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On finite automata with limited nondeterminism (extended abstract)

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 629))

Abstract

We develop a new algorithm for determining if a given nondeterministic finite automaton is limited in nondeterminism. From this, we show that the number of nondeterministic moves of a finite automaton, if limited, is bounded by 2n−2 where n is the number of states. If the finite automaton is over a one letter alphabet, using Gohon's result the number of nondeterministic moves, if limited, is less than n 2. In both cases, we present families of finite automata demonstrating that the upper bounds obtained are almost tight.

This research is supported by an Alexander von Humboldt research fellowship.

The author is currently on leave from the Department of Computer Science, New Mexico State University, NM 88003, U.S.A.

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Ivan M. Havel Václav Koubek

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Leung, H. (1992). On finite automata with limited nondeterminism (extended abstract). In: Havel, I.M., Koubek, V. (eds) Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1992. MFCS 1992. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 629. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg . https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55808-X_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55808-X_34

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-55808-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47291-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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