A FORMAL THEORY OF SIMULATIONS BETWEEN INFINITE AUTOMATA

Automata are suitable for modelling a wide range of sequential and concurrent hardware. They can be used at many levels of abstraction, from top-level specifications to register transfer descriptions suitable for input to synthesis tools. This paper covers approaches for relating one automaton with another using simulations and tranformations on automata. The entire theory is mechanically derived in, and intended for use in a higher-order logic theorem prover. Because automaton-based models can be used at multiple abstraction levels, much of the formal verification of sequential and concurrent designs can be performed by composing and relating automata.