Limited automata are one-tape Turing machines which are allowed to rewrite each tape cell only in the first d visits, for a given constant d. For each d ≥ 2, these devices characterize the class of context-free languages. We investigate the equivalence between 2-limited automata and pushdown automata, comparing the relative sizes of their descriptions. We prove exponential upper and lower bounds for the sizes of pushdown automata simulating 2-limited automata. In the case of the conversion of deterministic 2-limited automata into deterministic pushdown automata the upper bound is double exponential and we conjecture that it cannot be reduced. On the other hand, from pushdown automata we can obtain equivalent 2-limited automata of polynomial size, also preserving determinism. From our results, it follows that the class of languages accepted by deterministic 2-limited automata coincides with the class of deterministic context-free languages.

Limited automata and context-free languages / G. Pighizzini, A. Pisoni. - In: FUNDAMENTA INFORMATICAE. - ISSN 0169-2968. - 136:1-2(2015), pp. 157-176. ((Intervento presentato al 5. convegno NCMA Workshop on Non-Classical Models of Automata and Applications: August, 13th - 14th tenutosi a Umea (Sweden) nel 2013.

Limited automata and context-free languages

G. Pighizzini
Primo
;
2015

Abstract

Limited automata are one-tape Turing machines which are allowed to rewrite each tape cell only in the first d visits, for a given constant d. For each d ≥ 2, these devices characterize the class of context-free languages. We investigate the equivalence between 2-limited automata and pushdown automata, comparing the relative sizes of their descriptions. We prove exponential upper and lower bounds for the sizes of pushdown automata simulating 2-limited automata. In the case of the conversion of deterministic 2-limited automata into deterministic pushdown automata the upper bound is double exponential and we conjecture that it cannot be reduced. On the other hand, from pushdown automata we can obtain equivalent 2-limited automata of polynomial size, also preserving determinism. From our results, it follows that the class of languages accepted by deterministic 2-limited automata coincides with the class of deterministic context-free languages.
descriptional complexity; deterministic context-free languages; finite automata; formal languages; Turing machines;
Settore INF/01 - Informatica
2015
Umea University
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/266278
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