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Roberto Gorrieri

Publications and source records attributed to Roberto Gorrieri.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Decidable Reversible Equivalences for Finite Petri Nets

In the setting of Petri nets, we prove that {\em causal-net bisimilarity} \cite{G15,Gor22,Gor25a}, which is a refinement of history-preserving bisimilarity \cite{RT88,vGG89,DDM89}, and the novel {\em hereditary} causal-net bisimilarity, which is a refinement of hereditary history-preserving bisimilarity \cite{Bed91,JNW96}, do coincide. This means that causal-net bisimilarity is a {\em reversible behavioral equivalence}, as causal-net bisimilar markings not only are able to match each other's forward transitions, but also backward transitions by undoing performed events. Causal-net bisimilarity can be equivalently formulated as {\em structure-preserving bisimilarity} \cite{G15,Gor25a}, that is decidable on finite bounded Petri nets \cite{CG21a}. Moreover, place bisimilarity \cite{ABS91}, that we prove to be finer than causal-net bisimilarity, is also reversible and it was proved decidable for finite Petri nets in \cite{Gor21decid,Gor25a}. These results offer two decidable reversible behavioral equivalences in the true concurrency spectrum, which are alternative to the coarser hereditary history-preserving bisimilarity \cite{Bed91,JNW96}, that, unfortunately, is undecidable even for safe Petri nets \cite{JNS03}.

cs.LO

Axiomatizing NFAs Generated by Regular Grammars

A subclass of nondeterministic Finite Automata generated by means of regular Grammars (GFAs, for short) is introduced. A process algebra is proposed, whose semantics maps a term to a GFA. We prove a representability theorem: for each GFA $N$, there exists a process algebraic term $p$ such that its semantics is a GFA isomorphic to $N$. Moreover, we provide a concise axiomatization of language equivalence: two GFAs $N_1$ and $N_2$ recognize the same regular language if and only if the associated terms $p_1$ and $p_2$, respectively, can be equated by means of a set of axioms, comprising 7 axioms plus 2 conditional axioms, only.

cs.FL

Place Bisimilarity is Decidable, Indeed!

Place bisimilarity $\sim_p$ is a behavioral equivalence for finite Petri nets, originally proposed in \cite{ABS91}, that, differently from all the other behavioral relations proposed so far, is not defined over the markings of a finite net, rather over its places, which are finitely many. Place bisimilarity $\sim_p$ was claimed decidable in \cite{ABS91}, but its decidability was not really proved. We show that it is possible to decide $\sim_p$ with a simple algorithm, which essentially scans all the place relations (which are finitely many) to check whether they are place bisimulations. We also show that $\sim_p$ does respect the intended causal semantics of Petri nets, as it is finer than causal-net bisimilarity \cite{Gor22}. Moreover, we propose a slightly coarser variant, we call d-place bisimilarity $\sim_d$, that we conjecture to be the coarsest equivalence, fully respecting causality and branching time (as it is finer than fully-concurrent bisimilarity \cite{BDKP91}), to be decidable on finite Petri nets. Finally, two even coarser variants are discussed, namely i-place and i-d-place bisimilarities, which are still decidable, do preserve the concurrent behavior of Petri nets, but do not respect causality. These results open the way towards formal verification (by equivalence checking) of distributed systems modeled by finite Petri nets.

cs.LO

The Algebra of Nondeterministic Finite Automata

A process algebra is proposed, whose semantics maps a term to a nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA, for short). We prove a representability theorem: for each NFA $N$, there exists a process algebraic term $p$ such that its semantics is an NFA isomorphic to $N$. Moreover, we provide a concise axiomatization of language equivalence: two NFAs $N_1$ and $N_2$ recognize the same language if and only if the associated terms $p_1$ and $p_2$, respectively, can be equated by means of a set of axioms, comprising 7 axioms plus 3 conditional axioms, only.

cs.FL

Decidability of Two Truly Concurrent Equivalences for Finite Bounded Petri Nets

We prove that the well-known (strong) fully-concurrent bisimilarity and the novel i-causal-net bisimilarity, which is a sligtlhy coarser variant of causal-net bisimilarity, are decidable for finite bounded Petri nets. The proofs are based on a generalization of the ordered marking proof technique that Vogler used to demonstrate that (strong) fully-concurrent bisimilarity (or, equivalently, history-preserving bisimilarity) is decidable on finite safe nets.

cs.LO

Distributed Non-Interference

Information flow security properties were defined some years ago (see, e.g., the surveys \cite{FG01,Ry01}) in terms of suitable equivalence checking problems. These definitions were provided by using sequential models of computations (e.g., labeled transition systems \cite{GV15}), and interleaving behavioral equivalences (e.g., bisimulation equivalence \cite{Mil89}). More recently, the distributed model of Petri nets has been used to study non-interference in \cite{BG03,BG09,BC15}, but also in these papers an interleaving semantics was used. We argue that in order to capture all the relevant information flows, truly-concurrent behavioral equivalences must be used. In particular, we propose for Petri nets the distributed non-interference property, called DNI, based on {\em branching place bisimilarity} \cite{Gor23b}, which is a sensible, decidable equivalence for finite Petri nets with silent moves. Then we focus our attention on the subclass of Petri nets called {\em finite-state machines}, which can be represented (up to isomorphism) by the simple process algebra CFM \cite{Gor17}. DNI is very easily checkable on CFM processes, as it is compositional, so that it does does not suffer from the state-space explosion problem. Moreover, we show that DNI can be characterized syntactically on CFM by means of a type system.

