A Finite-Resolution Locking of the Fine-Structure Constant (V4): Deterministic and Non-Fitted Emergence from Minimal Update Rules

Important update: This is an earlier Alpha Locking record in the development path toward the current FDC/SCR structural readout framework. For the current compact structural readout record, including the updated readout near Φ_G ≈ 137.035999166, to be compared externally with CODATA 2022 α⁻¹ = 137.035999177, please see: SCR-v4: Structural Constant Readouts DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20069325 For the current formal framework behind the readout grammar, please see: FDC-v7: Finite Distinguishability Closure DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18926335 This earlier Alpha Locking record is retained as an archival development record. The current preferred references are SCR-v4 for numerical readouts and FDC-v7 for the formal closure framework. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We present a deterministic, non-fitted derivation of the inverse fine-structure constant α⁻¹ based solely on finite-resolution update rules.No empirical input, numerical fitting, or continuous tuning is employed. Once the spatial dimensionality is fixed, all discrete parameters (k, N_u, n, m*) are uniquely determined.The observed numerical value α⁻¹ ≃ 137.035999… then emerges as a consequence of finite-resolution locking, rather than empirical adjustment. The construction is fully reproducible by finite algorithms, and the locking decision depends only on discrete differences, making the result reference-free in the decision step.An algorithmic interpretation clarifies the information-theoretic meaning of the resolution index and background update depth. This is Version 4 of the manuscript.It supersedes previous versions (v1–v3) by providing a fully consistent,non-fitted, and algorithmically reproducible formulation.Earlier versions remain available for record and comparison. GitHub reference implementation: https://github.com/tetsuya-momose/alpha-locking