Skip to main content

A fundamental theorem of asynchronous parallel computation

  • Session 3: Modelling And Parallelism Detection
  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Parallel Processing (SCC 1974)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 24))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

A recurrent phenomenon in models of asynchronous parallel computation is expressed in an abstract model. Many previous models, or special cases thereof, possess three local properties: determinism, commutativity, and persistence, as they are defined here. We show that the possession of these local properties by a system is a sufficient condition for the possession of the global confluence or "Church-Rosser" property. The relation of this property to the "determinacy" of asynchronous systems was suggested in recent work by Rosen. We show that determinacy proofs for many models, and proofs of some other properties of interest, are really corollaries of the main theorem of this paper.

Work reported herein was performed while the author was visiting Stanford University, and was sponsored by NSF grant GJ-30126

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. D. Adams, "A Computation Model with Data Flow Sequencing", Tech. Report CS 117 (Ph.D. dissertation), Computer Science Dept., Stanford Univ. (Dec. 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  2. F. Commoner, A.W. Holt, S. Even, and A. Pnueli, "Marked Directed Graphs", J. Computer and System Sciences, 5, 5 (Oct. 1971) pp. 511–523

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. Hack, "Decision Problems for Petri Nets and Vector Addition Systems", MIT Project MAC, Computation Structures Group Memo 95 (Mar. 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  4. G. Kahn, "A Preliminary Theory for Parallel Programs", IRIA Research Report No. 6, (Jan. 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  5. R.M. Karp, and R.E. Miller, "Parallel Program Schemata," J. Computer and System Sciences, 3, 2, (May 1969), pp. 147–195.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R.M. Karp, and R.E. Miller, "Properties of a Model for Parallel Computations: Determinacy, Termination, and Queuing," SIAM J. Applied Math., 14, 6. (Nov. 1966), pp. 1390–1411.

    Google Scholar 

  7. R.M. Keller, "Parallel Program Schemata and Maximal Parallelism," J. ACM, 20, 3, (July 1973) pp. 514–537 and 20, 4, (Oct. 1973) pp. 696–710.

    Google Scholar 

  8. R.M. Keller, "Vector Replacement Systems: A Formalism for Modeling Asynchronous Systems," Tech. Rept. 117, Computer Science Laboratory, Princeton University (Jan. 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  9. F.L. Luconi, "Asynchronous Computational Structures," MIT Project MAC Rept. MAC-TR-49 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  10. D.E. Muller and W.S. Bartky, "A Theory of Asynchronous Circuits," Annals of the Computation Laboratory of Harvard University, 29, Pt. 1, (1959) pp. 204–243.

    Google Scholar 

  11. M.H.A. Newman, "On Theories with a Combinatorial Definition of ‘Equivalence'" Annals of Math., 43, 2, (April 1942), pp. 223–243.

    Google Scholar 

  12. S. Patil, "Closure Properties of Interconnections of Determinate Systems," Proc. Project MAC Conference on Concurrent Systems and Parallel Computations, (June 1970), pp. 107–116.

    Google Scholar 

  13. B. Rosen, "Tree Manipulating Systems and Church-Rosser Theorems", J. ACM 20, 1, (Jan. 1973), pp. 160–187.

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. Sethi, "Theorems of Confluence for Unions of Replacement Systems with Equivalences," Tech. Rept. 131, Computer Science Dept., Pennsylvania State University (Oct. 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  15. R.C. Holt, "On Deadlock in Computer Systems," Univ. of Toronto Computer Science Research Group Rept. CSRG-6, (April 1971).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Tse-yun Feng

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1975 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Keller, R.M. (1975). A fundamental theorem of asynchronous parallel computation. In: Feng, Ty. (eds) Parallel Processing. SCC 1974. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 24. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-07135-0_113

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-07135-0_113

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-07135-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-37408-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics