Method for automatically producing an implicit representation of the prime implicants of a function

摘要

The invention provides a method for automatically producing, in a memory zone of a data-processing device, an implicit representation of the prime implicants of a Boolean function, using that device. A Boolean function is represented, in another memory zone of that device, in the form of a binary decision diagram (f) of that function. The implicit representation is obtained from the decision diagram, by taking recursive paths across that diagram to find intermediate elements, which are then combined after each recursion. Each intermediate element uses occurrence variables (O.sub.1, . . . ,O.sub.n) and sign variables (S.sub. 1, . . . ,S. sub.n). Means are used to obtain standardized intermediate elements during their creation, thus reducing memory consumption, and means of combining the intermediate elements after their standardization.