The Equivalence Problem of E-Pattern Languages with Regular Constraints is Undecidable

TL;DR

This paper proves that the equivalence problem for pattern languages with regular constraints is undecidable when variables can be erased and constraints are used, highlighting fundamental limits in pattern language analysis.

Contribution

It establishes the undecidability of the erasing equivalence problem for pattern languages with regular constraints, a major open problem in the field.

Findings

Undecidability of erasing equivalence with regular constraints

Highlights limits of pattern language analysis

Addresses open problem in pattern language theory

Abstract

Patterns are words with terminals and variables. The language of a pattern is the set of words obtained by uniformly substituting all variables with words that contain only terminals. Regular constraints restrict valid substitutions of variables by associating with each variable a regular language representable by, e.g., finite automata. Pattern languages with regular constraints contain only words in which each variable is substituted according to a set of regular constraints. We consider the membership, inclusion, and equivalence problems for erasing and non-erasing pattern languages with regular constraints. Our main result shows that the erasing equivalence problem, one of the most prominent open problems in the realm of patterns, becomes undecidable if regular constraints are allowed in addition to variable equality.