Decompositions of positive self-dual Boolean functions (Q1893164)

The authors investigate the decomposition of any positive self-dual Boolean function into smaller positive self-dual functions. This approach is used since it provides understanding on the representation and construction of various non-dominated coteries. They develop an algorithm for determination of a minimal canonical decomposition. Further, they provide a simple algorithm that often gives a decomposition ``close'' to minimal. Finally, they discuss the decomposition of a general self-dual function. In this reviewer's opinion, it would be most elegant and useful to find analogous results for Shannon's symmetric Boolean functions. Of course, it is known that the class of all self-dual symmetric Boolean functions with a certain simple restriction on the so-called \(a\)-numbers is empty; see e.g., the reviewer's note in IEEE Trans. Electron. Comput. EC-8, No. 4, 498-499 (1959).