State Observation and Diagnosis of Discrete-Event Systems Described by Stochastic Automata

The problems ofstate observation and diagnosis are solved for discrete–eventsystems, which are described by stochastic automata. As manysystems are not observable in the sense that it is possible toreconstruct the state unambiguously, the observation problemis set up as the problem of determining the smallest possibleset of states that are compatible with the measured input andoutput sequences. The diagnostic problem is shown to be, in principle,an observation problem. Conditions for the observability anddiagnosability of stochastic automata are presented. The resultsare illustrated by examples.     

A Timed Verification of the IEEE 1394 Leader Election Protocol

The IEEE 1394 architecture standard defines a high performance serial multimedia bus that allows several components in a network to communicate with each other at high speed. In the physical layer of the architecture, a leader election protocol is used to find a spanning tree with a unique root in the network topology. If there is a cycle in the network, the protocol treats this as an error situation. This paper presents a formal model of the leader election protocol in the language IOA and a correctness proof. Hereby, it is shown that under certain timing restrictions the protocol behaves correctly. The timing parameters in the IEEE 1394 standard documentation obey the restrictions found in this proof.     

Data structures for symbolic multi-valued model-checking

Multi-valued logics provide an interesting alternative to classical boolean logic for modeling and reasoning about systems. Such logics can be used for reasoning about partially-specified systems, effectively encode vacuity detection and query-checking problems, help in detecting inconsistencies, and many others.In our earlier work, we identified a useful family of multi-valued logics: those specified over finite distributive lattices where negation preserves involution, i.e., for every element a of the logic. Such structures are called quasi-boolean algebras, and model-checking over these not only extends the domain of applicability of automated reasoning to new problems, but can also speed up solutions to some classical verification problems.Symbolic model-checking over quasi-boolean algebras can be cast in terms of operations over multi-valued sets: sets whose membership functions are multi-valued. In this paper, we propose and empirically evaluate several choices for implementing multi-valued sets with decision diagrams. In particular, we describe two major approaches: (1) representing the multi-valued membership function canonically, using MDDs or ADDs; (2) representing multi-valued sets as a collection of classical sets, using a vector of either MBTDDs or BDDs. The naive implementation of (2) includes having a classical set for each value of the algebra. We exploit a result of lattice theory to reduce the number of such sets that need to be represented.The major contribution of this paper is the evaluation of the different implementations of multi-valued sets, done via a series of experiments and using several case studies.

A computational method for simulating growth patterns in unicell propagation

The modelling of natural phenomena through the use of computer-generated graphics has attracted much interest recently. It is believed that such methods will lead to new breakthroughs in understanding nature. One of the most popular methods used is the cell automata method, where cells are made to propagate and form cellular patterns according to certain predefined rules. Although much of the work in this area is for recreational purposes, as in the Game of Life, there can be more serious aspects to it. One of these is in the use of such methods to predict and simulate the growth behaviour of cell clusters in real-life situations. In this study, an attempt is made to formalise certain rules for modelling the growth characteristics of unicell populations. The methodology proposed models three fundamental factors: first, the generic propagational characteristics of a cell; second, the effect of adverse factors to growth; and, third, the effect of spatial constraints. The first two factors, relating to the population of a cell colony, can be modelled mathematically; the third factor determines the visual appearance of the cell colony. Patterns resulting from some computational simulations are presented and discussed.     

Array automata and operations on array languages

Array automata acting on scenes (two dimensional tapes) are defined. The set of scenes accepted by array automata are proved to be equivalent to the set of arrays generated by array grammars. Certain operators like substitution, homomorphic replication and insertion are extended to sets of arrays. These operators yield interesting classes of pictures.     

Decidability and undecidability in cellular automata

We survey results on decidability questions concerning cellular automata. Properties discussed include reversibility and surjectivity and their variants, time-symmetry and conservation laws, nilpotency and other properties of the limit set and the trace, properties chaoticity related such as sensitivity to initial conditions and mixing of the space, and dynamics from finite initial configurations. We also discuss briefly the tiling problem and its variants, and consider the influence of the dimension of the space on the decidability status of the questions.     

Chaos emerged on the ‘edge of chaos’

Rule 110 is a complex cellular automaton (CA) in Wolfram's system of identification, capable of supporting universal computation. It has been suggested that a universal CA should be on the ‘edge of chaos’, which means that the dynamical behaviour of such a system is neither simple nor chaotic. There is no doubt that the dynamical property of Rule 110 is extremely complex and still not well understood. This paper proves the existence of subsystems on which this rule is chaotic in the sense of Devaney.     

用PTA模型形式化分析基于Gossip 协议的发布/订阅系统

在研究传统的发布／订阅消息中间件系统的基础之上,结合Gossip协议的特点来研究发布／订阅消息中间件,最后运用形式化方法,通过PRISM仿真工具,对仿真的模型进行形式化分析．实验结果表明,发布／订阅消息中间件系统的实时性受消息产生速度的影响,在各个订阅者订阅相同消息和不同消息两种情况之下网络特性展现不同的变化,但最终都是随着消息产生速度的增加而减小．可靠性随着消息产生速度的增加而减小,并且订阅者的接收缓存越大可靠性越高,但增幅率会越来越小．该实验模型和实验方法对于发布／订阅消息中间件系统的研究,以及在现实环境中配置系统的相关参数有一定的帮助．     

有限布尔环上的自动机

自动机理论作为计算机科学的基础理论，其研究直接地推动计算机科学技术的发展．本文研究了有限布尔环上的自动机，首次定出了有限布尔环上的一类下向树和一类有向圈，并证明了布尔环上的一类可逆内动机的图型与其仿射内动机的图型相同．