Lower Bounds for Merging Networks

A lower bound theorem is established for the number of comparators in a merging network. Let M(m, n) be the least number of comparators required in the (m, n)-merging networks, and let C(m, n) be the number of comparators in Batcher's (m, n)-merging network, respectively. We prove for n≥1 that M(4, n)=C(4, n) for n≡0, 1, 3 mod 4, M(4, n)≥C(4, n)−1 for n≡2 mod 4, and M(5, n)=C(5, n) for n≡0, 1, 5 mod 8. Furthermore Batcher's (6, 8k+6)-, (7, 8k+7)-, and (8, 8k+8)-merging networks are optimal for k≥0. Our lower bound for (m, n)-merging networks, m≤n, has the same terms as C(m, n) has as far as n is concerned. Thus Batcher's (m, n)-merging network is optimal up to a constant number of comparators, where the constant depends only on m. An open problem posed by Yao and Yao (Lower bounds on merging networks, J. Assoc. Comput. Mach.23, 566–571) is solved: lim_n→∞M(m, n)/n=log m/2+m/2^{log m}.     

Evolutionary Design of Arbitrarily Large Sorting Networks Using Development

An evolutionary algorithm is combined with an application-specific developmental scheme in order to evolve efficient arbitrarily large sorting networks. First, a small sorting network (that we call the embryo) has to be prepared to solve the trivial instance of a problem. Then the evolved program (the constructor) is applied on the embryo to create a larger sorting network (solving a larger instance of the problem). Then the same constructor is used to create a new instance of the sorting network from the created larger sorting network and so on. The proposed approach allowed us to rediscover the conventional principle of insertion which is traditionally used for constructing large sorting networks. Furthermore, the principle was improved by means of the evolutionary technique. The evolved sorting networks exhibit a lower implementation cost and delay.     

A Parallel Algorithm for Traffic Control Problems in Three-Stage Connecting Networks

A parallel heuristic algorithm for traffic control problems in three-stage connecting networks is presented in this paper. A three-stage connecting network consists of an input crossbar switching stage, an intermediate crossbar switching stage, and an output crossbar switching stage. The goal of our algorithm is to quickly and efficiently find a conflict-free switching assignment for communication demands through the network. The algorithm requires n² × m processing elements for the network composed of n input/output switches and m intermediate switches, where it runs not only on a sequential machine, but also on a parallel machine with maximally n² × m processors. The algorithm was verified by 1100 simulation runs with the network size from 10² × 7 to 50² × 27. The simulation results show that the algorithm can find a solution in nearly constant time with n² × m processors.     

A Partitioning Selection Algorithm on Multiprocessors

The so-called(m,n)selection problem is the problem of selecting the m smallest(orlargest)elements from n given numbers(n>m).With the development of parallel computers,much attention has been paid to the design of efficient algorithms of(m,n)problem for thesemachines.The parallel selection algorithm has been successful on networks,but seldom studiedon the multiprocessing systems.This paper,based on a partitioning approach,proposes apartitioning algorithm of selection on multiprocessors using Valiant's merging and sortingschemes.By means of this algorithm,(m,n)selection problem can be completed in parallel n/2processors in time O(loguloglogm-log(n/m)loglog(n/m)).     

The New Class of g-Chain Periodic Sorters

Aperiodic sorteris a sorting network that is a cascade of a number of identicalblocks, where outputiof each block is inputiof the next block. Previously, Dowd, Perl, Rudolph, and Saks introduced thebalancedmerging network, withN=2^kinputs/outputs and log Nstages of comparators. Using a very intricate proof, they showed that a cascade of log Nsuch blocks constitutes a sorting network. In this paper, we introduce a large class of merging networks with the same periodic property. This class contains 2^N/2−1networks, whereN=2^kis the number of inputs. The balanced merger is one network in this class. Other networks use fewer comparators. We provide a very simple and elegant correctness proof based on the recursive structure of the networks.     

