Kleene algebra axioms are complete with respect to both language models and binary relation models. In particular, two regular expressions recognise the same language if and only if they are universally equivalent in the model of binary relations. We consider Kleene allegories, i.e., Kleene algebras with two additional operations and a constant which are natural in binary relation models: intersection, converse, and the full relation. While regular languages are closed under those operations, the above characterisation breaks. Putting together a few results from the literature, we give a characterisation in terms of languages of directed and labelled graphs. By taking inspiration from Petri nets, we design a finite automata model, Petri automata, allowing to recognise such graphs. We prove a Kleene theorem for this automata model: the sets of graphs recognisable by Petri automata are precisely the sets of graphs definable through the extended regular expressions we consider. Petri automata allow us to obtain decidability of identity-free relational Kleene lattices, i.e., the equational theory generated by binary relations on the signature of regular expressions with intersection, but where one forbids unit. This restriction is used to ensure that the corresponding graphs are acyclic. We actually show that this decision problem is EXPSPACE-complete.
Two formal stochastic models are said to be bisimilar if their solutions as a stochastic process are probabilistically equivalent. Bisimilarity between two stochastic model formalisms means that the strengths of one stochastic model formalism can be used by the other stochastic model formalism. The aim of this paper is to explain bisimilarity relations between stochastic hybrid automata, stochastic differential equations on hybrid space and stochastic hybrid Petri nets. These bisimilarity relations make it possible to combine the formal verification power of automata with the analysis power of…
With the purpose of unifying a number of approaches to energy problems found in the literature, we introduce generalized energy automata. These are finite automata whose edges are labeled with energy functions that define how energy levels evolve during transitions. Uncovering a close connection between energy problems and reachability and Büchi acceptance for semiring-weighted automata, we show that these generalized energy problems are decidable. We also provide complexity results for important special cases.
We first propose algorithms for checking language equivalence of finite automata over a large alphabet. We use symbolic automata, where the transition function is compactly represented using a (multi-terminal) binary decision diagrams (BDD). The key idea consists in computing a bisimulation by exploring reachable pairs symbolically, so as to avoid redundancies. This idea can be combined with already existing optimisations, and we show in particular a nice integration with the disjoint sets forest data-structure from Hopcroft and Karp's standard algorithm. Then we consider Kleene algebra with t…
We study detectability properties for labeled Petri nets and finite automata. We first study weak approximate detectability (WAD) that implies that there exists an infinite observed output sequence of the system such that each prefix of the output sequence with length greater than a given value allows an observer to determine if the current state belongs to a given set. We also consider two new concepts called instant strong detectability (ISD) and eventual strong detectability (ESD). The former property implies that for each possible infinite observed output sequence each prefix of the output…
In this paper, we present an integrated structural and behavioral model of Reo connectors and Petri nets, allowing a direct comparison of the two concurrency models. For this purpose, we introduce a notion of connectors which consist of a number of interconnected, user-defined primitives with fixed behavior. While the structure of connectors resembles hypergraphs, their semantics is given in terms of so-called port automata. We define both models in a categorical setting where composition operations can be elegantly defined and integrated. Specifically, we formalize structural gluings of conne…
In this paper, we present a systematic way of deriving (1) languages of (generalised) regular expressions, and (2) sound and complete axiomatizations thereof, for a wide variety of systems. This generalizes both the results of Kleene (on regular languages and deterministic finite automata) and Milner (on regular behaviours and finite labelled transition systems), and includes many other systems such as Mealy and Moore machines.
