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Bounded-overhead caching for definite-clause theorem proving

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Abstract

In this paper we describe the design of an effective caching mechanism for resource-limited, definite-clause theorem-proving systems. Previous work in adapting caches for theorem proving relies on the use of unlimited-size caches. We show how unlimited-size caches are unsuitable in application contexts where resource-limited theorem provers are used to solve multiple problems from a single problem distribution. We introduce bounded-overhead caches, that is, those caches that contain at most a fixed number of entries and entail a fixed amount of overhead per lookup, and we examine cache design issues for bounded-overhead caches. Finally, we present an empirical evaluation of bounded-overhead cache performance, relying on a specially designed experimental methodology that separates hardware-dependent, implementation-dependent, and domain-dependent effects.

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Segre, A., Scharstein, D. Bounded-overhead caching for definite-clause theorem proving. J Autom Reasoning 11, 83–113 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881901

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