OpenRaiser/Intern-Atlas huggingface dataset:
Tangle Machines
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

Tangle machines are topologically inspired diagrammatic models. Their novel feature is their natural notion of equivalence. Equivalent tangle machines may differ locally, but globally they are considered to share the same information content. The goal of tangle machine equivalence is to provide a context-independent method to select, from among many ways to perform a task, the `best' way to perform the task. The concept of equivalent tangle machines is illustrated through examples in which they represent recursive computations, networks of adiabatic quantum computations, and networks of distributed information processing.
Orthogonal Graph Drawing with Inflexible Edges
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2015
Year: 2015

We consider the problem of creating plane orthogonal drawings of 4-planar graphs (planar graphs with maximum degree 4) with constraints on the number of bends per edge. More precisely, we have a flexibility function assigning to each edge $e$ a natural number $\mathrm{flex}(e)$, its flexibility. The problem FlexDraw asks whether there exists an orthogonal drawing such that each edge $e$ has at most $\mathrm{flex}(e)$ bends. It is known that FlexDraw is NP-hard if $\mathrm{flex}(e) = 0$ for every edge $e$. On the other hand, FlexDraw can be solved efficiently if $\mathrm{flex}(e) \ge 1$ and is trivial if $\mathrm{flex}(e) \ge 2$ for every edge $e$. To close the gap between the NP-hardness for $\mathrm{flex}(e) = 0$ and the efficient algorithm for $\mathrm{flex}(e) \ge 1$, we investigate the computational complexity of FlexDraw in case only few edges are inflexible (i.e., have flexibility~$0$). We show that for any $\varepsilon > 0$ FlexDraw is NP-complete for instances with $O(n^\varepsilon)$ inflexible edges with pairwise distance $Ω(n^{1-\varepsilon})$ (including the case where they induce a matching). On the other hand, we give an FPT-algorithm with running time $O(2^k\cdot n \cdot T_{\mathrm{flow}}(n))$, where $T_{\mathrm{flow}}(n)$ is the time necessary to compute a maximum flow in a planar flow network with multiple sources and sinks, and $k$ is the number of inflexible edges having at least one endpoint of degree 4.
Design of Policy-Aware Differentially Private Algorithms
Venue: arXiv cs.DB 2015
Year: 2015

The problem of designing error optimal differentially private algorithms is well studied. Recent work applying differential privacy to real world settings have used variants of differential privacy that appropriately modify the notion of neighboring databases. The problem of designing error optimal algorithms for such variants of differential privacy is open. In this paper, we show a novel transformational equivalence result that can turn the problem of query answering under differential privacy with a modified notion of neighbors to one of query answering under standard differential privacy, for a large class of neighbor definitions. We utilize the Blowfish privacy framework that generalizes differential privacy. Blowfish uses a {\em policy graph} to instantiate different notions of neighboring databases. We show that the error incurred when answering a workload $\mathbf{W}$ on a database $\mathbf{x}$ under a Blowfish policy graph $G$ is identical to the error required to answer a transformed workload $f_G(\mathbf{W})$ on database $g_G(\mathbf{x})$ under standard differential privacy, where $f_G$ and $g_G$ are linear transformations based on $G$. Using this result, we develop error efficient algorithms for releasing histograms and multidimensional range queries under different Blowfish policies. We believe the tools we develop will be useful for finding mechanisms to answer many other classes of queries with low error under other policy graphs.
Improving Low Bit-Rate Video Coding using Spatio-Temporal Down-Scaling
Venue: arXiv cs.MM 2015
Year: 2015

