Skip to content

32.3 String matching with finite automata

32.3-1

Construct the string-matching automaton for the pattern $P = aabab$ and illustrate its operation on the text string $T = \text{aaababaabaababaab}$.

$$0 \rightarrow 1 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 3 \rightarrow 4 \rightarrow 5 \rightarrow 1 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 3 \rightarrow 4 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 3 \rightarrow 4 \rightarrow 5 \rightarrow 1 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 3.$$

32.3-2

Draw a state-transition diagram for a string-matching automaton for the pattern $ababbabbababbababbabb$ over the alphabet $\sigma = \{a, b\}$.

$$ \begin{array}{c|c|c} 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 1 & 1 & 2 \\ 2 & 3 & 0 \\ 3 & 1 & 4 \\ 4 & 3 & 5 \\ 5 & 6 & 0 \\ 6 & 1 & 7 \\ 7 & 3 & 8 \\ 8 & 9 & 0 \\ 9 & 1 & 10 \\ 10 & 11 & 0 \\ 11 & 1 & 12 \\ 12 & 3 & 13 \\ 13 & 14 & 0 \\ 14 & 1 & 15 \\ 15 & 16 & 8 \\ 16 & 1 & 17 \\ 17 & 3 & 18 \\ 18 & 19 & 0 \\ 19 & 1 & 20 \\ 20 & 3 & 21 \\ 21 & 9 & 0 \end{array} $$

32.3-3

We call a pattern $P$ nonoverlappable if $P_k \sqsupset P_q$ implies $k = 0$ or $k = q$. Describe the state-transition diagram of the string-matching automaton for a nonoverlappable pattern.

$\delta(q, a) \in \{0, 1, q + 1\}$.

32.3-4 $\star$

Given two patterns $P$ and $P'$, describe how to construct a finite automaton that determines all occurrences of either pattern. Try to minimize the number of states in your automaton.

Combine the common prefix and suffix.

32.3-5

Given a pattern $P$ containing gap characters (see Exercise 32.1-4), show how to build a finite automaton that can find an occurrence of $P$ in a text $T$ in $O(n)$ matching time, where $n = |T|$.

Split the string with the gap characters, build finite automatons for each substring. When a substring is matched, moved to the next finite automaton.