Let be a -graded vector space, and a collection of -ary maps that make an -algebra. If there is a collection of maps
each graded-symmetric for satisfying the identities
where the sign exponent is defined as
then is called a weak open-closed homotopy algebra (weak OCHA).
If furthermore one has that then this is an open-closed homotopy algebra (OCHA).
Properties
By definition, is a Lie-infinity-algebra. Furthermore, given a (weak) OCHA one can show that is an (weak) A-infinity algebra. These are interpreted as the closed, and open sectors, respectively (see string field theory for more on this).