Sequential machine
Janusz Brzozowski · Encyclopedia of Computer Science · 2003
A sequential machine is a mathematical model of a certain type of simple computational structure. If a sequential machine has a finite number of states, it is frequently called a finite-state machine, or FSM. Sequential machines have numerous applications, for example, in asynchronous circuits, coding theory, con- current systems, digital circuit design, formal language theory, hardware testing, protocol design, and software and hardware verification.