Constant-Depth Sorting Networks

In this paper, we address sorting networks that are constructed from comparators of arity k > 2. I.e., in our setting the arity of the comparators - or, in other words, the number of inputs that can be sorted at the unit cost - is a parameter. We study its relationship with two other parameters - n, the number of inputs, and d, the depth. This model received considerable attention. Partly, its motivation is to better understand the structure of sorting networks. In particular, sorting networks with large arity are related to recursive constructions of ordinary sorting networks. Additionally, studies of this model have natural correspondence with a recent line of work on constructing circuits for majority functions from majority gates of lower fan-in. Motivated by these questions, we initiate the studies of lower bounds for constant-depth sorting networks. More precisely, we consider sorting networks of constant depth d and estimate the minimal k for which there is such a network with comparators of arity k. We prove tight lower bounds for d ? 4. More precisely, for depths d = 1,2 we observe that k = n. For d = 3 we show that k = ?n/2?. As our main result, we show that for d = 4 the minimal arity becomes sublinear: k = ?(n^{2/3}). This contrasts with the case of majority circuits, in which k = O(n^{2/3}) is achievable already for depth d = 3. To prove these results, we develop a new combinatorial technique based on the notion of access to cells of a sorting network

Towards Simpler Sorting Networks and Monotone Circuits for Majority

In this paper, we study the problem of computing the majority function by low-depth monotone circuits and a related problem of constructing low-depth sorting networks. We consider both the classical setting with elementary operations of arity $2$ and the generalized setting with operations of arity $k$, where $k$ is a parameter. For both problems and both settings, there are various constructions known, the minimal known depth being logarithmic. However, there is currently no known construction that simultaneously achieves sub-log-squared depth, effective constructability, simplicity, and has a potential to be used in practice. In this paper we make progress towards resolution of this problem. For computing majority by standard monotone circuits (gates of arity 2) we provide an explicit monotone circuit of depth $O(\log_2^{5/3} n)$. The construction is a combination of several known and not too complicated ideas. For arbitrary arity of gates $k$ we provide a new sorting network architecture inspired by representation of inputs as a high-dimensional cube. As a result we provide a simple construction that improves previous upper bound of $4 \log_k^2 n$ to $2 \log_k^2 n$. We prove the similar bound for the depth of the circuit computing majority of $n$ bits consisting of gates computing majority of $k$ bits. Note, that for both problems there is an explicit construction of depth $O(\log_k n)$ known, but the construction is complicated and the constant hidden in $O$-notation is huge