Discrete, q-difference deformations of associative algebras and integrable systems

Discrete and q-difference deformations of the structure constants for a class of associative noncommutative algebras are studied. It is shown that these deformations are governed by a central system of discrete or q-difference equations which in particular cases represent discrete and q-difference versions of the oriented associativity equation. It is demonstrated also that the celebrated Hirota-Miwa bilinear equation for the AKP and BKP hierarchies describes discrete deformations of certain finite-dimensional algebras.