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Application of Finite Automata

Applications of finite automata include string matching algorithms, network protocols and lexical analyzers. Finite automata can be used to find all occurrences of a pattern string within a text string by processing the text through a DFA for strings ending with the pattern. Finite-state machines extend finite automata by including actions on transitions. Statecharts also extend finite automata diagrams by modeling tasks as a set of states and actions. Lexical analysis in compiling isolates tokens like keywords and identifiers from a program and can be implemented using a finite automata based lexical analyzer.

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213 views

Application of Finite Automata

Applications of finite automata include string matching algorithms, network protocols and lexical analyzers. Finite automata can be used to find all occurrences of a pattern string within a text string by processing the text through a DFA for strings ending with the pattern. Finite-state machines extend finite automata by including actions on transitions. Statecharts also extend finite automata diagrams by modeling tasks as a set of states and actions. Lexical analysis in compiling isolates tokens like keywords and identifiers from a program and can be implemented using a finite automata based lexical analyzer.

Uploaded by

Karthi Keyan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Applications of Finite Automata

Applications of nite automata include string matching algorithms, network protocols and lexical analyzers

String Processing
Consider nding all occurrences of a short string (pattern string) within a long string (text string). This can be done by processing the text through a DFA: the DFA for all strings that end with the pattern string. Each time the accept state is reached, the current position in the text is output.

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Example: Finding 1001


To nd all occurrences of pattern 1001, construct the DFA for all strings ending in 1001.
1 0 1 q0 q1 1 0 1 0 0 0 q2 q3 1 q4

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Finite-State Machines
A nite-state machine is an FA together with actions on the arcs. A trivial example for a communication link:
send packet idle receive ack wait if NAK then resend

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Example FSM: Bot Behavior


A bot is a computer-generated character in a video game.
nd dragon ee escape roam lose sight of nd peasant chase get far get close ght

Note that using nite-state machine allows automation.

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Statecharts
Statecharts model tasks as a set of states and actions. They extend FA diagrams. Here is a simplied statechart for a stopwatch.
active stopped start running

reset

stop

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Lexical Analysis
In compiling a program, the rst step is lexical analysis. This isolates keywords, identiers etc., while eliminating irrelevant symbols. A token is a category, for example identier, relation operator or specic keyword. For example, token RE keyword then then variable name [a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]* where latter RE says it is any string of alphanumeric characters starting with a letter.
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Lexical Analyzer
A lexical analyzer takes source code as a string, and outputs sequence of tokens. For example, for i = 1 to max do x[i] = 0; might have token sequence for id = num to id do id [ id ] = num sep As a token is identied, there may be an action. For example, when a number is identied, its value is calculated,
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