Designing efficient parallel algorithms on mech-connected computerswith multiple broadcasting

Semigroup and prefix computations on two-dimensional mesh-connected computers with multiple broadcasting (2-MCCMBs) are studied. Previously, only square 2-MCCMBs with N processing elements were considered for semigroup computations of N data items, and O(N^1/6) time was required. It is found that square machines are not the best form for semigroup computations, and an O(N^1/8)-time algorithm is derived on an N^5/8×N^3/8 rectangular 2-MCCMB. This time complexity can be further reduced to O(N^1/9) if fewer processing elements are used. Parallel algorithms for prefix computations with the same time complexities are derived     

A novel discrete relaxation architecture

The discrete relaxation algorithm (DRA) is a computational technique that enforces arc consistency (AC) in a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP). The original sequential AC-1 algorithm suffers from O(n³m³) time complexity, and even the optimal sequential AC-4 algorithm is O (n²m²) for an n-object and m-label DRA problem. Sample problem runs show that these algorithms are all too slow to meet the need for any useful, real-time CSP applications. A parallel DRA5 algorithm that reaches a lower bound of O(nm) (where the number of processors is polynomial in the problem size) is given. A fine-grained, massively parallel hardware computer architecture has been designed for the DRA5 algorithm. For practical problems, many orders of magnitude of efficiency improvement can be reached on such a hardware architecture     

On the imaging of fractal surfaces

An analysis is presented of the imaging of surfaces modeled by fractal Brownian elevation functions of the sort used in computer graphics. It is shown that, if Lambertian reflectance modest surface slopes and the absence of occlusions and self shadowing are assumed, a fractal surface with Fourier power spectrum proportional to f ^β produces an image with power spectrum proportional to f^2-β; here, f is the spatial frequency and β is related to the fractional dimension value. This allows one to use the spectral falloff of the images to predict the fractal dimension of the surface     

Comments on `Parallel algorithms for hierarchical clustering andcluster validity'

In the above-titled paper (ibid., vol.12, no.11, p.1088-92, Nov. 1990), parallel implementations of hierarchical clustering algorithms that achieve O(n²) computational time complexity and thereby improve on the baseline of sequential implementations are described. The latter are stated to be O( n³), with the exception of the single-link method. The commenter points out that state-of-the-art hierarchical clustering algorithms have O(n²) time complexity and should be referred to in preference to the O(n³ ) algorithms, which were described in many texts in the 1970s. Some further references in the parallelizing of hierarchic clustering algorithms are provided     

Odd even shifts in SIMD hypercubes

A linear-time algorithm is developed to perform all odd (even) length circular shifts of data in an SIMD (single-instruction-stream, multiple-data-stream) hypercube. As an application, the algorithm is used to obtain an O(M²+log N) time and O(1) memory per processor algorithm to compute the two-dimensional convolution of an N×N image and an M×M template on an N² processor SIMD hypercube. This improves the previous best complexity of O(M² log M+log N)     

Minimization of the L∞-induced norm forsampled-data systems

It is shown that given any degree of accuracy, there exists a standard discrete-time l¹ problem that can be determined a priori whose solution yields a controller that is almost optimal in terms of the hybrid L^∞-induced norm. This is accomplished by first converting the hybrid system into an equivalent infinite-dimensional discrete-time system using the lifting technique in continuous time, and then approximating the infinite-dimensional parts of the system which model the intersample dynamics. A thorough analysis of the approximation procedure is presented, and it is shown that it is convergent at the rate of 1/n . Explicit bounds that are independent of the controller are obtained to characterize the approximation. It is also shown that the geometry of the induced norm for the sampled-data problem is different from that of the standard l¹ norm, and hence there might not exist a linear isometry that maps the sampled-data problem exactly to a standard discrete-time problem     

Two-dimensional convolution on a pyramid computer

An algorithm for convolving a k×k window of weighting coefficients with an n×n image matrix on a pyramid computer of O(n²) processors in time O(logn+k²), excluding the time to load the image matrix, is presented. If k=Ω (√log n), which is typical in practice, the algorithm has a processor-time product O(n ² k²) which is optimal with respect to the usual sequential algorithm. A feature of the algorithm is that the mechanism for controlling the transmission and distribution of data in each processor is finite state, independent of the values of n and k. Thus, for convolving two {0, 1}-valued matrices using Boolean operations rather than the typical sum and product operations, the processors of the pyramid computer are finite-state     

