@article{GebserKaminskiSchaub2011, author = {Gebser, Martin and Kaminski, Roland and Schaub, Torsten H.}, title = {Complex optimization in answer set programming}, series = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, volume = {11}, journal = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, number = {3}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {New York}, issn = {1471-0684}, doi = {10.1017/S1471068411000329}, pages = {821 -- 839}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Preference handling and optimization are indispensable means for addressing nontrivial applications in Answer Set Programming (ASP). However, their implementation becomes difficult whenever they bring about a significant increase in computational complexity. As a consequence, existing ASP systems do not offer complex optimization capacities, supporting, for instance, inclusion-based minimization or Pareto efficiency. Rather, such complex criteria are typically addressed by resorting to dedicated modeling techniques, like saturation. Unlike the ease of common ASP modeling, however, these techniques are rather involved and hardly usable by ASP laymen. We address this problem by developing a general implementation technique by means of meta-prpogramming, thus reusing existing ASP systems to capture various forms of qualitative preferences among answer sets. In this way, complex preferences and optimization capacities become readily available for ASP applications.}, language = {en} } @article{GebserSchaubThieleetal.2011, author = {Gebser, Martin and Schaub, Torsten H. and Thiele, Sven and Veber, Philippe}, title = {Detecting inconsistencies in large biological networks with answer set programming}, series = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, volume = {11}, journal = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, number = {5-6}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {New York}, issn = {1471-0684}, doi = {10.1017/S1471068410000554}, pages = {323 -- 360}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We introduce an approach to detecting inconsistencies in large biological networks by using answer set programming. To this end, we build upon a recently proposed notion of consistency between biochemical/genetic reactions and high-throughput profiles of cell activity. We then present an approach based on answer set programming to check the consistency of large-scale data sets. Moreover, we extend this methodology to provide explanations for inconsistencies by determining minimal representations of conflicts. In practice, this can be used to identify unreliable data or to indicate missing reactions.}, language = {en} } @article{GebserLeeLierler2011, author = {Gebser, Martin and Lee, Joohyung and Lierler, Yuliya}, title = {On elementary loops of logic programs}, series = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, volume = {11}, journal = {Theory and practice of logic programming}, number = {2}, publisher = {Cambridge Univ. Press}, address = {New York}, issn = {1471-0684}, doi = {10.1017/S1471068411000019}, pages = {953 -- 988}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Using the notion of an elementary loop, Gebser and Schaub (2005. Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Logic Programming and Nonmonotonic Reasoning (LPNMR'05), 53-65) refined the theorem on loop formulas attributable to Lin and Zhao (2004) by considering loop formulas of elementary loops only. In this paper, we reformulate the definition of an elementary loop, extend it to disjunctive programs, and study several properties of elementary loops, including how maximal elementary loops are related to minimal unfounded sets. The results provide useful insights into the stable model semantics in terms of elementary loops. For a nondisjunctive program, using a graph-theoretic characterization of an elementary loop, we show that the problem of recognizing an elementary loop is tractable. On the other hand, we also show that the corresponding problem is coNP-complete for a disjunctive program. Based on the notion of an elementary loop, we present the class of Head-Elementary-loop-Free (HEF) programs, which strictly generalizes the class of Head-Cycle-Free (HCF) programs attributable to Ben-Eliyahu and Dechter (1994. Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence 12, 53-87). Like an Ha: program, an HEF program can be turned into an equivalent nondisjunctive program in polynomial time by shifting head atoms into the body.}, language = {en} } @article{GebserKaufmannKaminskietal.2011, author = {Gebser, Martin and Kaufmann, Benjamin and Kaminski, Roland and Ostrowski, Max and Schaub, Torsten H. and Schneider, Marius}, title = {Potassco the Potsdam answer set solving collection}, series = {AI communications : AICOM ; the European journal on artificial intelligence}, volume = {24}, journal = {AI communications : AICOM ; the European journal on artificial intelligence}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOS Press}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0921-7126}, doi = {10.3233/AIC-2011-0491}, pages = {107 -- 124}, year = {2011}, abstract = {This paper gives an overview of the open source project Potassco, the Potsdam Answer Set Solving Collection, bundling tools for Answer Set Programming developed at the University of Potsdam.}, language = {en} } @article{GebserSabuncuSchaub2011, author = {Gebser, Martin and Sabuncu, Orkunt and Schaub, Torsten H.}, title = {An incremental answer set programming based system for finite model computation}, series = {AI communications : AICOM ; the European journal on artificial intelligence}, volume = {24}, journal = {AI communications : AICOM ; the European journal on artificial intelligence}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOS Press}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0921-7126}, doi = {10.3233/AIC-2011-0496}, pages = {195 -- 212}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We address the problem of Finite Model Computation (FMC) of first-order theories and show that FMC can efficiently and transparently be solved by taking advantage of a recent extension of Answer Set Programming (ASP), called incremental Answer Set Programming (iASP). The idea is to use the incremental parameter in iASP programs to account for the domain size of a model. The FMC problem is then successively addressed for increasing domain sizes until an answer set, representing a finite model of the original first-order theory, is found. We implemented a system based on the iASP solver iClingo and demonstrate its competitiveness by showing that it slightly outperforms the winner of the FNT division of CADE's 2009 Automated Theorem Proving (ATP) competition on the respective benchmark collection.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Gebser2011, author = {Gebser, Martin}, title = {Proof theory and algorithms for answer set programming}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-55425}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Answer Set Programming (ASP) is an emerging paradigm for declarative programming, in which a computational problem is specified by a logic program such that particular models, called answer sets, match solutions. ASP faces a growing range of applications, demanding for high-performance tools able to solve complex problems. ASP integrates ideas from a variety of neighboring fields. In particular, automated techniques to search for answer sets are inspired by Boolean Satisfiability (SAT) solving approaches. While the latter have firm proof-theoretic foundations, ASP lacks formal frameworks for characterizing and comparing solving methods. Furthermore, sophisticated search patterns of modern SAT solvers, successfully applied in areas like, e.g., model checking and verification, are not yet established in ASP solving. We address these deficiencies by, for one, providing proof-theoretic frameworks that allow for characterizing, comparing, and analyzing approaches to answer set computation. For another, we devise modern ASP solving algorithms that integrate and extend state-of-the-art techniques for Boolean constraint solving. We thus contribute to the understanding of existing ASP solving approaches and their interconnections as well as to their enhancement by incorporating sophisticated search patterns. The central idea of our approach is to identify atomic as well as composite constituents of a propositional logic program with Boolean variables. This enables us to describe fundamental inference steps, and to selectively combine them in proof-theoretic characterizations of various ASP solving methods. In particular, we show that different concepts of case analyses applied by existing ASP solvers implicate mutual exponential separations regarding their best-case complexities. We also develop a generic proof-theoretic framework amenable to language extensions, and we point out that exponential separations can likewise be obtained due to case analyses on them. We further exploit fundamental inference steps to derive Boolean constraints characterizing answer sets. They enable the conception of ASP solving algorithms including search patterns of modern SAT solvers, while also allowing for direct technology transfers between the areas of ASP and SAT solving. Beyond the search for one answer set of a logic program, we address the enumeration of answer sets and their projections to a subvocabulary, respectively. The algorithms we develop enable repetition-free enumeration in polynomial space without being intrusive, i.e., they do not necessitate any modifications of computations before an answer set is found. Our approach to ASP solving is implemented in clasp, a state-of-the-art Boolean constraint solver that has successfully participated in recent solver competitions. Although we do here not address the implementation techniques of clasp or all of its features, we present the principles of its success in the context of ASP solving.}, language = {en} }