A Nonoblivious Bus Access Scheme Yields an Optimal Partial Sorting Algorithm

This paper focuses on a linear array ofnnodes withmultiple shared busesas a practically feasible model for parallel processing. Letkbe the number of shared buses. A nonoblivious scheme for mutually exclusive access tokshared buses is proposed. The effectiveness of the scheme is demonstrated by proposing an algorithm for solving a partial sort problem, which can be efficiently executed on the array according to the scheme. Thepartial sort problemwith parametermis the problem of sorting a subsetS′ of a given setS, whereS′ is the set of elements less than or equal to themth smallest element inS. Ifm= 1, then it is solved by an algorithm for finding the smallest element inS, and ifm=n, then it is solved by adapting normal sorting algorithm. The time complexity (9m/k) log₂log₂n+ 3.467[formula]+O(m/k+ (n/k)^1/4) of the proposed algorithm matches a lower bound Ω ([formula]+m/k) with respect tonandk, ifmis small enough to satisfym=O([formula]/log logn).     

Fast integer merging on the EREW PRAM

We investigate the complexity of merging sequences of small integers on the EREW PRAM. Our most surprising result is that two sorted sequences ofn bits each can be merged inO(log logn) time. More generally, we describe an algorithm to merge two sorted sequences ofn integers drawn from the set {0, ...,m?1} inO(log logn+log min{n, m}) time with an optimal time-processor product. No sublogarithmic-time merging algorithm for this model of computation was previously known. On the other hand, we show a lower bound of Ω(log min{n, m}) on the time needed to merge two sorted sequences of lengthn each with elements drawn from the set {0, ...,m?1}, implying that our merging algorithm is as fast as possible form=(logn)^Ω(1). If we impose an additional stability condition requiring the elements of each input sequence to appear in the same order in the output sequence, the time complexity of the problem becomes Θ(logn), even form=2. Stable merging is thus harder than nonstable merging.     

A Bitonic Selection Algorithm on Multiprocessor System

The so-called (m, n) selection problem is defined as the selection of them smallest (or largest) numbers fromn given numbers (n>m). Solving this problem in parallel mode has been successful on the networks, but it is seldom studied on the multiprocessor systems. This paper first, based on Batcher’s principle of bitonic merging, proposes the bitonic selection network. Then it repeals the varying rule of the pivots in all successive ranks of the network through our observation to the data transfer property in the network. Finally, according to this rule, the parallel selection algorithm with running timeO (lognlogm)¹⁾ onn processors is presented. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China under Grant Tech.-85217.     

A multiway merge sorting network

A multiway merge sorting network is presented, which generalizes the technique used in the odd-even merge sorting network. The merging network described here is composed of m k-way mergers and a combining network. It arranges k ordered lists of length n each into one ordered lists in T(k)+[log₂k] [log₂m] [log₂m] steps, where T(k) is the number of steps needed to sort k keys in order; and k and m are any integers no longer restricted to 2     

An ideal multi-secret sharing scheme based on MSP

A multi-secret sharing scheme is a protocol to share m arbitrarily related secrets s₁, … , s_m among a set of n participants. In this paper, we propose an ideal linear multi-secret sharing scheme, based on monotone span programs, where each subset of the set of participants may have the associated secret. Our scheme can be used to meet the security requirement in practical applications, such as secure group communication and privacy preserving data mining etc. We also prove that our proposed scheme satisfies the definition of a perfect multi-secret sharing scheme.     

Distributed sorting algorithms for multi-channel broadcast networks

A multi-channel broadcast network is a distributed computation model in which p independent processors communicate over a set of p shared broadcast channels. Computation proceeds in synchronous cycles, during each of which the processors first write and read the channels, then perform local computations. Performance is measured in terms of the number of cycles used in the computation, where each bit to be transmitted is assumed to require a separate cycle. In this paper we investigate the problem of sorting p bit strings of uniform length m, each string initially located at a different processor in the broadcast network. We develop an efficient sorting method that first reduces the length of the strings without affecting their relative order, then proceeds using only the shorter strings. A sequence of three successively improved algorithms based on this approach is presented, the best of which runs in O(m + p log p) cycles. By showing a lower bound of Ω(m) cycles, we prove that the algorithm is optimal for sufficiently large m. Our results improve by a factor of log p the solution of the multiple identification problem presented by Landau, Yung and Galil (1985).     