Line-drawing interpretation: straight lines and conic sections

Line drawings of man-made scenes often exhibit instances of straight lines and conic sections, i.e. ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. Constraints imposed on the scene by such instances are investigated, under the assumption of general viewpoint, i.e. the mapping of the viewed surface onto the line drawing is stable under perturbation of the viewpoint within some open set. Both orthographic and perspective projection are considered. The viewed surfaces are assumed to be piecewise C³. It is shown that straight lines and conic sections in line drawings are projections of scene edges which are also straight lines and conic sections, respectively. It is also shown that scene events which project onto straight lines or conic sections cannot be combinations of view-point-independent and viewpoint-dependent edges. Further, continuous-surface-normal depth discontinuities which project onto straight lines can be locally described by developable surfaces, and those which project onto conic sections can be locally described by nondevelopable quadric surfaces. Each of these quadric surfaces is determined up to four degrees-of-freedom by its projection     

Memory and processing architecture for 3D voxel-based imagery

A versatile voxel-based architecture for 3-D volume visualization, called the Cube architecture, is introduced. A small-scale prototype of the architecture has been realized in hardware and has been operating in true real-time, faster than the alternative voxel systems. The Cube architecture is centered around a 3-D cubic frame buffer, of voxels, and it entertains three processors that access the frame buffer to input sampled and synthetic data, to manipulate the 3-D images, and to project and render them. To cope with the huge quantity of voxels and still perform in real-time, two special features were incorporated within the architecture: a unique skewed memory organization, which permits the retrieval and storage of voxels in parallel, and a multiple-write bus, which speeds up the viewing process. These features allow Cube, for example, to project an image of n³ voxels in O(n ² log n) time rather than the conventional O( n³) time     

Serial and parallel algorithms for the medial axis transform

An O(n²) time serial algorithm is developed for obtaining the medial axis transform (MAT) of an n×n image. An O(log n) time CREW PRAM algorithm and an O(log² n) time SIMD hypercube parallel algorithm for the MAT are also developed. Both of these use O(n²) processors. Two problems associated with the MAT, the area and perimeter reporting problem, are studied. An O(log n) time hypercube algorithm is developed for both of them, where n is the number of squares in the MAT, and the algorithms use O(n²) processors     

Parallel algorithms for hierarchical clustering and clustervalidity

Parallel algorithms on SIMD (single-instruction stream multiple-data stream) machines for hierarchical clustering and cluster validity computation are proposed. The machine model uses a parallel memory system and an alignment network to facilitate parallel access to both pattern matrix and proximity matrix. For a problem with N patterns, the number of memory accesses is reduced from O(N ³) on a sequential machine to O(N²) on an SIMD machine with N PEs     

Bicoprime factorizations of the plant and their relation to right and left-coprime factorizations

In a general algebraic framework, starting with a bicoprime factorization P=N_prD^-1 N_pl, a right-coprime factorization N_p D_p^-1, a left-coprime factorization D^-1_pN_p, and the generalized Bezout identities associated with the pairs (N_p, D_p) and (D˜ _p, N˜_p) are obtained. The set of all H-stabilizing compensators for P in the unity-feedback configuration S(P, C) are expressed in terms of (N_pr, D, N _pt) and the elements of the Bezout identity. The state-space representation P=C(sI-A)^-1B is included as an example     

Latin squares for parallel array access

A parallel memory system for efficient parallel array access using perfect latin squares as skewing functions is discussed. Simple construction methods for building perfect latin squares are presented. The resulting skewing scheme provides conflict free access to several important subsets of an array. The address generation can be performed in constant time with simple circuitry. The skewing scheme can provide constant time access to rows, columns, diagonals, and N^1/2 ×N^1/2 subarrays of an N× N array with maximum memory utilization. Self-routing Benes networks can be used to realize the permutations needed between the processing elements and the memory modules. Two skewing schemes that provide conflict free access to three-dimensional arrays are also discussed. Combined with self-routing Benes networks, these schemes provide efficient access to frequently used subsets of three-dimensional arrays     

