Boolean Functions

Modern systems engineering (e. g. switching circuits design) and operations research (e. g. reliability systems theory) use Boolean functions with increasing regularity. For practitioners and students in these fields books written for mathe maticians are in several respects not the best source of easy to use information, and standard books, such as, on switching circuits theory and reliability theory, are mostly somewhat narrow as far as Boolean analysis is concerned. Further more, in books on switching circuits theory the relevant stochastic theory is not covered. Aspects of the probabilistic theory of Boolean functions are treated in some works on reliability theory, but the results deserve a much broader interpre tation. Just as the applied theory (e. g. of the Laplace transform) is useful in control theory, renewal theory, queueing theory, etc. , the applied theory of Boolean functions (of indicator variables) can be useful in reliability theory, switching circuits theory, digital diagnostics and communications theory. This book is aimed at providing a sufficiently deep understanding of useful results both in practical work and in applied research. Boolean variables are restricted here to indicator or O/l variables, i. e. variables whose values, namely 0 and 1, are not free for a wide range of interpretations, e. g. in digital electronics 0 for L low voltage and 1 for H high voltage.

Klappentext

This is a textbook and a reference book on Boolean functions, i.e. functions of binary vectors assuming at most two values 0 and 1. First, the conventional theory and its applications in computer engineering are covered. Then - revisiting and deepening the historical notation of George Boole - Boolean operators, typically NOT, AND, and OR are replaced by standard addition, subtraction,and multiplication. This is shown to be extremely useful in the stochastic theory of Boolean functions. The latter is covered at considerable depth with numerous applications mostly in the field of reliability systems theory (fault-trees etc.). In the context of fault tree evaluation several modern Boolean algorithms are discussed, and aspects of PASCAL implementations are reviewed. The book as a whole should help theoretically minded practitioners to a clearer and deeper understanding of Boolean functions and it should give numerous hints for practical numerical work via typically Boolean computer programs.

Inhalt
1 Notation and Glossary of Fundamental Terms and Symbols.- 2 Fundamental Concepts.- 2.1 Boolean Indicator Variables and All Their Functions of One and Two Variables.- 2.2 Axioms and Elementary Laws of Boolean Algebra.- 2.3 Polynomials, Vectors, and Matrices with Boolean Elements.- Exercises.- 3 Diagrams for Boolean Analysis.- 3.1 Standard Graphical Representation of Boolean Functions.- 3.2 Binary Decision Diagrams.- 3.3 Karnaugh Maps.- 3.4 Switching Network Graphs (Logic Diagrams) and Syntax Diagrams.- 3.5 Venn Diagrams.- 3.6 State Transition Graphs.- 3.7 Communications Graphs.- 3.8 Reliability Block Diagrams.- 3.9 Flowcharts.- 3.10 Petri Nets.- Exercises.- 4 Representations (Forms) and Types of Boolean Functions.- 4.1 Negation (Complement).- 4.2 Special Terms.- 4.3 Normal Forms and Canonical Normal Forms.- 4.4 Disjunctive Normal Forms of Disjoint Terms.- 4.5 Boolean Functions with Special Properties.- 4.6 Recursive Definition of Boolean Functions.- 4.7 Hazards.- Exercises.- 5 Minimal Disjunctive Normal Forms.- 5.1 General Considerations.- 5.2 Finding All Prime Implicants of a Boolean Function.- 5.3 Minimization.- Exercises.- 6 Boolean Difference Calculus.- 6.1 Exclusiv-Disjunction Form Without Negated Variables.- 6.2 Concepts of Boolean Differences.- 6.3 Basic Rules of Boolean Difference Calculus.- 6.4 Diagnosing Permanent Faults in Switching Networks.- Exercises.- 7 Boolean Functions Without Boolean Operators.- 7.1 Fundamental Concepts and Consequences.- 7.2 Transformation of Boolean Functions of Indicator Variables to Multilinear Form.- 7.3 Coherence Revisited.- Exercises.- 8 Stochastic Theory of Boolean Functions.- 8.1 Probability of a Binary State.- 8.2 Probability of the Value 1 of a Boolean Function.- 8.3 Approximate Probability of the Value 1.- 8.4 Moments of Boolean Functions.- Exercises.- 9 Stochastic Theory of Boolean Indicator Processes.- 9.1 Mean Duration of States in the Markov Model.- 9.2 Mean Duration of Boolean Functions' Values.- 9.3 Mean Frequency of Changes of Functions' Values.- 9.4 The Distribution of Residual Life Times.- Exercises.- 10 Some Algorithms and Computer Programs for Boolean Analysis.- 10.1 Computing Values of a Boolean Function.- 10.2 Canonical Representations of a Boolean Function.- 10.3 Probability of a Given Value of a Boolean Function.- 10.4 Algorithms for Making the Terms of a Given DNF Disjoint.- 10.5 Selected Set Manipulations.- Exercises.- 11 Appendix: Probability Theory Refresher.- 11.1 Boolean Algebra of Sets.- 11.2 Elementary Probability Calculus.- 11.3 Random Variables and Random Processes.- 11.4 Elementary Renewal Theory.- 11.5 Laplace Transform Refresher.- Exercises.- Solutions of the exercises for §§ 2 through 11.- References.