Schedulers and Redundancy for a Class of Constraint Propagation Rules

Title: Schedulers and Redundancy for a Class of Constraint Propagation Rules

Research Question: How can we develop efficient schedulers for a class of constraint propagation rules, specifically membership rules, and identify and reduce redundant rules in these systems?

Methodology: The researchers proposed an abstract framework for constraint propagation algorithms, using a generic iteration algorithm on partial orderings. They instantiated this algorithm with specific partial orderings and functions to obtain a scheduler called R, which is designed for membership rules. They also developed a method to identify and reduce redundant rules in these systems.

Results: The implementation of the R algorithm, which was provided as an ECLiPSeprogram, was found to be considerably faster than the standard implementation of membership rules in the CHR language. This demonstrates the practical benefits of studying the constraint propagation process on an abstract level.

Implications: The research has implications for the field of constraint programming and rule-based programming. The efficient schedulers developed can improve the performance of constraint programming systems that use membership rules. The method for identifying and reducing redundant rules can help to further optimize these systems. Additionally, the research provides insights into the general problem of scheduling for a class of rules in these types of systems.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0403037v3 Authors: arXiv ID: 0403037v3