Partitioned List Algorithms for Prime Implicant Determination from Canonical Forms

The structure of the algorithms implementing Quine's method for prime implicant determination is analyzed, and a new class of algorithms-partitioned list algorithms-for Quine's method is derived. Such algorithms are of particular interest for actual computation because they permit 1) avoiding repetitions while generating clauses, 2) representing each clause by only one binary configuration, 3) reducing memory capacity requirements, and 4) applying the basic operations by means of nonexhaustive techniques.