A new graph perspective on max-min fairness in Gaussian parallel channels

In this work we are concerned with the problem of achieving max-min fairness in Gaussian parallel channels with respect to a general performance function, including channel capacity or decoding reliability as special cases. As our central results, we characterize the laws which determine the value of the achievable max-min fair performance as a function of channel sharing policy and power allocation (to channels and users). In particular, we show that the max-min fair performance behaves as a specialized version of the Lovasz function, or Delsarte bound, of a certain graph induced by channel sharing combinatorics. We also prove that, in addition to such graph, merely a certain 2-norm distance dependent on the allowable power allocations and used performance functions, is sufficient for the characterization of max-min fair performance up to some candidate interval. Our results show also a specific role played by odd cycles in the graph induced by the channel sharing policy and we present an interesting relation between max-min fairness in parallel channels and optimal throughput in an associated interference channel.Comment: 41 pages, 8 figures. submitted to IEEE Transactions on Information Theory on August the 6th, 200

Minimal Obstructions for Partial Representations of Interval Graphs

Interval graphs are intersection graphs of closed intervals. A generalization of recognition called partial representation extension was introduced recently. The input gives an interval graph with a partial representation specifying some pre-drawn intervals. We ask whether the remaining intervals can be added to create an extending representation. Two linear-time algorithms are known for solving this problem. In this paper, we characterize the minimal obstructions which make partial representations non-extendible. This generalizes Lekkerkerker and Boland's characterization of the minimal forbidden induced subgraphs of interval graphs. Each minimal obstruction consists of a forbidden induced subgraph together with at most four pre-drawn intervals. A Helly-type result follows: A partial representation is extendible if and only if every quadruple of pre-drawn intervals is extendible by itself. Our characterization leads to a linear-time certifying algorithm for partial representation extension