A polynomial space construction of tree-like models for logics with local chains of modal connectives

The LA-logics (“logics with Local Agreement”) are polymodal logics defined semantically such that at any world of a model, the sets of successors for the different accessibility relations can be linearly ordered and the accessibility relations are equivalence relations. In a previous work, we have shown that every LA-logic defined with a finite set of modal indices has an NP-complete satisfiability problem. In this paper, we introduce a class of LA-logics with a countably infinite set of modal indices and we show that the satisfiability problem is PSPACE-complete for every logic of such a class. The upper bound is shown by exhibiting a tree structure of the models. This allows us to establish a surprising correspondence between the modal depth of formulae and the number of occurrences of distinct modal connectives. More importantly, as a consequence, we can show the PSPACE-completeness of Gargov's logic DALLA and Nakamura's logic LGM restricted to modal indices that are rational numbers, for which the computational complexity characterization has been open until now. These logics are known to belong to the class of information logics and fuzzy modal logics, respectively.     

W-Hierarchies Defined by Symmetric Gates

The classes of the W-hierarchy are the most important classes of intractable problems in parameterized complexity. These classes were originally defined via the weighted satisfiability problem for Boolean circuits. Here, besides the Boolean connectives we consider connectives such as majority, not-all-equal, and unique. For example, a gate labelled by the majority connective outputs true if more than half of its inputs are true. For any finite set C\mathcal{C} of connectives we construct the corresponding W( C\mathcal{C} )-hierarchy. We derive some general conditions which guarantee that the W-hierarchy and the W( C\mathcal{C} )-hierarchy coincide levelwise. If C\mathcal{C} only contains the majority connective then the first levels of the hierarchies coincide. We use this to show that a variant of the parameterized vertex cover problem, the majority vertex cover problem, is W[1]-complete.     

The complexity of propositional implication

The question whether a set of formulae Γ implies a formula φ is fundamental. The present paper studies the complexity of the above implication problem for propositional formulae that are built from a systematically restricted set of Boolean connectives. We give a complete complexity-theoretic classification for all sets of Boolean functions in the meaning of Post's lattice and show that the implication problem is efficiently solvable only if the connectives are definable using the constants {0,1} and only one of {∧,∨,⊕}. The problem remains coNP-complete in all other cases. We also consider the restriction of Γ to singletons which makes the problem strictly easier in some cases.     

Combining finite learning automata with GSAT for the satisfiability problem

A large number of problems that occur in knowledge-representation, learning, very large scale integration technology (VLSI-design), and other areas of artificial intelligence, are essentially satisfiability problems. The satisfiability problem refers to the task of finding a satisfying assignment that makes a Boolean expression evaluate to True. The growing need for more efficient and scalable algorithms has led to the development of a large number of SAT solvers. This paper reports the first approach that combines finite learning automata with the greedy satisfiability algorithm (GSAT). In brief, we introduce a new algorithm that integrates finite learning automata and traditional GSAT used with random walk. Furthermore, we present a detailed comparative analysis of the new algorithm's performance, using a benchmark set containing randomized and structured problems from various domains.     

An algebraic evaluation method for deduction in incomplete data bases

Strategies used in deductive data bases try as far as possible to replace deduction in Horn clause theories T_S by evaluation of relational algebra formulas in a set of ground atoms. In this paper we extend the relational algebra in order to take into account incomplete databases where incompleteness is represented by Skolem constants. We first define the notion of the extended model EM, similar to the Herbrand model, which is associated to a given theory T_S. Specific satisfiability conditions applied to EM define the link between provability in T_S and satisfiability in EM. Then we define an extended relational algebra to compute every ground instance of a given formula. It is shown that this algebra is always sound, and complete for a particular class of formulas which is not too restrictive.     

Automatic decidability and combinability

Verification problems can often be encoded as first-order validity or satisfiability problems. The availability of efficient automated theorem provers is a crucial pre-requisite for automating various verification tasks as well as their cooperation with specialized decision procedures for selected theories, such as Presburger Arithmetic. In this paper, we investigate how automated provers based on a form of equational reasoning, called paramodulation, can be used in verification tools. More precisely, given a theory T axiomatizing some data structure, we devise a procedure to answer the following questions. Is the satisfiability problem of T decidable by paramodulation? Can a procedure based on paramodulation for T be efficiently combined with other specialized procedures by using the Nelson-Oppen schema? Finally, if paramodulation decides the satisfiability problem of two theories, does it decide satisfiability in their union?The procedure capable of answering all questions above is based on Schematic Saturation; an inference system capable of over-approximating the inferences of paramodulation when solving satisfiability problems in a given theory T. Clause schemas derived by Schematic Saturation describe all clauses derived by paramodulation so that the answers to the questions above are obtained by checking that only finitely many different clause schemas are derived or that certain clause schemas are not derived.     

