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math/0010307
Fields, towers of function fields meeting asymptotic bounds, and basis constructions for algebraic-geometric codes
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
In this work, we use the notion of ``symmetry'' of functions for an extension $K/L$ of finite fields to produce extensions of a function field $F/K$ in which almost all places of degree one split completely. Then we introduce the notion of ``quasi-symmetry'' of functions for $K/L$, and demonstrate its use in producing extensions of $F/K$ in which all places of degree one split completely. Using these techniques, we are able to restrict the ramification either to one chosen rational place, or entirely to non-rational places. We then apply these methods to the related problem of building asymptotically good towers of function fields. We construct examples of towers of function fields in which all rational places split completely throughout the tower. We construct Abelian towers with this property also. Furthermore, all of the above are done explicitly, ie., we give generators for the extensions, and equations that they satisfy. We also construct an integral basis for a set of places in a tower of function fields meeting the Drinfeld-Vladut bound using the discriminant of the tower localized at each place. Thus we are able to obtain a basis for a collection of functions that contains the set of regular functions in this tower. Regular functions are of interest in the theory of error-correcting codes as they lead to an explicit description of the code associated to the tower by providing the code's generator matrix.
math/0012163
Learning Complexity Dimensions for a Continuous-Time Control System
math.OC cs.LG
This paper takes a computational learning theory approach to a problem of linear systems identification. It is assumed that input signals have only a finite number k of frequency components, and systems to be identified have dimension no greater than n. The main result establishes that the sample complexity needed for identification scales polynomially with n and logarithmically with k.
math/0101092
Structure of $Z^2$ modulo selfsimilar sublattices
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
In this paper we show the combinatorial structure of $\mathbb{Z}^2$ modulo sublattices selfsimilar to $\mathbb{Z}^2$. The tool we use for dealing with this purpose is the notion of association scheme. We classify when the scheme defined by the lattice is imprimitive and characterize its decomposition in terms of the decomposition of the gaussian integer defining the lattice. This arise in the classification of different forms of tiling $\mathbb{Z}^2$ by lattices of this type.
math/0103007
Source Coding, Large Deviations, and Approximate Pattern Matching
math.PR cs.IT math.IT
We present a development of parts of rate-distortion theory and pattern- matching algorithms for lossy data compression, centered around a lossy version of the Asymptotic Equipartition Property (AEP). This treatment closely parallels the corresponding development in lossless compression, a point of view that was advanced in an important paper of Wyner and Ziv in 1989. In the lossless case we review how the AEP underlies the analysis of the Lempel-Ziv algorithm by viewing it as a random code and reducing it to the idealized Shannon code. This also provides information about the redundancy of the Lempel-Ziv algorithm and about the asymptotic behavior of several relevant quantities. In the lossy case we give various versions of the statement of the generalized AEP and we outline the general methodology of its proof via large deviations. Its relationship with Barron's generalized AEP is also discussed. The lossy AEP is applied to: (i) prove strengthened versions of Shannon's source coding theorem and universal coding theorems; (ii) characterize the performance of mismatched codebooks; (iii) analyze the performance of pattern- matching algorithms for lossy compression; (iv) determine the first order asymptotics of waiting times (with distortion) between stationary processes; (v) characterize the best achievable rate of weighted codebooks as an optimal sphere-covering exponent. We then present a refinement to the lossy AEP and use it to: (i) prove second order coding theorems; (ii) characterize which sources are easier to compress; (iii) determine the second order asymptotics of waiting times; (iv) determine the precise asymptotic behavior of longest match-lengths. Extensions to random fields are also given.
math/0103107
Explicit modular towers
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We give a general recipe for explicitly constructing asymptotically optimal towers of modular curves such as {X_0(l^n): n=1,2,3,...}. We illustrate the method by giving equations for eight towers with various geometric features. We conclude by observing that such towers are all of a specific recursive form, and speculate that perhaps every tower of this form that attains the Drinfeld-Vladut bound is modular.
math/0103109
In search of an evolutionary coding style
math.NA cs.IT math.DS math.IT q-bio
In the near future, all the human genes will be identified. But understanding the functions coded in the genes is a much harder problem. For example, by using block entropy, one has that the DNA code is closer to a random code then written text, which in turn is less ordered then an ordinary computer code; see \cite{schmitt}. Instead of saying that the DNA is badly written, using our programming standards, we might say that it is written in a different style -- an evolutionary style. We will suggest a way to search for such a style in a quantified manner by using an artificial life program, and by giving a definition of general codes and a definition of style for such codes.
