Formal language Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

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- Data Mining, Knowledge Discovery, Artificial Intelligent, Database Management

The need for a formal language in which to express and reason about spatial concepts is of crucial importance in many areas of AI and visual systems. For the last five years, spatial reasoning research by the Qualitative Spatial Reasoning Group, University of Leeds, has centred on the development and application of such a language -the RCC spatial logic. Below, we briefly describe the work of the group in this area.

This article presents XML-based tools for parser generation and data binding generation. The underlying concept is that of transformation between formal languages, which is a form of meta-programming. We discuss the benefits of such a declarative approach with well-defined semantics: productivity, maintainability, verifiability, performance and safety.

Many tools have been constructed using different formal methods to process various parts of a language specification (e.g. scanner generators, parser generators and compiler generators). The automatic generation of a complete compiler was the primary goal of such systems, but researchers recognised the possibility that many other language-based tools could be generated from formal language specifications. Such tools can be generated automatically whenever they can be described by a generic fixed part that traverses the appropriate data structures generated by a specific variable part, which can be systematically derivable from the language specifications. The paper identifies generic and specific parts for various language-based tools. Several language-based tools are presented in the paper, which are automatically generated using an attribute grammar-based compiler generator called LISA. The generated tools that are described in the paper include editors, inspectors, debuggers and visualisers/animators. Because of their complexity of construction, special emphasis is given to visualisers/animators, and the unique contribution of our approach toward generating such tools.

For a long time, one of the major research goals in the computer science research community has been to raise the level of abstraction power of specification languages/programming languages. Many specification languages and formalisms have been invented, but unfortunately very few of those are practically useful, due to limited computer support of these languages and/or inefficient implementations. Thus, one important goal is executable specification languages of high abstraction power and with high performance, good enough for practical usage and comparable in execution speed to hand implementations of applications in low-level languages such as C or C++. In this paper we briefly describe our work in creating efficient executable specification languages for two application domains. The first area is formal specification of programming language semantics, whereas the second is formal specification of complex systems for which we have developed an object-oriented mathematical modeling language called Modelica, including architectural support for components and connectors. Based on these efforts, we are currently working on a unified equation-based mathematical modeling language that can handle modeling of items as diverse as programming languages, computer algebra, event-driven systems, and continuous-time physical systems. The key unifying feature is the notion of equation. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of the unified language. A compiler implementation is already up and running, and used for substantial applications.

- by Adrian Pop
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- Computer Science, Semantics, Modeling, Abstraction

We examine questions involving nondeterministic finite automata where all states are final, initial, or both initial and final. First, we prove hardness results for the nonuniversality and inequivalence problems for these NFAs. Next, we characterize the languages accepted. Finally, we discuss some state complexity problems involving such automata.

Recently, the problem of obtaining a short regular expression equivalent to a given finite automaton has been intensively investigated. Algorithms for converting finite automata to regular expressions have an exponential blow-up in the worst-case. To overcome this, simple heuristic methods have been proposed. In this paper we analyse some of the heuristics presented in the literature and propose new ones. We also present some experimental comparative results based on uniform random generated deterministic finite automata.

- by Rogerio Reis
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- Finite State Automaton, Finite Automata, Automata Theory, Formal language

We give an unique string representation, up to isomorphism, for initially connected deterministic finite automata (ICDFA's) with n states over an alphabet of k symbols. We show how to generate all these strings for each n and k, and how its enumeration provides an alternative way to obtain the exact number of ICDFA's. * Work partially funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and Program POSI.

- by Marco Almeida
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- Finite Automata, Automata Theory, Formal language
- by G. Winskel
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- Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Aided Design, Discrete Mathematics

We introduce a logical verification methodology for checking behavioral properties of service-oriented computing systems. Service properties are described by means of SocL, a branching-time temporal logic that we have specifically designed for expressing in an effective way distinctive aspects of services, such as, acceptance of a request, provision of a response, correlation among service requests and responses, etc. Our approach allows service properties to be expressed in such a way that they can be independent of service domains and specifications. We show an instantiation of our general methodology that uses the formal language COWS to conveniently specify services and the expressly developed software tool CMC to assist the user in the task of verifying SocL formulas over service specifications. We demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our methodology by means of the specification and analysis of a case study in the automotive domain.

