CIAA2003

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WFSC - A New Weighted Finite State Compiler

Andre Kempe, Christof Baeijs, Tamas Gaal, Franck Guingne, Florent Nicart

Presented at Eighth International Conference on Implementation and Application of Automata (CIAA 2003), July 16-18, 2003 Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Abstract

This article presents a new tool, WFSC, for creating, manipulating, and applying weighted finite state automata. It inherits some powerful features from Xerox's non-weighted XFST tool and represents a continuation of Xerox's work in the field of finite state automata over two decades. The design is modular and generic: algorithms work on abstract components of automata and on a generic abstract semiring, and are independent of their concrete realizations. Applications can access WFSC's functions through an API or create automata through an end-user interface, either from an enumeration of their states and transitions or from rational expressions.