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JACM
2010

The complexity of temporal constraint satisfaction problems

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The complexity of temporal constraint satisfaction problems
A temporal constraint language is a set of relations that has a first-order definition in (Q, <), the dense linear order of the rational numbers. We present a complete complexity classification of the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) for temporal constraint languages: if the constraint language is contained in one out of nine temporal constraint languages, then the CSP can be solved in polynomial time; otherwise, the CSP is NP-complete. Our proof combines model-theoretic concepts with techniques from universal algebra, and also applies the so-called product Ramsey theorem, which we believe will be useful in similar contexts of constraint satisfaction complexity classification. Categories and Subject Descriptors F.2 [Theory of Computation]: Analysis of Algorithms and Problem Complexity; F.2.2 [Analysis of Algorithms and Problem Complexity]: Nonnumerical Algorithms and Problems—Computations on discrete structures General Terms Theory, Algorithms Keywords Constraint satisfa...
Manuel Bodirsky, Jan Kára
Added 28 Jan 2011
Updated 28 Jan 2011
Type Journal
Year 2010
Where JACM
Authors Manuel Bodirsky, Jan Kára
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