This paper presents ArchiTRIO (Architectural TRIO), a new temporal logic language which combines a subset of the UML notation with a precise formal semantics inspired from the authors’ experiences. ArchiTRIO allows developers to use standard UML 2.0 notation to describe non-critical aspects of systems, but it also offers a complementary formal notation, fully integrated with the UML one, to represent those system aspects that require precise modeling.

- by matteo rossi
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- Formal Semantics, System Architecture, Temporal Constraints, Formal language

Safety critical software requires integrating verification techniques in software development methods. Software architectures must guarantee that developed systems will meet safety requirements and safety analyses are frequently used in the assessment. Safety engineers and software architects must reach a common understanding on an optimal architecture from both perspectives. Currently both groups of engineers apply different modelling techniques and languages: safety analysis models and software modelling languages. The solutions proposed seek to integrate both domains coupling the languages of each domain. It constitutes a sound example of the use of language engineering to improve efficiency in a software-related domain. A model-driven development approach and the use of a platform-independent language are used to bridge the gap between safety analyses (failure mode effects and criticality analysis and fault tree analysis) and software development languages (e.g. unified modelling language). Language abstract syntaxes (metamodels), profiles, language mappings (model transformations) and language refinements, support the direct application of safety analysis to software architectures for the verification of safety requirements. Model consistency and the possibility of automation are found among the benefits.

As languages are dying at an unseen pace (Dressler 1988, Robins & Uhlenbeck 1991, Brenzinge 1998, Wurm 1996, 2001, Hagège 2000, Crystal 2002, Nettle & Romaine 2002), linguists are struggling worldwide to support and document endangered languages, hoping to promote and preserve them, or at least to know as much as possible about them before they have gone forever (cf. Aristar Dry 2002, Langendoen 2006). In this light, we propose and discuss Language GIS, a possible corner-stone methodology for future language studies and for the management and coordination of language preservation projects. The overall promise of Language GIS is to create, manage and process formal language data, which become interoperational through references to space and time.

- by Oliver Streiter
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- Formal language

We introduce a new variant of PC grammar systems, called PC grammar systems with terminal transmission, PCGSTT for short. We show that right-linear centralized PCGSTT have nice formal language theoretic properties: they are closed under gsm mappings (in particular, under intersection with regular sets and under homomorphisms) and union; a slight variant is, in addition, closed under concatenation and star; their power lies between that of n-parallel grammars introduced by Wood and that of matrix languages of index n, and their relation to equal matrix grammars of degree n is discussed. We show that membership for these language classes is complete for NL. In a second part of the paper, we discuss questions concerning grammatical inference of these systems. More precisely, we show that PCGSTT whose component grammars are terminal distinguishable right-linear, a notion introduced by Radhakrishnan and Nagaraja in , are identifiable in the limit if certain data communication information is supplied in addition.

- by Henning Fernau
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- Computer Software, Data Communication, Grammatical Inference, Formal language

The number of international ESL students completing their degree programs in Australia has risen dramatically in the past decade. One factor that may be motivating students to undertake tertiary studies in Australia is the expectation that this form of immersion will lead to improved English language skills. However, existing research, such as research on the impact of study abroad programs on learners ’ L2 skills, has produced mixed findings. Furthermore, most of this research has tended to focus on progress in L2 speaking skills. To date there has been very little research on the impact of living and studying in the L2 environment on learners’ L2 writing development. This paper reports on a study (part of a larger project) which used a test – re-test design to investigate changes, if any, in the learners ’ academic writing after one semester of study in an L2-medium university. The writing scripts of 25 students who did not access the formal language support programs offered by th...

- by Neomy Storch
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- English language, Academic Writing, Statistical Analysis, Second Language Writing
- by Marina de la Cruz Echeandía and +1
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- Information Systems, Languages, Semantics, Evolutionary Computation

Formal methods have yet to achieve wide industrial acceptance for several reasons. They are not well integrated into established industrial software processes, their application requires significant abstraction and mathematical skills, and existing tools do not satisfactorily support the entire formal software development process. We have proposed a language called SOFL (Structured-Object-based-formal Language) and a SOFL methodology for system development that attempts to address these problems using an ...

