The bisimulation proof method can be enhanced by employing `bisimulations up-to' techniques. A comprehensive theory of such enhancements has been developed for first-order (i.e., CCS-like) labelled transition systems (LTSs) and bisimilarity, based on abstract fixed-point theory and compatible functions. We transport this theory onto languages whose bisimilarity and LTS go beyond those of first-order models. The approach consists in exhibiting fully abstract translations of the more sophisticated LTSs and bisimilarities onto the first-order ones. This allows us to reuse directly the large corpus of up-to techniques that are available on first-order LTSs. The only ingredient that has to be manually supplied is the compatibility of basic up-to techniques that are specific to the new languages. We investigate the method on the pi-calculus, the lambda-calculus, and a (call-by-value) lambda-calculus with references.

@article{paperbot1279,
  title = {Modular coinduction up-to for higher-order languages via first-order transition systems},
  author = {Jean-Marie Madiot and Damien Pous and Davide Sangiorgi},
  journal = {Logical Methods in Computer Science},
  volume = {Volume 17, Issue 3},
  year = {2021},
  doi = {10.46298/lmcs-17(3:25)2021}
}