Implementing Shared Memory on Mesh-Connected Computers and on the Fat-Tree

We present deterministic upper and lower bounds on the slowdown required to simulate an (n, m)-PRAM on a variety of networks. The upper bounds are based on a novel scheme that exploits the splitting and combining of messages. This scheme can be implemented on an n-node d-dimensional mesh (for constant d) and on an n-leaf pruned butterfly and attains the smallest worst-case slowdown to date for such interconnections, namely, O(n^1/d(log(m/n))^1-1/d) for the d-dimensional mesh (with constant d) and O( ) for the pruned butterfly. In fact, the simulation on the pruned butterfly is the first PRAM simulation scheme on an area-universal network. Finally, we prove restricted and unrestricted lower bounds on the slowdown of any deterministic PRAM simulation on an arbitrary network, formulated in terms of the bandwidth properties of the interconnection as expressed by its decomposition tree.     

An approximation method for high-order fractional derivatives of algebraically singular functions

The fractional derivative D^qf(s) (0≤s≤1) of a given function f(s) with a positive non-integer q is defined in terms of an indefinite integral. We propose a uniform approximation scheme to D^qf(s) for algebraically singular functions f(s)=s^αg(s) (α>−1) with smooth functions g(s). The present method consists of interpolating g(s) at sample points t_j in [0,1] by a finite sum of the Chebyshev polynomials. We demonstrate that for the non-negative integer m such that m<q<m+1, the use of high-order derivatives g⁽ⁱ⁾(0) and g⁽ⁱ⁾(1) (0≤i≤m) at both ends of [0,1] as well as g(t_j), t_j∈[0,1] in interpolating g(s), is essential to uniformly approximate D^q{s^αg(s)} for 0≤s≤1 when α≥q−m−1. Some numerical examples in the simplest case 1<q<2 are included.     

A recursive algorithm for the reliability of a circular connected-(r,s)-out-of-(m,n):F lattice system

A circular connected-(r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system consists of m×n components arranged in a cylindrical grid. Each of m circles has n components, and this system fails if and only if there exists a grid of size r ×s which all components are failed. A circular connected-(r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system might be used in reliability models for ‘Feelers for measuring temperature on reaction chamber’ and ‘TFT Liquid Crystal Display system with 360° wide area’.In this study, we proposed a new recursive algorithm for obtaining the reliability of a circular connected-(r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system. We evaluated our proposed algorithms in terms of computing time and memory capacity. Furthermore, a numerical experiment comparing our proposed algorithm with Yamamoto and Miyakawa's algorithm [Yamamoto, H., & Miyakawa, M. (1996). Reliability of circular connected-(r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system. Journal of the Operations Research Society of Japan, 39(3), 389–406] showed that our proposed algorithm is more effective for systems with a large n.     

A generalization of the 0-1 principle for sorting

The traditional zero-one principle for sorting networks states that “if a network with n input lines sorts alln² binary sequences into nondecreasing order, then it will sort any arbitrary sequence of n numbers into nondecreasing order”. We generalize this to the situation when a network sorts almost all binary sequences and relate it to the behavior of the sorting network on arbitrary inputs. We also present an application to mesh sorting.     

An Optimal Fault-Tolerant Nonredundant Broadcasting Scheme in Injured Hypercubes

We propose a nonredundant broadcasting scheme for injured hypercube multicomputers with direct-connection capability, that is, where each hypercube node has a separate router. The proposed scheme is first presented to cover faulty links only. Under the assumption that no more than n − 1 faulty links exist in an injured n-cube, the proposed scheme is optimal in the sense that it generates a spanning binomial tree from a given node whenever there exists such a tree originated from that node. The scheme is also extended to cover both node and link faults. Although the extended scheme is no longer optimal, we show that by using the extended scheme the maximum number of routing steps required from the source node s to any other node a is H(s, a) + 2, where H stands for the Hamming distance. The proposed scheme uses global network information. Evaluation studies show that the proposed scheme achieves optimal broadcasting a high percentage of times.     