- by Shaoying Liu
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- Information Systems, Requirements Engineering, Software Development, Formal methods
- by Grzegorz Rozenberg
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- Formal language
- by Luis Lamb
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- Computer Science, Theory Of Computation, Logic, Pattern Recognition

The theory of "Formal Languages" had been applied successfully to study the aspect of generating patterns of the kolam folk designs. In this paper a new picture generating method by the use of pasting of tiles is presented. The generating model "Pasting Scheme" and its variant "Extended Pasting Scheme" are shown to generate patterns including kolams of kambi and non-kambi types and tessellations as well.

- by Robinson Thamburaj
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- Formal language, Forma, Pattern Generation, Generic model
- by Judy Kegl
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- Psychology, Cognitive Science, Special Education, Sign Language

Until now, postindustrial society, despite its heavy reliance on the generation and exchange of information, has been almost entirely dependent on forms of communication that have not changed in a generation and that are inadequate for... more

- by Assaf Kfoury
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- Cognitive Science, Computational Linguistics, DNA computing, Computer Software

Securitatea se pare că poate fi mult mai uşor înţeleasă în prezenţa unei ameninţări concrete şi directe. Faptul că Războiul Rece s-a sfârşit la începutul anilor '90 a dus la dispariţia unei asemenea ameninţări. Astfel, statele europene care s-au declarat neutre, majoritatea din cauza situaţiei lor geopolitice dintre Est şi Vest, se aflau în acea perioadă întro situaţie de reevaluare a politicii lor de neutralitate.

- by Gheorghe Victor
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- Computational Biology, Natural Computing, DNA computing, Formal language

A solid foundation for a formal theory of waste management is offered in terms of consistent building blocks: language, conceptual schemes, models, and sentence systems. The language used to formulate the theory is the PSSP language, which is a formal modeling language having certain unique features stemming from the ontology behind the language. Via conceptual schemes, which are explications of domain concepts translated to the PSSP language, the language is enriched to cover domain terms and to become the theory-language of waste management. The models have functionality, which makes it possible to simulate waste management. The functionality is implemented as mutual communication of objects representing reality, i.e. activities and things acted on. The models are transparent dynamic object hierarchies capable of providing a holistic view of waste management, providing consistent explanation of all waste related concepts and offering a formal methodology of waste management. The plausibility test requires more sentence systems, i.e. propositions with empirical reference to waste management, to be included.

- by Eva Pongrácz
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- Engineering, Computer Science, Modeling, Formal Theory

The MLJ reviews books, monographs, computer software, and materials that (a) present results of research in-and methods of-foreign and second language teaching and learning; (b) are devoted to matters of general interest to members of the profession; (c) are intended primarily for use as textbooks or instructional aids in classrooms where foreign and second languages, literatures, and cultures are taught; and (d) convey information from other disciplines that relates directly to foreign and second language teaching and learning. Reviews not solicited by the MLJ can neither be accepted nor returned. Books and materials that are not reviewed in the MLJ cannot be returned to the publisher. Responses should be typed with double spacing and submitted electronically online at our Manuscript Central ad-

- by Giorgio Satta
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- Software Maintenance, Computational Linguistics, Natural language, Formal language

Software testing is one of the most widely used methods for quality assurance and fault detection purposes. However, it is one of the most expensive, tedious and time consuming activities in software development life cycle. Code-based and specification-based testing has been going on for almost four decades. Model-based testing (MBT) is a relatively new approach to software testing where the

- by Klaus Wagner
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- Information Theory, Computational Logic, Algorithm Analysis, Discrete Mathematics

Not only do Deaf people have separate languages, but they also have their own unique cultures. A particular Deaf community will be different from both other Deaf communities and from those in the hearing world. Leila Monaghan takes up several controversies involving members of a Deaf church in Maryland. She followed several church members as they experienced two institutional splits. The first centered around issues of Deaf identity within a hearing church, leading to the foundation of a new church that would serve a primarily Deaf constituency. The second split involved competing forms of Christian identity within the newly formed Deaf church, leading to a further institutional schism. By explicating the cultures of both Deafness and Christianity, Monaghan shows how individuals constituted their notions of self in relation to wider institutional agendas and practices.

