A Generalized Arc-Consistency Algorithm for a Class of Counting Constraints:Revised Edition that Incorporates One Correction

CoRR, abs/1110.4719This paper introduces the SEQ BIN meta-constraint with a polytime algorithm achieving generalized arc-consistency according to some properties. SEQ BIN can be used for encoding counting constraints such as CHANGE, SMOOTH or INCREASING NVALUE. For some of these constraints and some of their variants GAC can be enforced with a time and space complexity linear in the sum of domain sizes, which improves or equals the best known results of the literature