math/0104016
Bounds for weight distribution of weakly self-dual codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT quant-ph
Upper bounds are given for the weight distribution of binary weakly self-dual codes. To get these new bounds, we introduce a novel method of utilizing unitary operations on Hilbert spaces. This method is motivated by recent progress on quantum computing. This new approach leads to much simpler proofs for such genre of bounds on the weight distributions of certain classes of codes. Moreover, in some cases, our bounds are improvements on the earlier bounds. These improvements are achieved, either by extending the range of the weights over which the bounds apply, or by extending the class of codes subjected to these bounds.
math/0104115
Excellent nonlinear codes from modular curves
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We introduce a new construction of error-correcting codes from algebraic curves over finite fields. Modular curves of genus g -> infty over a field of size q0^2 yield nonlinear codes more efficient than the linear Goppa codes obtained from the same curves. These new codes now have the highest asymptotic transmission rates known for certain ranges of alphabet size and error rate. Both the theory and possible practical use of these new record codes require the development of new tools. On the theoretical side, establishing the transmission rate depends on an error estimate for a theorem of Schanuel applied to the function field of an asymptotically optimal curve. On the computational side, actual use of the codes will hinge on the solution of new problems in the computational algebraic geometry of curves.
math/0104222
Decoding method for generalized algebraic geometry codes
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We propose a decoding method for the generalized algebraic geometry codes proposed by Xing et al. To show its practical usefulness, we give an example of generalized algebraic geometry codes of length 567 over F_8 whose numbers of correctable errors by the proposed method are larger than the shortened codes of the primitive BCH codes of length 4095 in the most range of dimension.
math/0105235
Mathematics of learning
math.PR cs.LG math.CO math.DS
We study the convergence properties of a pair of learning algorithms (learning with and without memory). This leads us to study the dominant eigenvalue of a class of random matrices. This turns out to be related to the roots of the derivative of random polynomials (generated by picking their roots uniformly at random in the interval [0, 1], although our results extend to other distributions). This, in turn, requires the study of the statistical behavior of the harmonic mean of random variables as above, which leads us to delicate question of the rate of convergence to stable laws and tail estimates for stable laws. The reader can find the proofs of most of the results announced here in the paper entitled "Harmonic mean, random polynomials, and random matrices", by the same authors.
math/0105236
Harmonic mean, random polynomials and stochastic matrices
math.PR cs.LG math.CA math.CO math.DS
Motivated by a problem in learning theory, we are led to study the dominant eigenvalue of a class of random matrices. This turns out to be related to the roots of the derivative of random polynomials (generated by picking their roots uniformly at random in the interval [0, 1], although our results extend to other distributions). This, in turn, requires the study of the statistical behavior of the harmonic mean of random variables as above, and that, in turn, leads us to delicate question of the rate of convergence to stable laws and tail estimates for stable laws.
math/0106089
The coset weight distributions of certain BCH codes and a family of curves
math.AG cs.IT math.CO math.IT
We study the distribution of the number of rational points in a family of curves over a finite field of characteristic 2. This distribution determines the coset weight distribution of a certain BCH code.
math/0108096
Geometrically Uniform Frames
math.FA cs.IT math.GR math.IT
We introduce a new class of frames with strong symmetry properties called geometrically uniform frames (GU), that are defined over an abelian group of unitary matrices and are generated by a single generating vector. The notion of GU frames is then extended to compound GU (CGU) frames which are generated by an abelian group of unitary matrices using multiple generating vectors. The dual frame vectors and canonical tight frame vectors associated with GU frames are shown to be GU and therefore generated by a single generating vector, which can be computed very efficiently using a Fourier transform defined over the generating group of the frame. Similarly, the dual frame vectors and canonical tight frame vectors associated with CGU frames are shown to be CGU. The impact of removing single or multiple elements from a GU frame is considered. A systematic method for constructing optimal GU frames from a given set of frame vectors that are not GU is also developed. Finally, the Euclidean distance properties of GU frames are discussed and conditions are derived on the abelian group of unitary matrices to yield GU frames with strictly positive distance spectrum irrespective of the generating vector.
