MACHINE (Finite state
Charles François (2004). MACHINE (Finite state, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1967.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1967 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
- “Any device that has a specific number - i.e. a finite number - of possible conditions” (M. CAUDILL, 1992, p.46).
M. CAUDILL writes: “The best everyday example of a finite state machine is a traffic light. A simple traffic light can be in any one of four possible states . There are no other possible states for that traffic light … It never, for example, has all three lights on… Each of the three lights is either on or off, and each of the states is well defined and predictable. Furthermore well defined transitions exist between thestates ” (p. 46).
In this precise case, it should be added that the different meanings attached to the different states results of a significant semantic code that must be learned independently.
See also
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