Standard Automata Theory and Process Algebra

TL;DR

This paper revisits classical automata theory from the 1950s-60s, demonstrating its relevance and application to modern system specification and verification, especially for concurrent systems.

Contribution

It highlights the applicability of historical automata methods to current formal verification challenges, including a historical survey and critique from early process algebra.

Findings

Automata theory can effectively model complex digital and concurrent systems.

Historical automata methods are underutilized in modern formal methods.

The paper provides a survey of classic automata literature.

Abstract

Classical automata theory is far more capable of modeling complex digital systems than is widely acknowledged in the ``formal methods'' literature. This paper takes a second look at automata theory methods that were mostly developed in the 1950s and 1960s to show how they can be applied to problems of current era specification and verification of systems, including concurrent systems. The explication is partly guided by taking a second look at the critique of automata theory in early formal methods, particularly from the early process algebra literature, Since much of the classic automata theory literature is not well known anymore, the paper also provides brief historical literature survey.