Good quality video coding for low bit-rate applications is important for transmission over narrow-bandwidth channels and for storage with limited memory capacity. In this work, we develop a previous analysis for image compression at low bit-rates to adapt it to video signals. Improving compression using down-scaling in the spatial and temporal dimensions is examined. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that at low bit-rates, we benefit from applying spatio-temporal scaling. The proposed method includes down-scaling before the compression and a corresponding up-scaling afterwards, while the codec itself is left unmodified. We propose analytic models for low bit-rate compression and spatio-temporal scaling operations. Specifically, we use theoretic models of motion-compensated prediction of available and absent frames as in coding and frame-rate up-conversion (FRUC) applications, respectively. The proposed models are designed for multi-resolution analysis. In addition, we formulate a bit-allocation procedure and propose a method for estimating good down-scaling factors of a given video based on its second-order statistics and the given bit-budget. We validate our model with experimental results of H.264 compression.
Characterizing Information Spreading in Online Social Networks
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2015
Year: 2015

Online social networks (OSNs) are changing the way in which the information spreads throughout the Internet. A deep understanding of the information spreading in OSNs leads to both social and commercial benefits. In this paper, we characterize the dynamic of information spreading (e.g., how fast and widely the information spreads against time) in OSNs by developing a general and accurate model based on the Interactive Markov Chains (IMCs) and mean-field theory. This model explicitly reveals the impacts of the network topology on information spreading in OSNs. Further, we extend our model to feature the time-varying user behaviors and the ever-changing information popularity. The complicated dynamic patterns of information spreading are captured by our model using six key parameters. Extensive tests based on Renren's dataset validate the accuracy of our model, which demonstrate that it can characterize the dynamic patterns of video sharing in Renren precisely and predict future spreading tendency successfully.
A Scaling Law to Predict the Finite-Length Performance of Spatially-Coupled LDPC Codes
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

Spatially-coupled LDPC codes are known to have excellent asymptotic properties. Much less is known regarding their finite-length performance. We propose a scaling law to predict the error probability of finite-length spatially-coupled ensembles when transmission takes place over the binary erasure channel. We discuss how the parameters of the scaling law are connected to fundamental quantities appearing in the asymptotic analysis of these ensembles and we verify that the predictions of the scaling law fit well to the data derived from simulations over a wide range of parameters. The ultimate goal of this line of research is to develop analytic tools for the design of spatially-coupled LDPC codes under practical constraints.
Fulcrum Network Codes: A Code for Fluid Allocation of Complexity
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

This paper proposes Fulcrum network codes, a network coding framework that achieves three seemingly conflicting objectives: (i) to reduce the coding coefficient overhead to almost n bits per packet in a generation of n packets; (ii) to operate the network using only GF(2) operations at intermediate nodes if necessary, dramatically reducing complexity in the network; (iii) to deliver an end-to-end performance that is close to that of a high-field network coding system for high-end receivers while simultaneously catering to low-end receivers that decode in GF(2). As a consequence of (ii) and (iii), Fulcrum codes have a unique trait missing so far in the network coding literature: they provide the network with the flexibility to spread computational complexity over different devices depending on their current load, network conditions, or even energy targets in a decentralized way. At the core of our framework lies the idea of precoding at the sources using an expansion field GF(2h) to increase the number of dimensions seen by the network using a linear mapping. Fulcrum codes can use any high-field linear code for precoding, e.g., Reed-Solomon, with the structure of the precode determining some of the key features of the resulting code. For example, a systematic structure provides the ability to manage heterogeneous receivers while using the same data stream. Our analysis shows that the number of additional dimensions created during precoding controls the trade-off between delay, overhead, and complexity. Our implementation and measurements show that Fulcrum achieves similar decoding probability as high field Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) approaches but with encoders/decoders that are an order of magnitude faster.
Geotagging One Hundred Million Twitter Accounts with Total Variation Minimization
Venue: arXiv cs.SI 2015
Year: 2015

