25,082 research outputs found
Quantization as Histogram Segmentation: Optimal Scalar Quantizer Design in Network Systems
An algorithm for scalar quantizer design on discrete-alphabet sources is proposed. The proposed algorithm can be used to design fixed-rate and entropy-constrained conventional scalar quantizers, multiresolution scalar quantizers, multiple description scalar quantizers, and Wyner–Ziv scalar quantizers. The algorithm guarantees globally optimal solutions for conventional fixed-rate scalar quantizers and entropy-constrained scalar quantizers. For the other coding scenarios, the algorithm yields the best code among all codes that meet a given convexity constraint. In all cases, the algorithm run-time is polynomial in the size of the source alphabet. The algorithm derivation arises from a demonstration of the connection between scalar quantization, histogram segmentation, and the shortest path problem in a certain directed acyclic graph
Universal and Robust Distributed Network Codes
Random linear network codes can be designed and implemented in a distributed
manner, with low computational complexity. However, these codes are classically
implemented over finite fields whose size depends on some global network
parameters (size of the network, the number of sinks) that may not be known
prior to code design. Also, if new nodes join the entire network code may have
to be redesigned.
In this work, we present the first universal and robust distributed linear
network coding schemes. Our schemes are universal since they are independent of
all network parameters. They are robust since if nodes join or leave, the
remaining nodes do not need to change their coding operations and the receivers
can still decode. They are distributed since nodes need only have topological
information about the part of the network upstream of them, which can be
naturally streamed as part of the communication protocol.
We present both probabilistic and deterministic schemes that are all
asymptotically rate-optimal in the coding block-length, and have guarantees of
correctness. Our probabilistic designs are computationally efficient, with
order-optimal complexity. Our deterministic designs guarantee zero error
decoding, albeit via codes with high computational complexity in general. Our
coding schemes are based on network codes over ``scalable fields". Instead of
choosing coding coefficients from one field at every node, each node uses
linear coding operations over an ``effective field-size" that depends on the
node's distance from the source node. The analysis of our schemes requires
technical tools that may be of independent interest. In particular, we
generalize the Schwartz-Zippel lemma by proving a non-uniform version, wherein
variables are chosen from sets of possibly different sizes. We also provide a
novel robust distributed algorithm to assign unique IDs to network nodes.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, under submission to INFOCOM 201
On the utility of network coding in dynamic environments
Many wireless applications, such as ad-hoc networks and sensor networks, require decentralized operation in dynamically varying environments. We consider a distributed randomized network coding approach that enables efficient decentralized operation of multi-source multicast networks. We show that this approach provides substantial benefits over traditional routing methods in dynamically varying environments. We present a set of empirical trials measuring the performance of network coding versus an approximate online Steiner tree routing approach when connections vary dynamically. The results show that network coding achieves superior performance in a significant fraction of our randomly generated network examples. Such dynamic settings represent a substantially broader class of networking problems than previously recognized for which network coding shows promise of significant practical benefits compared to routing
- …