Equivalences for Silent Transitions in Probabilistic Systems: (Extended Abstract)

We address abstraction in the setting of probabilistic reactive systems, and study its formal underpinnings for the strictly alternating model. In particular, we define the notion of branching bisimilarity and study its properties by studying two other equivalence relations, viz. coloured trace equivalence and branching bisimilarity using maximal probabilities. We show that both alternatives coincide with branching bisimilarity. The alternative characterisations have their own merits and focus on different aspects of branching bisimilarity. Together they give a better understanding of branching bisimilarity. A crucial observation, and, in fact a major motivation for this work is that the notions of branching bisimilarity in the alternating and in the non-alternating model differ, and that the latter one discriminates between systems that are intuitively branching bisimilar.     

Branching bisimulation for probabilistic systems: Characteristics and decidability

We address the concept of abstraction in the setting of probabilistic reactive systems, and study its formal underpinnings for the strictly alternating model of Hansson. In particular, we define the notion of branching bisimilarity and study its properties by studying two other equivalence relations, viz. coloured trace equivalence and branching bisimilarity using maximal probabilities. We show that both alternatives coincide with branching bisimilarity. The alternative characterisations have their own merits and focus on different aspects of branching bisimilarity. Coloured trace equivalence can be understood without knowledge of probability theory and is independent of the notion of a scheduler. Branching bisimilarity, rephrased in terms of maximal probabilities gives rise to an algorithm of polynomial complexity for deciding the equivalence. Together they give a better understanding of branching bisimilarity. Furthermore, we show that the notions of branching bisimilarity in the alternating model of Hansson and in the non-alternating model of Segala differ: branching bisimilarity in the latter setting turns out to discriminate between systems that are intuitively branching bisimilar.     

Undecidability of domino games and hhp-bisimilarity

History preserving bisimilarity (hp-bisimilarity) and hereditary history preserving bisimilarity (hhp-bisimilarity) are behavioural equivalences taking into account causal relationships between events of concurrent systems. Their prominent feature is that they are preserved under action refinement, an operation important for the top-down design of concurrent systems. It is shown that, in contrast to hp-bisimilarity, checking hhp-bisimilarity for finite labelled asynchronous transition systems is undecidable, by a reduction from the halting problem of 2-counter machines. To make the proof more transparent a novel intermediate problem of checking domino bisimilarity for origin constrained tiling systems is introduced and shown undecidable. It is also shown that the unlabelled domino bisimilarity problem is undecidable, which implies undecidability of hhp-bisimilarity for unlabelled finite asynchronous systems. Moreover, it is argued that the undecidability of hhp-bisimilarity holds for finite elementary net systems and 1-safe Petri nets.     

Branching bisimulation congruence for probabilistic systems

A notion of branching bisimilarity for the alternating model of probabilistic systems, compatible with parallel composition, is defined. For a congruence result, an internal transition immediately followed by a non-trivial probability distribution is not considered inert. A weaker definition of branching bisimilarity for the same model has been given earlier. Here we show that our branching bisimulation is the coarsest congruence for parallel composition that is included in the weaker version. To support the use of the present equivalence as a reduction technique, we also show that probabilistic CTL formulae are preserved by our equivalence, and we provide a polynomial-time algorithm deciding branching bisimilarity.     

Strong normalisation in the π-calculus

We introduce a typed π-calculus where strong normalisation is ensured by typability. Strong normalisation is a useful property in many computational contexts, including distributed systems. In spite of its simplicity, our type discipline captures a wide class of converging name-passing interactive behaviour. The proof of strong normalisability combines methods from typed λ-calculi and linear logic with process-theoretic reasoning. It is adaptable to systems involving state, non-determinism, polymorphism, control and other extensions. Strong normalisation is shown to have significant consequences, including finite axiomatisation of weak bisimilarity, a fully abstract embedding of the simply typed λ-calculus with products and sums and basic liveness in interaction. Strong normalisability has been extensively studied as a fundamental property in functional calculi, term rewriting and logical systems. This work is one of the first steps to extend theories and proof methods for strong normalisability to the context of name-passing processes.     

π-calculus with noisy channels

It is assumed in the π-calculus that communication channels are always noiseless. But it is usually not the case in the mobile systems that developers are faced with in the real life. In this paper, we introduce an extension of π, called π_N, in which noisy channels may be present. A probabilistic transitional semantics of π_N is given. The notions of approximate (strong) bisimilarity and equivalence between agents in π_N are proposed, and various algebraic laws for them are established. In particular, we introduce the notion of stratified bisimulation which is suited to describe behavior equivalence between infinite probabilistic processes. Some useful techniques for reasoning about approximate bisimilarity and equivalence are developed. We also introduce a notion of reliability in order to compare different behaviors of an agent in π and π_N. It is shown that reliability is preserved by the basic combinators in π. A link between reliability and bisimulation is given. This provides us with a uniform framework in which we can reason about both correctness properties and reliability of mobile systems. Also, a potential way of combing value-passing process algebras and Shannon’s information theory is pointed out.     

