Finite Automata

Lecture 9

Faryal Shamsi
Lecturer Computer Science

Sukkur IBA University

Finite Automata – (FAs)
temporary memory

input memory
Finite
Automaton
output memory

Example: Vending Machines

(small computing power)
Automata

Automata are distinguished by the temporary memory

• Finite Automata: no temporary memory

• Pushdown Automata: stack

• Turing Machines: random access memory

Finite Automaton (FA)
• Finite automata are good models for computers with an extremely
limited amount of memory. Example: An automatic door
Finite Automaton (FA)
Another Simple Automaton

6
Finite Automaton (FA)

• Finite Automata is another way of defining languages

• We have already covered Set Theory and Regular Expressions

Automata

Automata are distinguished by the temporary memory

• Finite Automata: no temporary memory

• Pushdown Automata: stack

• Turing Machines: random access memory

Acceptance of Inputs

• Given a sequence of inputs (input string ), start in the start state and
follow the transition from each symbol in turn.

• Input is accepted if you wind up in a final (accepting) state after all

inputs have been read.
Finite Accepter
Input
String
Output
“Accept”
Finite or
Automaton “Reject”
Simple Automaton
Formal Definition of FA
Input Alphabet

  a, b
a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

13
Set of States

Q  q0 , q1, q2 , q3 , q4 , q5 
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Initial State q0

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Set of Final States

a, b
F = {q4}
q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Set of Final States

F = {q3,q4}
Transition Function
 :Q  Q
 (q , x )  q 
q x q

Describes the result of a transition

from state q with symbol x
  q0 , a   q1

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
  q0 , b   q5

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
  q2 , b   q3

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Transition Table
 a b
q0 q1 q5
q1 q5 q2 a, b
q2 q5 q3
q3 q4 q5 q5
q4 q5 q5 a, b
b a a b
q5 q5 q5 q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Language of an Automaton

• The set of strings accepted by an automaton A is the language of A.

• Denoted L(A).

• Different sets of final states -> different languages.

• Example: As designed, L(Tennis) = strings that determine the winner.
Why FAs ??? – Applications

• Used for both design and verification of circuits and communication

protocols.

• Used for many text-processing applications.

• An important component of compilers.

• Used in Machine Learning to define patterns of events, etc.

A Complex Automaton
• Consider a Tennis Match
Scoring a Game
• One person serves throughout.
• To win, you must score at least 4 points.
• You also must win by at least 2 points.

• Inputs are s = “server wins point” and o = “opponent wins point.”

 Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
o s
30-Love
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love s
30-15 40-30
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all o deuce
s s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s o
s
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o
o Ad-out
Love-40
o
o
Opp’nt
Wins
Formal Definition of Finite Automata
Alphabet   {a , b }
a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

For every state, there is a transition for every

symbol in the alphabet
Initial Configuration
Input String
a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Reading the Input
a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
 Input finished

a b b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4

Output: “accept”
Rejection
a b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
a b a

a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
 Input finished

a b a

a, b
Output:
q5 “reject”

a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Another Rejection


a, b

q5
a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
 Input

Input Finished (no symbol read)
a, b

Output: q5
“reject” a a, b
b a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Another Example
a a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
a a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
a a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
a a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
 Input finished

a a b

a a, b
Output: “accept”

q0 b q1 a, b q2
Rejection
b a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
b a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
b a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
b a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2
 Input finished

b a b

a a, b

q0 b q1 a, b q2

Output: “reject”
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
* o
Love-15
s
o
15-30
s
s
30-40
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s

Start
*
15-Love
s
o s
40-15 o
s
o
30-15 40-30
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
o * s
o
s
o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
40-15
Start 15-Love
s
o *
30-15
s
o
40-30 s
o
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
Love
o
15-all
s
o *
30-all
s
o
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
40-15
Start 15-Love
s
o
30-15
s
o
40-30
* s
o
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
o
s
o
s
o *
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins

s
40-Love s *
s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
Love
o
15-all
s
o
30-all
s
o *
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins

s
40-Love s *
s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s
Love
o
15-all
s
o
30-all
s
o *
deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs
Server
s Wins

s
40-Love s *
s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Example: Processing a String
sosososososs *
Server
s Wins
40-Love s
s s Ad-in
30-Love o s
s 40-15 o
o s o
Start 15-Love 30-15 40-30 s
s s s
o o o
Love 15-all 30-all deuce
o s
s s
o o
15-30 30-40
Love-15 s
s o
o o s
Love-30 15-40
s o
o Ad-out
Love-40 o
o
o Opp’nt
Wins
Variation in FAs

• DFA
• Deterministic Finite Automata

• NFA
• Non-deterministic Finite Automata
Formal Definition of DFA
Formal Definition of NFA
Difference between DFA and NFA

• Every state of a DFA always has exactly one exiting transition arrow for
each symbol in the alphabet, an NFA violates this rule.
A Non Deterministic Finite Automata
Transition Graph
Transition Graph

• More than one initial states are possible

• One or More (may be no) Final State(s)

• The edges may be labeled with any substring (both null-string and
multiple length string) is allowed
An Example
of a
TG
or
Transition Graph
Extended Transition Function
 :Q    Q
* *

 (q ,w )  q 
*

Describes the resulting state

after scanning string w from state q
  * q0 , ab   q2

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
  * q0 , abba   q4

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
  * q0 , abbbaa   q5

a, b

q5
b a a, b
a b
q0 a q1 b q2 b q3 a q4
Observation: There is a walk from q to q
with label w

 * q, w  q

q w q

states may be repeated

w   1 2  k
1 2 k
q q
Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI
 Special case:

for any state q

 q ,    q
*

Courtesy Costas Busch - RPI

Every FA is a TG
Understanding EVEN-EVEN
• Consider a language that accepts only even number of a’s and b’s
•  = {aa,bb,aabb,abba,baab,bbaa,….}

• Write a Regular Expression

• Draw an FA
TG for EVEN-EVEN