- by Leila Monaghan
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- Deaf studies, Church language, Formal language
- by Aline Villavicencio and +2
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- Data Mining, Knowledge Discovery, Artificial Intelligent, Database Management

The Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) is a standard for capturing business processes in the early phases of systems development. The mix of constructs found in BPMN makes it possible to create models with semantic errors. Such errors are especially serious, because errors in the early phases of systems development are among the most costly and hardest to correct.

- by Marlon Dumas and +1
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- Information Systems, Static Analysis, Computer Software, Formal language

Abstract. Domain ontology building is one of the most critical activities required in Semantic Web applications. The task must be performed by domain experts, who do not (generally) have the background of a knowledge engineer. To ease this task, Ontology Management Systems (such as Kaon, Protégé, OntoEdit, Athos) are developing user friendly interfaces. However the problem is mainly of a cognitive nature. Difficulties comes from the fact that the existing ontology languages: (i) are hard to be used by unskilled people, (ii) have very basic constructs (e.g., class, property), (iii) are not domain specific, i.e., they are conceived for very diverse contexts (e.g., from medical sector to high energy physics). OPAL (Object, Process, Actor modelling Language) aims at supporting business experts who need to build an ontology by providing a limited number of high level conceptual templates.

- by francesco taglino
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- Computer Science, Ontology, Design Patterns, High Energy Physics

This article presents the results of our effort in specifying the minimal common sense conceptualization used in reasoning about legal causal matters. Coming from t he humanistic side of formal ontology, we give priorit y to the intuitive definitions, rather than to the technical formalization of the contents of our ontology. We t herefore introduce all the material in natural

- by Jos Lehmann
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- Causal reasoning, Formal Ontology, Common Sense, Natural language

A Formal language is an abstraction of the general characteristic of programming languages. It is used for system analysis, requirement analysis and system design. It describes the system at much higher level of abstraction than any programming language. Formal language can be categorized into model oriented, algebraic, process oriented, logical, imperative, and hybrid. Although there are several formal methods and languages, this paper emphasized basically on model oriented languages B, VDM, Z and process oriented languages CSP, CCS. Issues like abstraction, ambiguity, consistency, completeness, concurrency, looseness, readability and reusability have proven to be key for articulating this paper. This paper also addresses the scope of B and Event-B modeling along with other related technologies.

- by IAEME Publication
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- CCS, Formal language, Object Oriented Model, Process Oriented

The UML goal of being a general-purpose modeling language discards the possibility to adopt too precise and strict a semantics. Users are to refine or define the semantics in their domain specific profiles. In the UML Profile for MARTE, we devised a broadly expressive Time Model to provide a generic timed interpretation for UML models. Our clock constraint specification language supports the specification of systems with multiple clock domains. Starting with a priori independent clocks, we progressively constrain them to get a family of possible executions. Our language supports both synchronous and asynchronous constraints, just like the synchronous language Signal, but also allows explicit non determinism. In this paper, we give a formal semantics to a core subset of MARTE clock constraint language and we give an equivalent interpretation of this kernel in two other very different formal languages, Signal and Time Petri nets.

- by Frederic Mallet
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- Distributed Computing, Computational Modeling, Petri Nets, Formal Semantics

The award papers were selected by the Program Committee of the annual conference of JSAI (Japan Society for Artificial Intelligence) 2006. The paper selection of each co-located international workshop was made by the Program Committee of each workshop. Upon the decisions of the paper awards and the paper selections, each chapter was edited by the Program Chairs of the 20th annual JSAI conference and the co-located international workshops. The entire contents and structure of the book were managed and edited by the chief editors.

