A Computational Comparison of Optimization Methods for the Golomb Ruler Problem

The Golomb ruler problem is defined as follows: Given a positive integer n, locate n marks on a ruler such that the distance between any two distinct pair of marks are different from each other and the total length of the ruler is minimized. The Golomb ruler problem has applications in information theory, astronomy and communications, and it can be seen as a challenge for combinatorial optimization algorithms. Although constructing high quality rulers is well-studied, proving optimality is a far more challenging task. In this paper, we provide a computational comparison of different optimization paradigms, each using a different model (linear integer, constraint programming and quadratic integer) to certify that a given Golomb ruler is optimal. We propose several enhancements to improve the computational performance of each method by exploring bound tightening, valid inequalities, cutting planes and branching strategies. We conclude that a certain quadratic integer programming model solved through a Benders decomposition and strengthened by two types of valid inequalities performs the best in terms of solution time for small-sized Golomb ruler problem instances. On the other hand, a constraint programming model improved by range reduction and a particular branching strategy could have more potential to solve larger size instances due to its promising parallelization features

Tensor Network alternating linear scheme for MIMO Volterra system identification

This article introduces two Tensor Network-based iterative algorithms for the identification of high-order discrete-time nonlinear multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Volterra systems. The system identification problem is rewritten in terms of a Volterra tensor, which is never explicitly constructed, thus avoiding the curse of dimensionality. It is shown how each iteration of the two identification algorithms involves solving a linear system of low computational complexity. The proposed algorithms are guaranteed to monotonically converge and numerical stability is ensured through the use of orthogonal matrix factorizations. The performance and accuracy of the two identification algorithms are illustrated by numerical experiments, where accurate degree-10 MIMO Volterra models are identified in about 1 second in Matlab on a standard desktop pc