Modulo Bisimulation Equivalence Research Articles

A characterization of regular expressions under bisimulation

We solve an open question of Milner [1984]. We define a set of so-called well-behaved finite automata that, modulo bisimulation equivalence, corresponds exactly to the set of regular expressions, and we show how to determine whether a given finite automaton is in this set. As an application, we consider the star height problem.

CCS with Hennessy's merge has no finite-equational axiomatization

This paper confirms a conjecture of Bergstra and Klop's from 1984 by establishing that the process algebra obtained by adding an auxiliary operator proposed by Hennessy in 1981 to the recursion free fragment of Milner's Calculus of Communicating Systems is not finitely based modulo bisimulation equivalence. Thus, Hennessy's merge cannot replace the left merge and communication merge operators proposed by Bergstra and Klop, at least if a finite axiomatization of parallel composition modulo bisimulation equivalence is desired.

Split-2 Bisimilarity has a Finite Axiomatization over CCS with Hennessy's Merge

This note shows that split-2 bisimulation equivalence (also known as timed equivalence) affords a finite equational axiomatization over the process algebra obtained by adding an auxiliary operation proposed by Hennessy in 1981 to the recursion free fragment of Milner's Calculus of Communicating Systems. Thus the addition of a single binary operation, viz. Hennessy's merge, is sufficient for the finite equational axiomatization of parallel composition modulo this non-interleaving equivalence. This result is in sharp contrast to a theorem previously obtained by the same authors to the effect that the same language is not finitely based modulo bisimulation equivalence.

CCS with Hennessy's Merge has no Finite Equational Axiomatization

This paper confirms a conjecture of Bergstra and Klop's from 1984 by establishing that the process algebra obtained by adding an auxiliary operator proposed by Hennessy in 1981 to the recursion free fragment of Milner's Calculus of Communicationg Systems is not finitely based modulo bisimulation equivalence. Thus Hennessy's merge cannot replace the left merge and communication merge operators proposed by Bergstra and Klop, at least if a finite axiomatization of parallel composition is desired.

A note on an expressiveness hierarchy for multi-exit iteration

Multi-exit iteration is a generalization of the standard binary Kleene star operation. The addition of this construct to Basic Process Algebra (BPA) yields a more expressive language than that obtained by augmenting BPA with the standard binary Kleene star. This note offers an expressiveness hierarchy, modulo bisimulation equivalence, for the family of multi-exit iteration operators proposed by Bergstra, Bethke and Ponse.

A Note on an Expressiveness Hierarchy for Multi-exit Iteration

Multi-exit iteration is a generalization of the standard binary Kleene star operation that allows for the specification of agents that, up to bisimulation equivalence, are solutions of systems of recursion equations of the form<br />X_1 = P_1 X_2 + Q_1 <br /><br /> X_n = P_n X_1 + Q_n <br /><br /> where n is a positive integer, and the P_i and the Q_i are process terms. The addition of multi-exit iteration to Basic Process Algebra (BPA) yields a more expressive language than that obtained by augmenting BPA with the standard binary Kleene star. This note offers an expressiveness hierarchy, modulo bisimulation equivalence, for the family of multi-exit iteration operators proposed by Bergstra, Bethke and Ponse.

An implementation of an efficient algorithm for bisimulation equivalence

We present an efficient algorithm for bisimulation equivalence. Generally, bisimulation equivalence can be tested in O( mn) for a labeled transition system with m transitions and n states. In order to come up with a more efficient algorithm, we establish a relationship between bisimulation equivalence and the relational coarsest partition problem, solved by Paige and Tarjan in O( m log n) time. Given an initial partition and a binary relation, the problem is to find the coarsest partition compatible with them. Computing bisimulation equivalence can be viewed both as an instance and as a generalization of this problem: an instance, because only the universal partition is considered as an initial partition and a generalization since we want to find a partition compatible with a family of binary relations instead of one single binary relation. We describe how we have adapted the Paige-Tarjan algorithm of complexity O( m log n) to minimize labeled transition systems modulo bisimulation equivalence. This algorithm has been implemented in C and is used in Aldébaran, a tool for the verification of concurrent systems.