Weak incidence algebra and maximal ring of quotients. (Q1777808)

For \(X\) a pre-ordered set with the property that each equivalence class of elements is finite and \(R\) a commutative ring, the authors define the weak incidence algebra, \(I^*(X,R)\), of \(X\) over \(R\) to be all functions \(f\colon X\times X\to R\) with finite support and having the additional property that \(f(x,y)=0\) whenever \(x\nleq y\). Operations are as in the definition of the incidence algebra. The convolution of the weak incidence algebra does not require that \(X\) is locally finite. In the case that \(R\) is indecomposable, the essential one-sided ideals of \(I^*(X,R)\) are determined and then used in a description of the one-sided maximal ring of quotients of the algebra. This gives rise to many examples of rings having non-isomorphic left and right maximal ring of quotients.