助手的开发原理和平台,详细介绍了该软件的结构组成以及各模块的功能,描述了数据库的设计,最后总结了系统特色与优势。     

On Action Logic: Equational Theories of Action Algebras

Pratt (1991, Proceedings of JELIA’90, Volume 478, pp.97–120) defines action algebras as Kleene algebras withresiduals and action logic as the equational theory of actionalgebras. In contrast to Kleene algebras, action algebras forma (finitely based) variety. Jipsen (2004, Studia Logica, 76,291–303) proposes a Gentzen-style sequent system for actionlogic but leaves it as an open question if this system admitscut-elimination and if action logic is decidable. We show thatJipsen's system does not admit cut-elimination. We prove thatthe equational theory of *-continuous action algebras and thesimple Horn theory of *-continuous Kleene algebras are not recursivelyenumerable and they possess FMP, but action logic does not possessFMP.     

基于几何规划的布尔可满足问题求解方法

布尔可满足问题是计算机科学中诸多领域的重要问题,它的快速求解具有十分重要的意义.将具有实际物理背景的Solar算法中的拟物算法与几何规划相结合,提出并实现了一种布尔可满足性问题的连续求解方法.经实验验证,这种算法对布尔可满足性问题的求解具有一定的实用价值.     

基于硬件可编程逻辑的SAT求解算法研究与进展

布尔可满足性SAT问题作为第一个被证明的NP完全问题,是计算机理论与应用的核心问题,有着重要的应用价值,因此近年来涌现了各种各样SAT求解器。但是,SAT求解器的运算效率始终是影响其应用的关键因素,所以利用硬件的高性能与并行性来加速SAT求解过程已成为验证领域的一个研究热点。归纳总结了在SAT求解过程中,利用硬件现场可编程门逻辑FPGA的并行性和灵活性加速求解过程的各种算法研究,着重总结分析了应用型SAT求解器的加速策略。通过对各种方法的深入分析,指出它们的优缺点,为未来的研究提供了思路。