Geographically annotated social media is extremely valuable for modern information retrieval. However, when researchers can only access publicly-visible data, one quickly finds that social media users rarely publish location information. In this work, we provide a method which can geolocate the overwhelming majority of active Twitter users, independent of their location sharing preferences, using only publicly-visible Twitter data. Our method infers an unknown user's location by examining their friend's locations. We frame the geotagging problem as an optimization over a social network with a total variation-based objective and provide a scalable and distributed algorithm for its solution. Furthermore, we show how a robust estimate of the geographic dispersion of each user's ego network can be used as a per-user accuracy measure which is effective at removing outlying errors. Leave-many-out evaluation shows that our method is able to infer location for 101,846,236 Twitter users at a median error of 6.38 km, allowing us to geotag over 80\% of public tweets.
Syntax and Semantics of Linear Dependent Types
Venue: arXiv cs.LO 2015
Year: 2015

A type theory is presented that combines (intuitionistic) linear types with type dependency, thus properly generalising both intuitionistic dependent type theory and full linear logic. A syntax and complete categorical semantics are developed, the latter in terms of (strict) indexed symmetric monoidal categories with comprehension. Various optional type formers are treated in a modular way. In particular, we will see that the historically much-debated multiplicative quantifiers and identity types arise naturally from categorical considerations. These new multiplicative connectives are further characterised by several identities relating them to the usual connectives from dependent type theory and linear logic. Finally, one important class of models, given by families with values in some symmetric monoidal category, is investigated in detail.
Index Calculus in the Trace Zero Variety
Venue: arXiv cs.CR 2015
Year: 2015

We discuss how to apply Gaudry's index calculus algorithm for abelian varieties to solve the discrete logarithm problem in the trace zero variety of an elliptic curve. We treat in particular the practically relevant cases of field extensions of degree 3 or 5. Our theoretical analysis is compared to other algorithms present in the literature, and is complemented by results from a prototype implementation.
On Fundamental Trade-offs of Device-to-Device Communications in Large Wireless Networks
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

This paper studies the gains, in terms of served requests, attainable through out-of-band device-to-device (D2D) video exchanges in large cellular networks. A stochastic framework, in which users are clustered to exchange videos, is introduced, considering several aspects of this problem: the video-caching policy, user matching for exchanges, aspects regarding scheduling and transmissions. A family of \emph{admissible protocols} is introduced: in each protocol the users are clustered by means of a hard-core point process and, within the clusters, video exchanges take place. Two metrics, quantifying the "local" and "global" fraction of video requests served through D2D are defined, and relevant trade-off regions involving these metrics, as well as quality-of-service constraints, are identified. A simple communication strategy is proposed and analyzed, to obtain inner bounds to the trade-off regions, and draw conclusions on the performance attainable through D2D. To this end, an analysis of the time-varying interference that the nodes experience, and tight approximations of its Laplace transform are derived.
An Efficient Local Search for Partial Latin Square Extension Problem
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2015
Year: 2015

A partial Latin square (PLS) is a partial assignment of n symbols to an nxn grid such that, in each row and in each column, each symbol appears at most once. The partial Latin square extension problem is an NP-hard problem that asks for a largest extension of a given PLS. In this paper we propose an efficient local search for this problem. We focus on the local search such that the neighborhood is defined by (p,q)-swap, i.e., removing exactly p symbols and then assigning symbols to at most q empty cells. For p in {1,2,3}, our neighborhood search algorithm finds an improved solution or concludes that no such solution exists in O(n^{p+1}) time. We also propose a novel swap operation, Trellis-swap, which is a generalization of (1,q)-swap and (2,q)-swap. Our Trellis-neighborhood search algorithm takes O(n^{3.5}) time to do the same thing. Using these neighborhood search algorithms, we design a prototype iterated local search algorithm and show its effectiveness in comparison with state-of-the-art optimization solvers such as IBM ILOG CPLEX and LocalSolver.
Machine Learning in Wireless Sensor Networks: Algorithms, Strategies, and Applications
Venue: arXiv cs.NI 2015
Year: 2015