cs.CR

Branching Place Bisimilarity

Place bisimilarity is a behavioral equivalence for finite Petri nets, proposed in \cite{ABS91} and proved decidable in \cite{Gor21}. In this paper we propose an extension to finite Petri nets with silent moves of the place bisimulation idea, yielding {\em branching} place bisimilarity $\approx_p$, following the intuition of branching bisimilarity \cite{vGW96} on labeled transition systems. We also propose a slightly coarser variant, called branching {\em d-place} bisimilarity $\approx_d$, following the intuition of d-place bisimilarity in \cite{Gor21}. We prove that $\approx_p$ and $\approx_d$ are decidable equivalence relations. Moreover, we prove that $\approx_d$ is strictly finer than branching fully-concurrent bisimilarity \cite{Pin93,Gor20c}, essentially because $\approx_d$ does not consider as unobservable those $τ$-labeled net transitions with pre-set size larger than one, i.e., those resulting from (multi-party) interaction.

cs.LO

Compositional Semantics of Finite Petri Nets

Structure-preserving bisimilarity is a truly concurrent behavioral equivalence for finite Petri nets, which relates markings (of the same size only) generating the same causal nets, hence also the same partial orders of events. The process algebra FNM truly represents all (and only) the finite Petri nets, up to isomorphism. We prove that structure-preserving bisimilarity is a congruence w.r.t. the FMN operators, In this way, we have defined a compositional semantics, fully respecting causality and the branching structure of systems, for the class of all the finite Petri nets. Moreover, we study some algebraic properties of structure-preserving bisimilarity, that are at the base of a sound (but incomplete) axiomatization over FNM process terms.

cs.LO

True Concurrency Can Be Easy

Step net bisimulation is a coinductive behavioral relation for finite Petri nets, which is a smooth generalization of the definition of standard step bisimulation \cite{NT84} on finite Petri nets. Its induced equivalence offers an alternative, much simpler characterization of causal-net bisimilarity \cite{G15,Gor22}, as it does not resort to any causality structure, and of structure-preserving bisimilarity \cite{G15}, as it does not require bijective mappings between related markings. We show that step net bisimilarity can be characterized logically by means of a suitable modal logic, called NML (acronym of net modal logic): two markings are step net bisimilar if and only if they satisfy the same NML formulae.

cs.LO

Compositional Net Semantics up to Step Net Bisimilarity

Step net bisimilarity \cite{Gor23} is a truly concurrent behavioral equivalence for finite Petri nets, which is defined as a smooth generalization of standard step bisimilarity \cite{NT84} on Petri nets, but with the property of relating markings (of the same size only) generating the same partial orders of events. The process algebra FNM \cite{Gor17} truly represents all (and only) the finite Petri nets, up to isomorphism. We prove that step net bisimilarity is a congruence w.r.t. the FMN operators, In this way, we have defined a compositional semantics, fully respecting causality and the branching structure of systems, for the class of all the finite Petri nets.

cs.LO

A Decidable Equivalence for a Turing-complete, Distributed Model of Computation

Place/Transition Petri nets with inhibitor arcs (PTI nets for short), which are a well-known Turing-complete, distributed model of computation, are equipped with a decidable, behavioral equivalence, called pti-place bisimilarity, that conservatively extends place bisimilarity defined over Place/Transition nets (without inhibitor arcs). We prove that pti-place bisimilarity is sensible, as it respects the causal semantics of PTI nets.

cs.LO

On the Decidability of Non Interference over Unbounded Petri Nets

Non-interference, in transitive or intransitive form, is defined here over unbounded (Place/Transition) Petri nets. The definitions are adaptations of similar, well-accepted definitions introduced earlier in the framework of labelled transition systems. The interpretation of intransitive non-interference which we propose for Petri nets is as follows. A Petri net represents the composition of a controlled and a controller systems, possibly sharing places and transitions. Low transitions represent local actions of the controlled system, high transitions represent local decisions of the controller, and downgrading transitions represent synchronized actions of both components. Intransitive non-interference means the impossibility for the controlled system to follow any local strategy that would force or dodge synchronized actions depending upon the decisions taken by the controller after the last synchronized action. The fact that both language equivalence and bisimulation equivalence are undecidable for unbounded labelled Petri nets might be seen as an indication that non-interference properties based on these equivalences cannot be decided. We prove the opposite, providing results of decidability of non-interference over a representative class of infinite state systems.

cs.CR

A Process Calculus for Expressing Finite Place/Transition Petri Nets

We introduce the process calculus Multi-CCS, which extends conservatively CCS with an operator of strong prefixing able to model atomic sequences of actions as well as multiparty synchronization. Multi-CCS is equipped with a labeled transition system semantics, which makes use of a minimal structural congruence. Multi-CCS is also equipped with an unsafe P/T Petri net semantics by means of a novel technique. This is the first rich process calculus, including CCS as a subcalculus, which receives a semantics in terms of unsafe, labeled P/T nets. The main result of the paper is that a class of Multi-CCS processes, called finite-net processes, is able to represent all finite (reduced) P/T nets.

cs.LO