English

Interaction and observation: categorical semantics of reactive systems trough dialgebras

Logic in Computer Science 2013-06-05 v3 Formal Languages and Automata Theory

Abstract

We use dialgebras, generalising both algebras and coalgebras, as a complement of the standard coalgebraic framework, aimed at describing the semantics of an interactive system by the means of reaction rules. In this model, interaction is built-in, and semantic equivalence arises from it, instead of being determined by a (possibly difficult) understanding of the side effects of a component in isolation. Behavioural equivalence in dialgebras is determined by how a given process interacts with the others, and the obtained observations. We develop a technique to inter-define categories of dialgebras of different functors, that in particular permits us to compare a standard coalgebraic semantics and its dialgebraic counterpart. We exemplify the framework using the CCS and the pi-calculus. Remarkably, the dialgebra giving semantics to the pi-calculus does not require the use of presheaf categories.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1209.5903,
  title  = {Interaction and observation: categorical semantics of reactive systems trough dialgebras},
  author = {Vincenzo Ciancia},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1209.5903},
  year   = {2013}
}