Automata models for data languages (i.e. languages over infinite alphabets) often feature either global or local freshness operators. We show that Bollig et al.'s session automata, which focus on global freshness, are equivalent to regular nondeterministic nominal automata (RNNA), a natural nominal automaton model with explicit name binding that has appeared implicitly in the semantics of nominal Kleene algebra (NKA), an extension of Kleene algebra with name binding. The expected Kleene theorem for NKA is known to fail in one direction, i.e. there are nominal languages that can be accepted by …
Concurrent Kleene Algebra (CKA) is a mathematical formalism to study programs that exhibit concurrent behaviour. As with previous extensions of Kleene Algebra, characterizing the free model is crucial in order to develop the foundations of the theory and potential applications. For CKA, this has been an open question for a few years and this paper makes an important step towards an answer. We present a new automaton model and a Kleene-like theorem that relates a relaxed version of CKA to series-parallel pomset languages, which are a natural candidate for the free model. There are two substanti…
A timed network consists of an arbitrary number of initially identical 1-clock timed automata, interacting via hand-shake communication. In this setting there is no unique central controller, since all automata are initially identical. We consider the universal safety problem for such controller-less timed networks, i.e., verifying that a bad event (enabling some given transition) is impossible regardless of the size of the network. This universal safety problem is dual to the existential coverability problem for timed-arc Petri nets, i.e., does there exist a number $m$ of tokens, such that st…
We present a reflexive tactic for deciding the equational theory of Kleene algebras in the Coq proof assistant. This tactic relies on a careful implementation of efficient finite automata algorithms, so that it solves casual equations instantaneously and properly scales to larger expressions. The decision procedure is proved correct and complete: correctness is established w.r.t. any model by formalising Kozen's initiality theorem; a counter-example is returned when the given equation does not hold. The correctness proof is challenging: it involves both a precise analysis of the underlying aut…
This work studies which storage mechanisms in automata permit decidability of the emptiness problem. The question is formalized using valence automata, an abstract model of automata in which the storage mechanism is given by a monoid. For each of a variety of storage mechanisms, one can choose a (typically infinite) monoid $M$ such that valence automata over $M$ are equivalent to (one-way) automata with this type of storage. In fact, many important storage mechanisms can be realized by monoids defined by finite graphs, called graph monoids. Examples include pushdown stacks, partially blind cou…
Timed-arc Petri nets (TAPN) are a well-known time extension of the Petri net model and several translations to networks of timed automata have been proposed for this model. We present a direct, DBM-based algorithm for forward reachability analysis of bounded TAPNs extended with transport arcs, inhibitor arcs and age invariants. We also give a complete proof of its correctness, including reduction techniques based on symmetries and extrapolation. Finally, we augment the algorithm with a novel state-space reduction technique introducing a monotonic ordering on markings and prove its soundness ev…
We study the size and the complexity of computing finite state automata (FSA) representing and approximating the downward and the upward closure of Petri net languages with coverability as the acceptance condition. We show how to construct an FSA recognizing the upward closure of a Petri net language in doubly-exponential time, and therefore the size is at most doubly exponential. For downward closures, we prove that the size of the minimal automata can be non-primitive recursive. In the case of BPP nets, a well-known subclass of Petri nets, we show that an FSA accepting the downward/upward cl…
We show that there are $Σ_3^0$-complete languages of infinite words accepted by non-deterministic Petri nets with Büchi acceptance condition, or equivalently by Büchi blind counter automata. This shows that omega-languages accepted by non-deterministic Petri nets are topologically more complex than those accepted by deterministic Petri nets.
Markov automata (MA) constitute an expressive continuous-time compositional modelling formalism. They appear as semantic backbones for engineering frameworks including dynamic fault trees, Generalised Stochastic Petri Nets, and AADL. Their expressive power has thus far precluded them from effective analysis by probabilistic (and statistical) model checkers, stochastic game solvers, or analysis tools for Petri net-like formalisms. This paper presents the foundations and underlying algorithms for efficient MA modelling, reduction using static analysis, and most importantly, quantitative analysis…
We introduce MK-fuzzy automata over a bimonoid K which is related to the fuzzification of the McCarthy-Kleene logic. Our automata are inspired by, and intend to contribute to, practical applications being in development in a project on runtime network monitoring based on predicate logic. We investigate closure properties of the class of recognizable MK-fuzzy languages accepted by MK-fuzzy automata as well as of deterministically recognizable MK-fuzzy languages accepted by their deterministic counterparts. Moreover, we establish a Nivat-like result for recognizable MK-fuzzy languages. We introd…
We associate a graph with a 1-safe Petri net and study the parameterized complexity of various problems with parameters derived from the graph. With treewidth as the parameter, we give W[1]-hardness results for many problems about 1-safe Petri nets. As a corollary, this proves a conjecture of Downey et. al. about the hardness of some graph pebbling problems. We consider the parameter benefit depth (that is known to be helpful in getting better algorithms for general Petri nets) and again give W[1]-hardness results for various problems on 1-safe Petri nets. We also consider the stronger paramet…
The aim of the paper is to build a connection between two approaches towards categorical language theory: the coalgebraic and algebraic language theory for monads. For a pair of monads modelling the branching and the linear type we defined regular maps that generalize regular languages known in classical non-deterministic automata theory. These maps are behaviours of certain automata (i.e. they possess a coalgebraic nature), yet they arise from Eilenberg-Moore algebras and their homomorphisms (by exploiting duality between the category of Eilenberg-Moore algebras and saturated coalgebras). Giv…
The languages accepted by finite automata are precisely the languages denoted by regular expressions. In contrast, finite automata may exhibit behaviours that cannot be described by regular expressions up to bisimilarity. In this paper, we consider extensions of the theory of regular expressions with various forms of parallel composition and study the effect on expressiveness. First we prove that adding pure interleaving to the theory of regular expressions strictly increases its expressiveness up to bisimilarity. Then, we prove that replacing the operation for pure interleaving by ACP-style p…
Regular expressions are a classical concept in formal language theory. Regular expressions in programming languages (RegEx) such as JavaScript, feature non-standard semantics of operators (e.g. greedy/lazy Kleene star), as well as additional features such as capturing groups and references. While symbolic execution of programs containing RegExes appeals to string solvers natively supporting important features of RegEx, such a string solver is hitherto missing. In this paper, we propose the first string theory and string solver that natively provide such a support. The key idea of our string so…
