Finite State Machine
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Related to Accepting state: State transition function
Finite State Machine
(mathematics, algorithm, theory)(FSM or "Finite State
Automaton", "transducer") An abstract machine consisting of
a set of states (including the initial state), a set of
input events, a set of output events, and a state transition
function. The function takes the current state and an input
event and returns the new set of output events and the next
state. Some states may be designated as "terminal states".
The state machine can also be viewed as a function which maps
an ordered sequence of input events into a corresponding
sequence of (sets of) output events.
A deterministic FSM (DFA) is one where the next state is uniquely determinied by a single input event. The next state of a nondeterministic FSM (NFA) depends not only on the current input event, but also on an arbitrary number of subsequent input events. Until these subsequent events occur it is not possible to determine which state the machine is in.
It is possible to automatically translate any nondeterministic FSM into a deterministic one which will produce the same output given the same input. Each state in the DFA represents the set of states the NFA might be in at a given time.
In a probabilistic FSM there is a predetermined probability of each next state given the current state and input (compare Markov chain).
The terms "acceptor" and "transducer" are used particularly in language theory where automata are often considered as abstract machines capable of recognising a language (certain sequences of input events). An acceptor has a single Boolean output and accepts or rejects the input sequence by outputting true or false respectively, whereas a transducer translates the input into a sequence of output events.
FSMs are used in computability theory and in some practical applications such as regular expressions and digital logic design.
See also state transition diagram, Turing Machine.
[J.H. Conway, "regular algebra and finite machines", 1971, Eds Chapman & Hall].
[S.C. Kleene, "Representation of events in nerve nets and finite automata", 1956, Automata Studies. Princeton].
[Hopcroft & Ullman, 1979, "Introduction to automata theory, languages and computations", Addison-Wesley].
[M. Crochemore "tranducters and repetitions", Theoritical. Comp. Sc. 46, 1986].
A deterministic FSM (DFA) is one where the next state is uniquely determinied by a single input event. The next state of a nondeterministic FSM (NFA) depends not only on the current input event, but also on an arbitrary number of subsequent input events. Until these subsequent events occur it is not possible to determine which state the machine is in.
It is possible to automatically translate any nondeterministic FSM into a deterministic one which will produce the same output given the same input. Each state in the DFA represents the set of states the NFA might be in at a given time.
In a probabilistic FSM there is a predetermined probability of each next state given the current state and input (compare Markov chain).
The terms "acceptor" and "transducer" are used particularly in language theory where automata are often considered as abstract machines capable of recognising a language (certain sequences of input events). An acceptor has a single Boolean output and accepts or rejects the input sequence by outputting true or false respectively, whereas a transducer translates the input into a sequence of output events.
FSMs are used in computability theory and in some practical applications such as regular expressions and digital logic design.
See also state transition diagram, Turing Machine.
[J.H. Conway, "regular algebra and finite machines", 1971, Eds Chapman & Hall].
[S.C. Kleene, "Representation of events in nerve nets and finite automata", 1956, Automata Studies. Princeton].
[Hopcroft & Ullman, 1979, "Introduction to automata theory, languages and computations", Addison-Wesley].
[M. Crochemore "tranducters and repetitions", Theoritical. Comp. Sc. 46, 1986].
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state machine
Also called a "finite state machine," it is a computing device designed with the operational states required to solve a specific problem. The circuits are minimized, specialized and optimized for the application. For example, chips in audio, video and imaging controllers are often designed as state machines, because they can provide faster performance at lower cost than a general-purpose CPU. Automatic ticket dispensing machines are another example. There are countless special-purpose devices built as state machines. See SDL and cellular automaton.Copyright © 1981-2019 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.