Wireless sensor networks monitor dynamic environments that change rapidly over time. This dynamic behavior is either caused by external factors or initiated by the system designers themselves. To adapt to such conditions, sensor networks often adopt machine learning techniques to eliminate the need for unnecessary redesign. Machine learning also inspires many practical solutions that maximize resource utilization and prolong the lifespan of the network. In this paper, we present an extensive literature review over the period 2002-2013 of machine learning methods that were used to address common issues in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The advantages and disadvantages of each proposed algorithm are evaluated against the corresponding problem. We also provide a comparative guide to aid WSN designers in developing suitable machine learning solutions for their specific application challenges.
A distributed block coordinate descent method for training $l_1$ regularized linear classifiers
Venue: arXiv cs.LG 2015
Year: 2015

Distributed training of $l_1$ regularized classifiers has received great attention recently. Most existing methods approach this problem by taking steps obtained from approximating the objective by a quadratic approximation that is decoupled at the individual variable level. These methods are designed for multicore and MPI platforms where communication costs are low. They are inefficient on systems such as Hadoop running on a cluster of commodity machines where communication costs are substantial. In this paper we design a distributed algorithm for $l_1$ regularization that is much better suited for such systems than existing algorithms. A careful cost analysis is used to support these points and motivate our method. The main idea of our algorithm is to do block optimization of many variables on the actual objective function within each computing node; this increases the computational cost per step that is matched with the communication cost, and decreases the number of outer iterations, thus yielding a faster overall method. Distributed Gauss-Seidel and Gauss-Southwell greedy schemes are used for choosing variables to update in each step. We establish global convergence theory for our algorithm, including Q-linear rate of convergence. Experiments on two benchmark problems show our method to be much faster than existing methods.
The persistent congestion problem of FAST-TCP: analysis and solutions
Venue: arXiv cs.NI 2015
Year: 2015

FAST-TCP achieves better performance than traditional TCP-Reno schemes, but unfortunately it is inherently unfair to older connections due to wrong estimations of the round-trip propagation delay. This paper presents a model for this anomalous behavior of FAST flows, known as the persistent congestion problem. We first develop an elementary analysis for a scenario with just two flows, and then build up the general case with an arbitrary number of flows. The model correctly quantifies how much unfairness shows up among the different connections, confirming experimental observations made by several previous studies. We built on this model to develop an algorithm to obtain a good estimate of the propagation delay for FAST-TCP that enables to achieve fairness between aged and new connections while preserving the high throughput and low buffer occupancy of the original protocol. Furthermore, our proposal only requires a modification of the sender host, avoiding the need to upgrade the intermediate routers in any way.
Limited Feedback Massive MISO Systems with Trellis Coded Quantization for Correlated Channels
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

In this paper, we propose trellis coded quantization (TCQ) based limited feedback techniques for massive multiple-input single-output (MISO) frequency division duplexing (FDD) systems in temporally and spatially correlated channels. We exploit the correlation present in the channel to effectively quantize channel direction information (CDI). For multiuser (MU) systems with matched-filter (MF) precoding, we show that the number of feedback bits required by the random vector quantization (RVQ) codebook to match even a small fraction of the perfect CDI signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) performance is large. With such large numbers of bits, the exhaustive search required by conventional codebook approaches make them infeasible for massive MISO systems. Motivated by this, we propose a differential TCQ scheme for temporally correlated channels that transforms the source constellation at each stage in a trellis using 2D translation and scaling techniques. We derive a scaling parameter for the source constellation as a function of the temporal correlation and the number of BS antennas. We also propose a TCQ based limited feedback scheme for spatially correlated channels where the channel is quantized directly without performing decorrelation at the receiver. Simulation results show that the proposed TCQ schemes outperform the existing noncoherent TCQ (NTCQ) schemes, by improving the spectral efficiency and beamforming gain of the system. The proposed differential TCQ also reduces the feedback overhead of the system compared to the differential NTCQ method.
Optimal Sampling-Based Motion Planning under Differential Constraints: the Drift Case with Linear Affine Dynamics
Venue: arXiv cs.RO 2015
Year: 2015