math/0110157
Some Applications of Algebraic Curves to Computational Vision
math.AG cs.IT math.IT
We introduce a new formalism and a number of new results in the context of geometric computational vision. The classical scope of the research in geometric computer vision is essentially limited to static configurations of points and lines in $P^3$ . By using some well known material from algebraic geometry, we open new branches to computational vision. We introduce algebraic curves embedded in $P^3$ as the building blocks from which the tensor of a couple of cameras (projections) can be computed. In the process we address dimensional issues and as a result establish the minimal number of algebraic curves required for the tensor variety to be discrete as a function of their degree and genus. We then establish new results on the reconstruction of an algebraic curves in $P^3$ from multiple projections on projective planes embedded in $P^3$ . We address three different presentations of the curve: (i) definition by a set of equations, for which we show that for a generic configuration, two projections of a curve of degree d defines a curve in $P^3$ with two irreducible components, one of degree d and the other of degree $d(d - 1)$, (ii) the dual presentation in the dual space $P^{3*}$, for which we derive a lower bound for the number of projections necessary for linear reconstruction as a function of the degree and the genus, and (iii) the presentation as an hypersurface of $P^5$, defined by the set of lines in $P^3$ meeting the curve, for which we also derive lower bounds for the number of projections necessary for linear reconstruction as a function of the degree (of the curve). Moreover we show that the latter representation yields a new and efficient algorithm for dealing with mixed configurations of static and moving points in $P^3$.
math/0110214
Coding Distributive Lattices with Edge Firing Games
math.CO cs.IT math-ph math.DS math.IT math.MP
In this note, we show that any distributive lattice is isomorphic to the set of reachable configurations of an Edge Firing Game. Together with the result of James Propp, saying that the set of reachable configurations of any Edge Firing Game is always a distributive lattice, this shows that the two concepts are equivalent.
math/0111159
Constructing elliptic curves with a known number of points over a prime field
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
Elliptic curves with a known number of points over a given prime field with n elements are often needed for use in cryptography. In the context of primality proving, Atkin and Morain suggested the use of the theory of complex multiplication to construct such curves. One of the steps in this method is the calculation of a root modulo n of the Hilbert class polynomial H(X) for a fundamental discriminant D. The usual way is to compute H(X) over the integers and then to find the root modulo n. We present a modified version of the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) to compute H(X) modulo n directly from the knowledge of H(X) modulo enough small primes. Our complexity analysis suggests that asymptotically our algorithm is an improvement over previously known methods.
math/0112216
Classification of Finite Dynamical Systems
math.DS cs.MA math.CO
This paper is motivated by the theory of sequential dynamical systems, developed as a basis for a mathematical theory of computer simulation. It contains a classification of finite dynamical systems on binary strings, which are obtained by composing functions defined on the coordinates. The classification is in terms of the dependency relations among the coordinate functions. It suggests a natural notion of the linearization of a system. Furthermore, it contains a sharp upper bound on the number of systems in terms of the dependencies among the coordinate functions. This upper bound generalizes an upper bound for sequential dynamical systems.
math/0202276
A numerical method for solution of ordinary differential equations of fractional order
math.NA cs.CE physics.comp-ph
In this paper we propose an algorithm for the numerical solution of arbitrary differential equations of fractional order. The algorithm is obtained by using the following decomposition of the differential equation into a system of differential equation of integer order connected with inverse forms of Abel-integral equations. The algorithm is used for solution of the linear and non-linear equations.
math/0203059
On linear programming bounds for spherical codes and designs
math.CO cs.IT math.IT math.OC
We investigate universal bounds on spherical codes and spherical designs that could be obtained using Delsarte's linear programming methods. We give a lower estimate for the LP upper bound on codes, and an upper estimate for the LP lower bound on designs. Specifically, when the distance of the code is fixed and the dimension goes to infinity, the LP upper bound on codes is at least as large as the average of the best known upper and lower bounds. When the dimension n of the design is fixed, and the strength k goes to infinity, the LP bound on designs turns out, in conjunction with known lower bounds, to be proportional to k^{n-1}.
math/0205218
A New Operation on Sequences: the Boustrouphedon Transform
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
A generalization of the Seidel-Entringer-Arnold method for calculating the alternating permutation numbers (or secant-tangent numbers) leads to a new operation on integer sequences, the Boustrophedon transform.
