Synthesis of Finite State Machines

This is one of two monographs devoted to the synthesis of Finite State Machines (FSMs). This volume addresses functional optimization, whereas the second addresses logic optimization. By functional optimization here we mean the body of techniques that compute all permissible sequential functions for a given topology of interconnected FSMs, and select a "best" sequential function out of the permissible ones. The result is a symbolic description of the FSM representing the chosen sequential function. The text is divided into three parts. The first part presents some preliminary definitions, theories and techniques related to the exploration of behaviors of FSMs. The second part presents an implicit algorithm for exact state minimization of incompletely specified finite state machines (ISFSMs), and an exhaustive presentation of explicit and implicit algorithms for the binate covering problem. The third part addresses the computation of permissible behaviors at a node of a network of FSMs and the related minimization problems of non-deterministic finite state machines (NDFSMs).