We present a data structure representing a dynamic set S of w-bit integers on
a w-bit word RAM. With |S|=n and w > log n and space O(n), we support the
following standard operations in O(log n / log w) time:
- insert(x) sets S = S + {x}. - delete(x) sets S = S - {x}. - predecessor(x)
returns max{y in S | y= x}. -
rank(x) returns #{y in S | y< x}. - select(i) returns y in S with rank(y)=i, if
any.
Our O(log n/log w) bound is optimal for dynamic rank and select, matching a
lower bound of Fredman and Saks [STOC'89]. When the word length is large, our
time bound is also optimal for dynamic predecessor, matching a static lower
bound of Beame and Fich [STOC'99] whenever log n/log w=O(log w/loglog w).
Technically, the most interesting aspect of our data structure is that it
supports all the above operations in constant time for sets of size n=w^{O(1)}.
This resolves a main open problem of Ajtai, Komlos, and Fredman [FOCS'83].
Ajtai et al. presented such a data structure in Yao's abstract cell-probe model
with w-bit cells/words, but pointed out that the functions used could not be
implemented. As a partial solution to the problem, Fredman and Willard
[STOC'90] introduced a fusion node that could handle queries in constant time,
but used polynomial time on the updates. We call our small set data structure a
dynamic fusion node as it does both queries and updates in constant time.Comment: Presented with different formatting in Proceedings of the 55nd IEEE
Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science (FOCS), 2014, pp. 166--175. The
new version fixes a bug in one of the bounds stated for predecessor search,
pointed out to me by Djamal Belazzougu