math/0205299
The Lattice of N-Run Orthogonal Arrays
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
If the number of runs in a (mixed-level) orthogonal array of strength 2 is specified, what numbers of levels and factors are possible? The collection of possible sets of parameters for orthogonal arrays with N runs has a natural lattice structure, induced by the ``expansive replacement'' construction method. In particular the dual atoms in this lattice are the most important parameter sets, since any other parameter set for an N-run orthogonal array can be constructed from them. To get a sense for the number of dual atoms, and to begin to understand the lattice as a function of N, we investigate the height and the size of the lattice. It is shown that the height is at most [c(N-1)], where c= 1.4039... and that there is an infinite sequence of values of N for which this bound is attained. On the other hand, the number of nodes in the lattice is bounded above by a superpolynomial function of N (and superpolynomial growth does occur for certain sequences of values of N). Using a new construction based on ``mixed spreads'', all parameter sets with 64 runs are determined. Four of these 64-run orthogonal arrays appear to be new.
math/0205301
Some Canonical Sequences of Integers
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
Extending earlier work of R. Donaghey and P. J. Cameron, we investigate some canonical "eigen-sequences" associated with transformations of integer sequences. Several known sequences appear in a new setting: for instance the sequences (such as 1, 3, 11, 49, 257, 1531, ...) studied by T. Tsuzuku, H. O. Foulkes and A. Kerber in connection with multiply transitive groups are eigen-sequences for the binomial transform. Many interesting new sequences also arise, such as 1, 1, 2, 26, 152, 1144, ..., which shifts one place left when transformed by the Stirling numbers of the second kind, and whose exponential generating function satisfies A'(x) = A(e^x -1) + 1.
math/0205303
On Asymmetric Coverings and Covering Numbers
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
An asymmetric covering D(n,R) is a collection of special subsets S of an n-set such that every subset T of the n-set is contained in at least one special S with |S| - |T| <= R. In this paper we compute the smallest size of any D(n,1) for n <= 8. We also investigate ``continuous'' and ``banded'' versions of the problem. The latter involves the classical covering numbers C(n,k,k-1), and we determine the following new values: C(10,5,4) = 51, C(11,7,6,) =84, C(12,8,7) = 126, C(13,9,8)= 185 and C(14,10,9) = 259. We also find the number of nonisomorphic minimal covering designs in several cases.
math/0207121
The Shannon-McMillan Theorem for Ergodic Quantum Lattice Systems
math.DS cs.DS cs.IT math-ph math.IT math.MP math.OA quant-ph
We formulate and prove a quantum Shannon-McMillan theorem. The theorem demonstrates the significance of the von Neumann entropy for translation invariant ergodic quantum spin systems on n-dimensional lattices: the entropy gives the logarithm of the essential number of eigenvectors of the system on large boxes. The one-dimensional case covers quantum information sources and is basic for coding theorems.
math/0207146
A Zador-Like Formula for Quantizers Based on Periodic Tilings
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
We consider Zador's asymptotic formula for the distortion-rate function for a variable-rate vector quantizer in the high-rate case. This formula involves the differential entropy of the source, the rate of the quantizer in bits per sample, and a coefficient G which depends on the geometry of the quantizer but is independent of the source. We give an explicit formula for G in the case when the quantizing regions form a periodic tiling of n-dimensional space, in terms of the volumes and second moments of the Voronoi cells. As an application we show, extending earlier work of Kashyap and Neuhoff, that even a variable-rate three-dimensional quantizer based on the ``A15'' structure is still inferior to a quantizer based on the body-centered cubic lattice. We also determine the smallest covering radius of such a structure.
math/0207147
Quantizing Using Lattice Intersections
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
The usual quantizer based on an n-dimensional lattice L maps a point x in R^n to a closest lattice point. Suppose L is the intersection of lattices L_1, ..., L_r. Then one may instead combine the information obtained by simultaneously quantizing x with respect to each of the L_i. This corresponds to decomposing R^n into a honeycomb of cells which are the intersections of the Voronoi cells for the L_i, and identifying the cell to which x belongs. This paper shows how to write several standard lattices (the face-centered and body-centered cubic lattices, the root lattices D_4, E_6*, E_8, the Coxeter-Todd, Barnes-Wall and Leech lattices, etc.) in a canonical way as intersections of a small number of simpler, decomposable, lattices. The cells of the honeycombs are given explicitly and the mean squared quantizing error calculated in the cases when the intersection lattice is the face-centered or body-centered cubic lattice or the lattice D_4.