- by Hiromitsu Hattori
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- Human Computer Interaction, Computer Vision, Data Mining, Pattern Recognition

Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) are specialized formal languages supporting modeling and reasoning on software architectures. Although number of ADLs counts in the tens, their popularity and usage by practitioners is very low. The object- oriented Unified Modeling Language (UML), which has become the OMG standard, offers a great variety of concepts for the definition of the structure and the expected

We define two accepting devices inspired by peptide computing called string binding-blocking automata and rewriting binding-blocking automata. In both the devices there is an option to mark some symbols -in one case, it is used to postpone reading of marked symbols to a later part of processing and in other case, it is used to store some information. These ideas are inherited from peptide computing. We show a nice hierarchy between these two systems and the previous model, the binding-blocking automaton. ⋆ A very short and preliminary version of this paper appeared in [1]. Language Theory in Biocomputing 1 UC'07 -Kingston, Canada

- by Kalpana Mahalingam
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- Genetics, Natural Computing, Computer Software, Formal language

Casl is an expressive language for the formal specification of functional requirementsand modular design of software. It has been designed by CoFI, the international Common Framework Initiative for algebraic specification and development. Itis based on a critical selection of features that have already been explored in variouscontexts, including subsorts, partial functions, first-order logic, and structured andarchitectural specifications. Casl should facilitate

- by Peter D Mosses and +2
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- Software Development, Theoretical Computer Science, Formal Semantics, Design process

Logic provides the mathematical basis for hardware design and software development. In fact, digital circuits and computer programs are logic formulas expressed in a formal language. Accordingly, educated computer scientists should have experience in reasoning about the formulas that their digital circuits and programs represent. An exemplary way to get this experience is to use computational logic in support of such reasoning. This paper searches the typical undergraduate curriculum in computer science for opportunities to include material on computational logic in the context of hardware and software design and implementation. It explains how computational logic has been included as an element of two courses required in most computer science programs. It discusses some successes and a few missteps that the author has experienced over the past nine years in developing this material and using it in the classroom, and it suggests opportunities for similar efforts in other courses.

- by Rex Page
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- Languages, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Science Education

Cloud Computing has become another buzzword after Web 2.0. However, there are dozens of different definitions for Cloud Computing and there seems to be no consensus on what a Cloud is. On the other hand, Cloud Computing is not a completely new concept; it has intricate connection to the relatively new but thirteen-year established Grid Computing paradigm, and other relevant technologies such as utility computing, cluster computing, and distributed systems in general. This paper strives to compare and contrast Cloud Computing with Grid Computing from various angles and give insights into the essential characteristics of both.

- by Ashok sharma
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- Computer Science, Grid Computing, Cloud Computing, Cluster Computing
- by Alexandru Baltag
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- Mathematics, Computer Science, Discrete Mathematics, Rationality

A frustrating event in the course of interaction with a database management system is query failure: a query is submitted to the database, but instead of the anticipated printout, the system responds with an empty set of data items. While such null answers are always correct from a technical'point of view, quite often they are unsatisfactory. Most efforts to deal with this problem have been in the context of natural language interfaces. In this paper we outline a simple mechanism for handling query failures in a typical database management system, which has only formal language interfaces, and only limited knowledge on the data it stores (such as types and relationships). The mechanism is demonstrated with the Loose Structure data model, which adopts an object-oriented, logic-based approach. Its principles, however, may be implemented with other data models and user interfaces.

- by Amihai Motro
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- Computer Science, User Interface, Structured data, DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
- by Jorge Baptista
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- Data Mining, Knowledge Discovery, Artificial Intelligent, Database Management

Timed Automata is an extension to the automatatheoretic approach for the modeling of real time systems that introduces time into the classical automata. It has become an important research area in both the context of formal languages and modeling and verification of real time systems since it was proposed by Alur and Dill in the early nineties. Timed automata proposes an efficient model checking method for verification real time systems having mature and efficient automatic verification tools. One of the application areas of timed automata is the verification of security protocols which are known to be time sensitive. This study aims to make use of timed automata as a verification tool for security protocols and gives a case study on the initial part of the Neuman-Stubblebine Repeated Authentication Protocol.

- by Bryan Carter
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- Model Checking, Automata, Computer Security, Security in routing protocols