On the heapability of finite partial orders

We investigate the partitioning of partial orders into a minimal number of heapable subsets. We prove a characterization result reminiscent of the proof of Dilworth's theorem, which yields as a byproduct a flow-based algorithm for computing such a minimal decomposition. On the other hand, in the particular case of sets and sequences of intervals we prove that this minimal decomposition can be computed by a simple greedy-type algorithm. The paper ends with a couple of open problems related to the analog of the Ulam-Hammersley problem for decompositions of sets and sequences of random intervals into heapable sets

Heapability, Interactive Particle Systems, Partial Orders: Results and Open Problems

International audienceWe outline results and open problems concerning partitioning of integer sequences and partial orders into heapable subsequences (previously defined and established by Byers et al.)

On the heapability of finite partial orders

We investigate the partitioning of partial orders into a minimal number of heapable subsets. We prove a characterization result reminiscent of the proof of Dilworth's theorem, which yields as a byproduct a flow-based algorithm for computing such a minimal decomposition. On the other hand, in the particular case of sets and sequences of intervals we prove that this minimal decomposition can be computed by a simple greedy-type algorithm. The paper ends with a couple of open problems related to the analog of the Ulam-Hammersley problem for decompositions of sets and sequences of random intervals into heapable sets