In this paper we provide a thorough, rigorous theoretical framework to assess optimality guarantees of sampling-based algorithms for drift control systems: systems that, loosely speaking, can not stop instantaneously due to momentum. We exploit this framework to design and analyze a sampling-based algorithm (the Differential Fast Marching Tree algorithm) that is asymptotically optimal, that is, it is guaranteed to converge, as the number of samples increases, to an optimal solution. In addition, our approach allows us to provide concrete bounds on the rate of this convergence. The focus of this paper is on mixed time/control energy cost functions and on linear affine dynamical systems, which encompass a range of models of interest to applications (e.g., double-integrators) and represent a necessary step to design, via successive linearization, sampling-based and provably-correct algorithms for non-linear drift control systems. Our analysis relies on an original perturbation analysis for two-point boundary value problems, which could be of independent interest.
An External-Memory Algorithm for String Graph Construction
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2015
Year: 2015

Some recent results have introduced external-memory algorithms to compute self-indexes of a set of strings, mainly via computing the Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT) of the input strings. The motivations for those results stem from Bioinformatics, where a large number of short strings (called reads) are routinely produced and analyzed. In that field, a fundamental problem is to assemble a genome from a large set of much shorter samples extracted from the unknown genome. The approaches that are currently used to tackle this problem are memory-intensive. This fact does not bode well with the ongoing increase in the availability of genomic data. A data structure that is used in genome assembly is the string graph, where vertices correspond to samples and arcs represent two overlapping samples. In this paper we address an open problem: to design an external-memory algorithm to compute the string graph.
Dijkstra meets Steiner: a fast exact goal-oriented Steiner tree algorithm
Venue: arXiv cs.DS 2015
Year: 2015

We present a new exact algorithm for the Steiner tree problem in edge-weighted graphs. Our algorithm improves the classical dynamic programming approach by Dreyfus and Wagner. We achieve a significantly better practical performance via pruning and future costs, a generalization of a well-known concept to speed up shortest path computations. Our algorithm matches the best known worst-case run time and has a fast, often superior, practical performance: on some large instances originating from VLSI design, previous best run times are improved upon by orders of magnitudes. We are also able to solve larger instances of the $d$-dimensional rectilinear Steiner tree problem for $d \in \{3, 4, 5\}$, whose Hanan grids contain up to several millions of edges.
On the state complexity of closures and interiors of regular languages with subwords and superwords
Venue: arXiv cs.FL 2015
Year: 2015

The downward and upward closures of a regular language $L$ are obtained by collecting all the subwords and superwords of its elements, respectively. The downward and upward interiors of $L$ are obtained dually by collecting words having all their subwords and superwords in $L$, respectively. We provide lower and upper bounds on the size of the smallest automata recognizing these closures and interiors. We also consider the computational complexity of decision problems for closures of regular languages.
The Volume-Correlation Subspace Detector
Venue: arXiv cs.IT 2015
Year: 2015

Detecting the presence of subspace signals with unknown clutter (or interference) is a widely known difficult problem encountered in various signal processing applications. Traditional methods fails to solve this problem because they require knowledge of clutter subspace, which has to be learned or estimated beforehand. In this paper, we propose a novel detector, named volume-correlation subspace detector, that can detect signal from clutter without any knowledge of clutter subspace. This detector effectively makes use of the hidden geometrical connection between the known target signal subspace to be detected and the subspace constructed from sampled data to ascertain the existence of target signal. It is derived based upon a mathematical tool, which basically calculates volume of parallelotope in high-dimensional linear space. Theoretical analysis show that while the proposed detector is detecting the known target signal, the unknown clutter signal can be explored and eliminated simultaneously. This advantage is called "detecting while learning", and implies perfect performance of this detector in the clutter environment. Numerical simulation validated our conclusion.