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Rational functions from a free monoid into another are characterized by the finiteness of the index of some congruence naturally associated with the function. A sequential bimachine is constructed computing the function, which is completely canonical, and in some sense minimal. This generalizes the Nerode criterion and the minimal automaton of a rational language, and similar results for sequential functions.
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Reutenauer et al. (1991) studied this question.
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