A Decision Procedure for a Sublanguage of Set Theory Involving Monotone, Additive, and Multiplicative Functions

MLSS is a decidable sublanguage of set theory involving the predicates membership, set equality, set inclusion, and the operators union, intersection, set difference, and singleton.In this paper we extend MLSS with constructs for expressing monotonicity, additivity, and multiplicativity properties of set-to-set functions. We prove that the resulting language is decidable by reducing the problem of determining the satisfiability of its sentences to the problem of determining the satisfiability of sentences of MLSS.     

一阶子句搜索方法

子句集的可满足性判定是自动证明领域的热点之一.提出了子句搜索方法判定命题子句集Φ的可满足性,该方法查找Φ中子句的一个公共不可扩展子句C,当且仅当找到C时Φ可满足,此时C中各文字的补构成一个模型.结合部分实例化方法将子句搜索方法提升至一阶.一阶子句搜索方法可以判定子句集的M可满足性,具备终止性、正确性和完备性,是一种判定子句集可满足性的有效方法.     

半扩展规则下分解的定理证明方法

基于扩展规则的定理证明方法在一定意义上是与归结原理对偶的方法,通过子句集能否推导出所有极大项来判定可满足性.IER(improved extension rule)算法是不完备的算法,在判定子句集子空间不可满足时,并不能判定子句集的满足性,算法还需重新调用ER(extension rule)算法,降低了算法的求解效率.通过对子句集的极大项空间的研究,给出了子句集的极大项空间分解后子空间的求解方法.通过对扩展规则的研究,给出了极大项部分空间可满足性判定方法PSER(partial semi-extension rule).在IER算法判定子空间不可满足时,可以调用PSER算法判定子空间对应的补空间的可满足性,从而得到子句集的可满足性,避免了不能判定极大项子空间可满足性时需重新调用ER算法的缺点,使得IER算法更完备.在此基础上,还提出DPSER(degree partial semi-extension rule)定理证明方法.实验结果表明:所提出的DPSER和IPSER的执行效率较基于归结的有向归结算法DR、IER及NER算法有明显的提高.     

TSAT++: an Open Platform for Satisfiability Modulo Theories

This paper describes TSAT++, an open platform which realizes the lazy SAT-based approach to Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT). SMT is the problem of determining satisfiability of a propositional combination of T-literals, where T is a first-order theory for which a satisfiability procedure for a set of ground atoms is known. TSAT++ enjoys a modular design in which an enumerator and a theory-specific satisfiability checker cooperate in order to solve SMT. Modularity allows both different enumerators, and satisfiability checkers for different theories (or combinations of theories), to be plugged in, as far as they comply to a simple and well-defined interface. A number of optimization techniques are also implemented in TSAT++, which are independent of the modules used (and of the corresponding theory). Some experimental results are presented, showing that TSAT++, instantiated for Separation Logic, is competitive with, or faster than, state-of-the-art solvers for that very logic.     

Exact satisfiability,a natural extension of set partition,and its average case behavior

The problem of determining whether a Boolean formula in conjunctive normal form is satisfiable in such a way that in each clause exactly one literal is set true, and all the other literals are set false is called the exact satisfiability problem. The exact satisfiability problem is well known to be NP-complete [5] and it contains the well known set partitioning problem as a special case. We study here the average time complexity of a simple backtracking strategy for solving the exact satisfiability problem under two probability models, the constant density model and the constant degree model. For both models we present results sharply separating classes of instances solvable in low degree polynomial time in the average from classes for which superpolynomial or exponential time is needed in the average.     

Generalized modal satisfiability

It is well known that modal satisfiability is PSPACE-complete (Ladner (1977) [21]). However, the complexity may decrease if we restrict the set of propositional operators used. Note that there exist an infinite number of propositional operators, since a propositional operator is simply a Boolean function. We completely classify the complexity of modal satisfiability for every finite set of propositional operators, i.e., in contrast to previous work, we classify an infinite number of problems. We show that, depending on the set of propositional operators, modal satisfiability is PSPACE-complete, coNP-complete, or in P. We obtain this trichotomy not only for modal formulas, but also for their more succinct representation using modal circuits. We consider both the uni-modal and the multi-modal cases, and study the dual problem of validity as well.     

Parameterized Modal Satisfiability

We investigate the parameterized computational complexity of the satisfiability problem for modal logic and attempt to pinpoint relevant structural parameters which cause the problem??s combinatorial explosion, beyond the number of propositional variables v. To this end we study the modality depth, a natural measure which has appeared in the literature, and show that, even though modal satisfiability parameterized by v and the modality depth is FPT, the running time??s dependence on the parameters is a tower of exponentials (unless P = NP). To overcome this limitation we propose possible alternative parameters, namely diamond dimension and modal width. We show fixed-parameter tractability results using these measures where the exponential dependence on the parameters is much milder (doubly and singly exponential respectively) than in the case of modality depth thus leading to FPT algorithms for modal satisfiability with much more reasonable running times. We also give lower bound arguments which prove that our algorithms cannot be improved significantly unless the Exponential Time Hypothesis fails.     