Pure bigraphs: Structure and dynamics

Bigraphs are graphs whose nodes may be nested, representing locality, independently of the edges connecting them. They may be equipped with reaction rules, forming a bigraphical reactive system (Brs) in which bigraphs can reconfigure themselves. Following an earlier paper describing link graphs, a constituent of bigraphs, this paper is a devoted to pure bigraphs, which in turn underlie various more refined forms. Elsewhere it is shown that behavioural analysis for Petri nets, π-calculus and mobile ambients can all be recovered in the uniform framework of bigraphs. The paper first develops the dynamic theory of an abstract structure, a wide reactive system (Wrs), of which a Brs is an instance. In this context, labelled transitions are defined in such a way that the induced bisimilarity is a congruence. This work is then specialised to Brss, whose graphical structure allows many refinements of the theory. The latter part of the paper emphasizes bigraphical theory that is relevant to the treatment of dynamics via labelled transitions. As a running example, the theory is applied to finite pure CCS, whose resulting transition system and bisimilarity are analysed in detail. The paper also mentions briefly the use of bigraphs to model pervasive computing and biological systems.     

Distributed finite‐time containment control for multiple Euler‐Lagrange systems with communication delays

In this paper, distributed finite‐time containment control for multiple Euler‐Lagrange systems with communication delays and general disturbances is investigated under directed topology by using sliding‐mode control technique. We consider that the information of dynamic leaders can be obtained by only a portion of the followers. Firstly, a nonsingular fast terminal sliding surface is selected to achieve the finite‐time convergence for the error variables. Then, a distributed finite‐time containment control algorithm is proposed where the neural network is utilized to approximate the model uncertainties and external disturbances of the systems. Furthermore, considering that error constraint method can improve the performance of the systems, a distributed finite‐time containment control algorithm is developed by transforming the error variable into another form. It is demonstrated that the containment errors are bounded in finite time by using Lyapunov theory, graph theory, and finite‐time stability theory. Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed methods.     

Applying a testing approach to the Calculus of Fair Ambients

We apply a testing approach to the Calculus of Fair Ambients and investigate the resulting testing equivalence. We prove that variant conditions on its definition do not change its discriminating power, and it is congruent on finite processes. On a proper subset of processes, open bisimilarity is strictly included in testing equivalence. It is also proved that the translation from Pi-Calculus to Fair Ambients is fully abstract with respect to testing equivalence.     

(η,α)-互模拟的分层及判定算法

分层刻画是传统的互模拟概念研究中的一个重要内容,它为一些互模拟判定算法提供了理论基石。(η,α)-互模拟是一种带折扣的近似互模拟概念,其定义蕴涵着一种折扣思想:在比较系统差异时,越晚出现的差异越不重要。为(η,α)-互模拟建立分层刻画,将清晰地揭示这种折扣思想。此外,由于(η,α)-互模拟一般不是等价关系,所以传统的互模拟判定算法中常用的最粗划分方法不适用于(η,α)-互模拟的判定,基于(η,α)-互模拟的分层刻画给出一种该互模拟的判定算法。还提供一个简单的例子用于说明(η,α)-互模拟及其判定算法在描述实现与规范之间关系时的应用。     

Bisimilarity control of partially observed nondeterministic discrete event systems and a test algorithm

In this paper, the bisimilarity control of discrete event systems (DESs) under partial observations is investigated, where the plant and the specification are allowed to be nondeterministic. A notation of simulation-based controllability and a synchronization scheme for the supervised system are formalized based on the simulation relation between the specification and the plant. It is shown that the existence of bisimilarity supervisors is characterized by the notions of the simulation-based controllability and the language observability, which extends the traditional results of supervisory control from language equivalence to bisimulation equivalence. In addition, a polynomial algorithm to test the simulation-based controllability is developed by constructing a computing tree. This algorithm together with the test of language observability can be used to check the existence of bisimilarity supervisors.     

Expressing First-Order pi-Calculus in Higher-Order Calculus of Communicating Systems

In the study of process calculi, encoding between different calculi is an effective way to compare the expressive power of calculi and can shed light on the essence of where the difference lies. Thomsen and Sangiorgi have worked on the higher-order calculi (higher-order Calculus of Communicating Systems (CCS) and higher-orderπ-calculus, respectively) and the encoding from and to first-orderπ-calculus. However a fully abstract encoding of first-orderπ-calculus with higher-order CCS is not available up-tod...     

