Cubical CAMP for minimization of Boolean functions

The paper presents QCAMP, a cube-based algorithm for minimization of single Boolean functions. The algorithm does not generate all the prime cubes, nor does it require the Off-set of the function. Two significant contributions of QCAMP are the UNATE TEST which tests if a given function is a unate function, and the BISECT procedure which minimizes a cyclic function without taking recourse to branching. A well known property of a unate function is that the prime cubes subsuming a unate function are all essential prime cubes. Hence as soon as a function passes the UNATE TEST, all its prime cubes are recognized as solution cubes without any further processing. Many special functions, such as both the On and Off-sets of Achilles' heel functions which ESPRESSO II finds hard to minimize are also unate functions. Consequently, as will be evident from the computational results QCAMP exhibits far better performance compared to ESPRESSO II in all such and many other functions.