Equivalent machines

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Theory of Automata

(CS402)

Theory of Automata

Lecture N0. 22

Reading Material

Introduction to Computer Theory

Chapter 8

Summary

Applications of complementing and incrementing machines, Equivalent machines, Moore equivalent to Mealy,

proof, example, Mealy equivalent to Moore, proof, example

Applications of Incrementing and Complementing machines

1's complementing and incrementing machines which are basically Mealy machines are very much helpful in

computing.

The incrementing machine helps in building a machine that can perform the addition of binary numbers.

Using the complementing machine along with incrementing machine, one can build a machine that can perform

the subtraction of binary numbers, as shown in the following method

Subtracting a binary number from another

Method

To subtract a binary number b from a binary number a

Add 1's complement of b to a (ignoring the overflow, if any)

Increase the result, in magnitude, by 1 (use the incrementing machine ). Ignoring the overflow if any.

Note: If there is no overflow in (1). Take 1's complement once again in (2), instead. This situation occurs when

b is greater than a, in magnitude. Following is an example of subtraction of binary numbers

Example

To subtract the binary number 101 from the binary number 1110, let

a = 1110

and

b = 101 = 0101.

(Here the number of digits of b are equated with that of a)

Adding 1's complement (1010) of b to a.

1110

+1010

11000 which gives 1000 (ignoring the overflow)

Using the incrementing machine, increase the above result 1000, in magnitude, by 1

1000

1001 which is the same as obtained by ordinary subtraction.

Note

It may be noted that the above method of subtraction of binary numbers may be applied to subtraction of

decimal numbers with the change that 9's complement of b will be added to a, instead in step (1).

Equivalent machines

Two machines are said to be equivalent if they print the same output string when the same input string is run on

them.

Remark:

Two Moore machines may be equivalent. Similarly two Mealy machines may also be equivalent, but a Moore

machine can't be equivalent to any Mealy machine. However, ignoring the extra character printed by the Moore

machine, there exists a Mealy machine which is equivalent to the Moore machine.

Theorem

Statement

For every Moore machine there is a Mealy machine that is equivalent to it (ignoring the extra character printed

by the Moore machine).

Proof:

Let M be a Moore machine, then shifting the output characters corresponding to each state to the labels of

corresponding incoming transitions, machine thus obtained will be a Mealy machine equivalent to M.

Theory of Automata

(CS402)

Note

It may be noted that while converting a Moore machine into an equivalent Mealy machine, the output character

of a state will be ignored if there is no incoming transition at that state. A loop at a state is also supposed to be

an incoming transition.

Following is the example of converting a Moore machine into an equivalent Mealy machine

Example

Consider the following Moore machine

q1/1

q0/0

q3/1

a,b

q2/0

Using the method described earlier, the above machine may be equivalent to the following Mealy machine

a/1

b/0

a/1

b/0

b/1

a/1,b/1

a/0

Running the string abbabbba on both the machines, the output string can be determined by the following table

Input

States

Moore

Mealy

Theorem

Statement

For every Mealy machine there is a Moore machine that is equivalent to it (ignoring the extra character printed

the Moore machine).

Proof

Let M be a Mealy machine. At each state there are two possibilities for incoming transitions

The incoming transitions have the same output character.

The incoming transitions have different output characters.

If all the transitions have same output characters, then shift that character to the corresponding state.

If all the transitions have different output characters, then the state will be converted to as many states as the

number of different output characters for these transitions, which shows that if this happens at state qi then qi

will be converted to qi1 and qi2 i.e. if at qi there are the transitions with two output characters then qi1 for one

character and qi2 for other character.

Shift the output characters of the transitions to the corresponding new states qi1 and qi2. Moreover, these new

states qi1 and qi2 should behave like qi as well. Continuing the process, the machine thus obtained, will be a

Moore machine equivalent to Mealy machine M.

Following is a note

Note

It may be noted that if there is no incoming transition at certain state then any of the output characters may be

associated with that state.

It may also be noted that if the initial state is converted into more than one new states then only one of these new

states will be considered to be the initial state. Following is an example

Theory of Automata

(CS402)

Example

b/1

Consider the following Mealy machine

b/1 a/0

a/0

a/1

b/0

a/1

b/1

Shifting the output character 1 of transition b to q0

b/1

b/1 a/0

a/0

a/1

b/0

a/1

q0/1

Shifting the output character 0 of transition a to q1

b/1

q1/0

b/1 a/0

a/1

b/0

a/1

q0/1

Shifting the output character 1 of transition b to q2

q2/1

q1/0

b/1 a/0

a/1

b/0

a/1

q0/1

Splitting q3 into q13 and q23

q2/1

q1/0

q0/1

q3/1

q3/0

Running the string abbabbba on both the machines, the output strings can be determined by the following table

Input

States

Mealy

Moore

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