Universal routing schemes

Summary.  In this paper, we deal with the compact routing problem, that is implementing routing schemes that use a minimum memory size on each router. A universal routing scheme is a scheme that applies to all n-node networks. In [31], Peleg and Upfal showed that one cannot implement a universal routing scheme with less than a total of Ω(n ^1+1/(2s+4)) memory bits for any given stretch factor s≧1. We improve this bound for stretch factors s, 1≦s<2, by proving that any near-shortest path universal routing scheme uses a total of Ω(n ²) memory bits in the worst-case. This result is obtained by counting the minimum number of routing functions necessary to route on all n-node networks. Moreover, and more fundamentally, we give a tight bound of Θ(n log n) bits for the local minimum memory requirement of universal routing scheme of stretch factors s, 1≦s<2. More precisely, for any fixed constant ɛ, 0<ɛ<1, there exists a n-node network G on which at least Ω(n ^ɛ) routers require Θ(n log n) bits each to code any routing function on G of stretch factor <2. This means that, whatever you choose the routing scheme, there exists a network on which one cannot compress locally the routing information better than routing tables do. Received: August 1995 / Accepted: August 1996     

一种新的多路归并排序网络

文中提出了一种新的多路归并排序网络,该网络基于倾斜与振荡多路归并排序算法．该网络有两个主要特点．一是其基本构件为ｋ－ｓｏｒｔｅｒｓ,即ｋ个数的排序器,ｋ为任意素数,而传统的排序网络的基本构件为两个数的排序,即２－ｓｏｒｔｅｒｓ．二是该网络的延迟可以小于传统的基于２－ｓｏｒｔｅｒｓ的Ｂａｔｃｈｅｒ排序网络．文中给出了该排序网络的具体实现;作为实例给出了Ｎ＝２７,ｋ＝３时的排序网络;分析了该网络的时间延迟;通过具体设计排序网络的基本构件２－ｓｏｒｔｅｒｓ和３－ｓｏｒｔｅｒｓ,表明这种新的多路归并排序网络和Ｂａｔｃｈｅｒ排序网络相比是一种高速的排序网络．     

Black-Box Trace&Revoke Codes

We address the problem of designing an efficient broadcast encryption scheme which is also capable of tracing traitors. We introduce a code framework to formalize the problem. Then, we give a probabilistic construction of a code which supports both traceability and revocation. Given N users with at most r revoked users and at most t traitors, our code construction gives rise to a Trace&Revoke system with private keys of size O((r+t)logN) (which can also be reduced to constant size based on an additional computational assumption), ciphertexts of size O((r+t)logN), and O(1) decryption time. Our scheme can deal with certain classes of pirate decoders, which we believe are sufficiently powerful to capture practical pirate strategies. In particular, our code construction is based on a combinatorial object called (r,s)-disjunct matrix, which is designed to capture both the classic traceability notion of disjunct matrix and the new requirement of revocation capability. We then probabilistically construct (r,s)-disjunct matrices which help design efficient Black-Box Trace&Revoke systems. For dealing with “smart” pirates, we introduce a tracing technique called “shadow group testing” that uses (close to) legitimate broadcast signals for tracing. Along the way, we also proved several bounds on the number of queries needed for black-box tracing under different assumptions about the pirate’s strategies.     

Threshold quantum secret sharing between multiparty and multiparty using Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state

We propose a (t, m)?(s, n) threshold quantum secret sharing protocol between multiparty (m members in group 1) and multiparty (n members in group 2) using a sequence of Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states, which is useful and efficient when the parties of communication are not all present. In the protocol, Alice prepares a sequence of GHZ states in one of the eight different states and sends the last two particles to the first agent while other members encode their information on the sequence via unitary transformations. Finally the last member in group 2 measures the qubits. It is shown that this scheme is safe.