An EREW PRAM algorithm for image component labeling

An important midlevel task for computer vision is addressed. The problem consists of labeling connected components in N^1/2 ×N^2/2 binary images. This task can be solved with parallel computers by using a simple and novel algorithm. The parallel computing model used is a synchronous fine-grained shared-memory model where only one processor can read from or write to the same memory location at a given time. This model is known as the exclusive-read exclusive-write parallel RAM (EREW PRAM). Using this model, the algorithm presented has O(log N) complexity. The algorithm can run on parallel machines other than the EREW PRAM. In particular, it offers an optimal image component labeling algorithm for mesh-connected computers     

A treatment of jw-axis model-matching transformation zerosin the optimal H2 and H∞control designs

A model-matching transformation (MMT) zero is defined as a rank-deficiency condition which prevents an H² or H^∞ optimal control problem from being transformed into an equivalent model-matching problem. By imposing saturation constraints and accounting for additive instrument noise in the sensor and actuator signals, all MMT zeros can be eliminated     

A vectorial algorithm for tracing discrete straight lines inN-dimensional generalized grids

This paper presents an algorithm to trace discrete straight lines in regular grids of any dimension. Most known line tracing algorithms have been developed in Z² and Z³ orthogonal grids. The contribution of this paper is the definition of a method to trace lines in nonorthogonal grids in any dimension. This method is not restricted to being used with a specific grid connectivity as other widespread methods are. Good performance can be achieved because only additions are used during line tracing     

A theory for multiresolution signal decomposition: the waveletrepresentation

Multiresolution representations are effective for analyzing the information content of images. The properties of the operator which approximates a signal at a given resolution were studied. It is shown that the difference of information between the approximation of a signal at the resolutions 2^j+1 and 2^j (where j is an integer) can be extracted by decomposing this signal on a wavelet orthonormal basis of L²(Rⁿ), the vector space of measurable, square-integrable n-dimensional functions. In L²(R), a wavelet orthonormal basis is a family of functions which is built by dilating and translating a unique function ψ(x). This decomposition defines an orthogonal multiresolution representation called a wavelet representation. It is computed with a pyramidal algorithm based on convolutions with quadrature mirror filters. Wavelet representation lies between the spatial and Fourier domains. For images, the wavelet representation differentiates several spatial orientations. The application of this representation to data compression in image coding, texture discrimination and fractal analysis is discussed     

A processor-time-minimal systolic array for cubical mesh algorithms

Using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) model of algorithms, the paper focuses on time-minimal multiprocessor schedules that use as few processors as possible. Such a processor-time-minimal scheduling of an algorithm's DAG first is illustrated using a triangular shaped 2-D directed mesh (representing, for example, an algorithm for solving a triangular system of linear equations). Then, algorithms represented by an n×n×n directed mesh are investigated. This cubical directed mesh is fundamental; it represents the standard algorithm for computing matrix product as well as many other algorithms. Completion of the cubical mesh required 3n-2 steps. It is shown that the number of processing elements needed to achieve this time bound is at least [3n^2/4]. A systolic array for the cubical directed mesh is then presented. It completes the mesh using the minimum number of steps and exactly [3n ^2/4] processing elements it is processor-time-minimal. The systolic array's topology is that of a hexagonally shaped, cylindrically connected, 2-D directed mesh     

A formal analysis of the fault-detecting ability of testing methods

Several relationships between software testing criteria, each induced by a relation between the corresponding multisets of subdomains, are examined. The authors discuss whether for each relation R and each pair of criteria, C₁ and C₂ , R(C₁, C₂) guarantees that C₁ is better at detecting faults than C₂ according to various probabilistic measures of fault-detecting ability. It is shown that the fact that C ₁ subsumes C₂ does not guarantee that C₁ is better at detecting faults. Relations that strengthen the subsumption relation and that have more bearing on fault-detecting ability are introduced