Ordering sequences by permutation transducers

To extend a natural concept of equivalence of sequences to two-sided infinite sequences, the notion of permutation transducer is introduced. Requiring the underlying automaton to be deterministic in two directions, it provides the means to rewrite bi-infinite sequences. The first steps in studying the ensuing hierarchy of equivalence classes of bi-infinite sequences are taken, by describing the classes of ultimately periodic two-sided infinite sequences. It is important to make a distinction between unpointed and pointed sequences, that is, whether or not sequences are considered equivalent up to shifts. While one-sided ultimately periodic sequences form a single equivalence class under ordinary transductions, which is shown to split into two under permutation transductions, in the twosided case there are three unpointed and seven pointed equivalence classes under permutation transduction.