A decomposition based algorithm for maximal contractions

This paper proposes a decomposition based algorithm for revision problems in classical propositional logic. A set of decomposing rules are presented to analyze the satisfiability of formulas. The satisfiability of a formula is equivalent to the satisfiability of a set of literal sets. A decomposing function is constructed to calculate all satisfiable literal sets of a given formula. When expressing the satisfiability of a formula, these literal sets are equivalent to all satisfied models of such formula. A revision algorithm based on this decomposing function is proposed, which can calculate maximal contractions of a given problem. In order to reduce the memory requirement, a filter function is introduced. The improved algorithm has a good performance in both time and space perspectives.     

Complexity,convexity and combinations of theories

We restrict our attention to decidable quantifier-free theories, such as the quantifier-free theory of integers under addition, the quantifier-free theory of arrays under storing and selecting, or the quantifier-free theory of list structure under cons, car and cdr. We consider combinations of such theories: theories whose sets of symbols are the union of the sets of the symbols of the individual theories and whose set of axioms is the union of the sets of axioms of the individual theories. We give a general technique for determining the complexity of decidable combinations of theories, and show, for example, that the satisfiability problem for the quantifier-free theory of integers, arrays, list structure and uninterpreted function symbols under +, ≤, store, select, cons, car and cdr is NP-complete. We next consider the complexity of the satisfiability problem for formulas already in disjunctive normal form: why some combinations of theories admit deterministic polynomial time decision procedures while for others the problem is NP-hard. Our analysis hinges on the question of whether the theories being combined are convex; that is, whether any conjunction of literals in the theory can entail a proper disjunction of equalities between variables. This leads to a discussion of the role that case analysis plays in deciding combinations of theories.     

Set Constraints with Intersection

Set constraints are inclusions between expressions denoting sets of trees. The efficiency of their satisfiability test is a central issue in set-based program analysis, their main application domain. We introduce the class of set constraints with intersection (the only operators forming the expressions are constructors and intersection) and show that its satisfiability problem is DEXPTIME-complete. The complexity characterization continues to hold for negative set constraints with intersection (which have positive and negated inclusions). We reduce the satisfiability problem for these constraints to one over the interpretation domain of nonempty sets of trees. Set constraints with intersection over the domain of nonempty sets of trees enjoy the fundamental property of independence of negated conjuncts. This allows us to handle each negated inclusion separately by the entailment algorithm that we devise. We furthermore prove that set constraints with intersection are equivalent to the class of definite set constraints and thereby settle the complexity question of the historically first class for which the decidability question was solved.     

领域值信息表上的邻域逻辑及其数据推理

引入了一种基于邻域值信息表的邻域逻辑,它是用邻域拓扑内点和邻域拓扑闭包作为逻辑算子的一种逻辑。其内点和闭包是先经二元关系定义了邻域系统,然后用这种邻域系统来定义它。这种逻辑被定义在信息表上,其表上的每个个体关于属性不是取单独一个值,而是扩充到取一个值的领域。公式的真值被扩充为一个区间或邻域,因此讨论一个公式可满足性的三种类型：邻域内点可满足、邻域闭包可满足和邻域可满足,即将公式的真值扩充为多值,并讨论了这种真值关于逻辑联结词的运算和公式的语义模型。最后还给出了这种逻辑的数据推理。     

Testing satisfiability of CNF formulas by computing a stable set of points

We show that a conjunctive normal form (CNF) formula F is unsatisfiable if and only if there is a set of points of the Boolean space that is stable with respect to F. So testing the satisfiability of a CNF formula reduces to looking for a stable set of points (SSP). We give some properties of SSPs and describe a simple algorithm for constructing an SSP for a CNF formula. Building an SSP can be viewed as a natural way of search space traversal. This naturalness of search space examination allows one to make use of the regularity of CNF formulas to be checked for satisfiability. We illustrate this point by showing that if a CNF F formula is symmetric with respect to a group of permutations, it is very easy to make use of this symmetry when constructing an SSP. As an example, we show that the unsatisfiability of pigeon-hole CNF formulas can be proven by examining only a set of points whose size is quadratic in the number of holes. Finally, we introduce the notion of an SSP with excluded directions and sketch a procedure of satisfiability testing based on the construction of such SSPs.     

On-line algorithms for polynomially solvable satisfiability problems

Given a propositional Horn formula, we show how to maintain on-line information about its satisfiability during the insertion of new clauses. A data structure is presented which answers each satisfiability question in O(1) time and inserts a new clause of length q in O(q) amortized time. This significantly outperforms previously known solutions of the same problem. This result is extended also to a particular class of non-Horn formulae already considered in the literature, for which the space bound is improved. Other operations are considered, such as testing whether a given hypothesis is consistent with a satisfying interpretation of the given formula and determining a truth assignment which satisfies a given formula. The on-line time and space complexity of these operations is also analyzed.