Causality Versus True-Concurrency

Category theory has been successfully employed to structure the confusing setup of models and equivalences for concurrency: Winskel and Nielsen have related the standard models via adjunctions and (co)reflections while Joyal et al. have defined an abstract notion of equivalence, known as open map bisimilarity. One model has not been integrated into this framework: the causal trees of Darondeau and Degano. Here we fill this gap. In particular, we show that there is an adjunction from causal trees to event structures, which we bring to light via a mediating model, that of event trees. Further, we achieve an open map characterization of history preserving bisimilarity: the latter is captured by the natural instantiation of the abstract bisimilarity for causal trees.     

Bisimilarity enforcing supervisory control for deterministic specifications

This paper studies the supervisory control of nondeterministic discrete event systems to achieve a bisimulation equivalence between the controlled system and the deterministic specification. In particular, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for the existence of a bisimilarity enforcing supervisor, and a polynomial algorithm is developed to verify such a condition. When the existence condition holds, a bisimilarity enforcing supervisor is constructed. Otherwise, two methods are provided for synthesizing supremal feasible sub-specifications.     

Weak bisimilarity and regularity of context-free processes is EXPTIME-hard

We show that checking weak bisimulation equivalence of two context-free processes (also called BPA-processes) is EXPTIME-hard, even under the condition that the processes are normed. Furthermore, checking weak regularity (finiteness up to weak bisimilarity) for context-free processes is EXPTIME-hard as well. Adding a finite control of the minimal non-trivial size of 2 to the BPA process already makes weak bisimilarity undecidable.     

离散时滞系统的近似最优扰动抑制

研究了状态变量合有时滞的离散系统在外部扰动下的最优控制问题．通过引入一个灵敏度参数,将原系统的最优扰动抑制问题转化为一族不含超前项和时滞项的两点边值问题,并由此导出了最优扰动抑制控制器的这代近似设计方法．得到的最优扰动抑制控制律由解析的前馈一反馈项和伴随向量级数和形式的补偿项组成,截取伴随向量级数的有限和得到原系统的次优扰动抑制控制律．数值仿真表明该近似最优控制器对外部持续扰动具有良好的鲁棒性。     

Coalgebra morphisms subsume open maps

We relate two abstract notions of bisimulation, induced by open maps and by coalgebras morphisms, respectively.We show that open maps correspond to coalgebra morphisms for a suitable chosen endofunctor in a category of many sorted sets. This demonstrates that the notion of open-maps bisimilarity is of essentially coalgebraic nature. We find moreover characterizations of subcategories of coalgebras corresponding to some relevant model categories: category of presheaves is isomorphic to the subcategory of consistent coalgebras with lax cohomomorphisms; a suitably chosen subcategory of many sorted algebras is equivalent to the full subcategory of presheaves preserving finite products.     

非确定型离散事件系统双模拟控制的实现

近年来,双模拟等价关系与离散事件系统监控理论相结合的研究引起了国内外许多学者的广泛关注.本文针对作者在前期工作中提出的非确定型离散事件系统的双模拟控制机制,进一步探讨其实现问题.利用投影映射对系统规范说明语言进行等价类划分,构造了一棵计算树,得到了一个判断规范说明是否具有基于模拟关系可观性的多项式算法,证明了双模拟控制机制是多项式时间算法可实现的.同时,通过对控制器配备具有存储和判断功能的模拟关系识别器,阐述了这种双模拟控制机制是物理可实现的.     

Synthesising CCS bisimulation using graph rewriting

The paper presents a case study on the synthesis of labelled transition systems (ltss) for process calculi, choosing as testbed Milner’s Calculus of Communicating System (ccs).The proposal is based on a graphical encoding: each ccs process is mapped into a graph equipped with suitable interfaces, such that the denotation is fully abstract with respect to the usual structural congruence.Graphs with interfaces are amenable to the synthesis mechanism proposed by Ehrig and König and based on borrowed contexts (bcs), an instance of relative pushouts originally introduced by Milner and Leifer.The bc mechanism allows the effective construction of an lts that has graphs with interfaces as both states and labels, and such that the associated bisimilarity is automatically a congruence.Our paper focuses on the analysis of the lts distilled by exploiting the encoding of ccs processes: besides offering major technical contributions towards the simplification of the bc mechanism, a key result of our work is the proof that the bisimilarity on processes obtained via bcs coincides with the standard strong bisimilarity for ccs.