math/0207186
A Simple Construction for the Barnes-Wall Lattices
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
A certain family of orthogonal groups (called "Clifford groups" by G. E. Wall) has arisen in a variety of different contexts in recent years. These groups have a simple definition as the automorphism groups of certain generalized Barnes-Wall lattices. This leads to an especially simple construction for the usual Barnes-Wall lattices. This is based on the third author's talk at the Forney-Fest, M.I.T., March 2000, which in turn is based on our paper "The Invariants of the Clifford Groups", Designs, Codes, Crypt., 24 (2001), 99--121, to which the reader is referred for further details and proofs.
math/0207197
On Single-Deletion-Correcting Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
This paper gives a brief survey of binary single-deletion-correcting codes. The Varshamov-Tenengolts codes appear to be optimal, but many interesting unsolved problems remain. The connections with shift-register sequences also remain somewhat mysterious.
math/0207208
The Z_4-Linearity of Kerdock, Preparata, Goethals and Related Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
Certain notorious nonlinear binary codes contain more codewords than any known linear code. These include the codes constructed by Nordstrom-Robinson, Kerdock, Preparata, Goethals, and Delsarte-Goethals. It is shown here that all these codes can be very simply constructed as binary images under the Gray map of linear codes over Z_4, the integers mod 4 (although this requires a slight modification of the Preparata and Goethals codes). The construction implies that all these binary codes are distance invariant. Duality in the Z_4 domain implies that the binary images have dual weight distributions. The Kerdock and "Preparata" codes are duals over Z_4 -- and the Nordstrom-Robinson code is self-dual -- which explains why their weight distributions are dual to each other. The Kerdock and "Preparata" codes are Z_4-analogues of first-order Reed-Muller and extended Hamming codes, respectively. All these codes are extended cyclic codes over Z_4, which greatly simplifies encoding and decoding. An algebraic hard-decision decoding algorithm is given for the "Preparata" code and a Hadamard-transform soft-decision decoding algorithm for the Kerdock code. Binary first- and second-order Reed-Muller codes are also linear over Z_4, but extended Hamming codes of length n >= 32 and the Golay code are not. Using Z_4-linearity, a new family of distance regular graphs are constructed on the cosets of the "Preparata" code.
math/0207209
Interleaver Design for Turbo Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
The performance of a Turbo code with short block length depends critically on the interleaver design. There are two major criteria in the design of an interleaver: the distance spectrum of the code and the correlation between the information input data and the soft output of each decoder corresponding to its parity bits. This paper describes a new interleaver design for Turbo codes with short block length based on these two criteria. A deterministic interleaver suitable for Turbo codes is also described. Simulation results compare the new interleaver design to different existing interleavers.
math/0207256
The Sphere-Packing Problem
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
A brief report on recent work on the sphere-packing problem.
math/0207291
On Kissing Numbers in Dimensions 32 to 128
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
An elementary construction using binary codes gives new record kissing numbers in dimensions from 32 to 128.
math/0208001
Self-Dual Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
Self-dual codes are important because many of the best codes known are of this type and they have a rich mathematical theory. Topics covered in this survey include codes over F_2, F_3, F_4, F_q, Z_4, Z_m, shadow codes, weight enumerators, Gleason-Pierce theorem, invariant theory, Gleason theorems, bounds, mass formulae, enumeration, extremal codes, open problems. There is a comprehensive bibliography.
math/0208017
Packing Planes in Four Dimensions and Other Mysteries
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
How should you choose a good set of (say) 48 planes in four dimensions? More generally, how do you find packings in Grassmannian spaces? In this article I give a brief introduction to the work that I have been doing on this problem in collaboration with A. R. Calderbank, J. H. Conway, R. H. Hardin, E. M. Rains and P. W. Shor. We have found many nice examples of specific packings (70 4-spaces in 8-space, for instance), several general constructions, and an embedding theorem which shows that a packing in Grassmannian space G(m,n) is a subset of a sphere in R^D, where D = (m+2)(m-1)/2, and leads to a proof that many of our packings are optimal. There are a number of interesting unsolved problems.
math/0208155
Toric codes over finite fields
math.AG cs.IT math.CO math.IT
In this note, a class of error-correcting codes is associated to a toric variety associated to a fan defined over a finite field $\fff_q$, analogous to the class of Goppa codes associated to a curve. For such a ``toric code'' satisfying certain additional conditions, we present an efficient decoding algorithm for the dual of a Goppa code. Many examples are given. For small $q$, many of these codes have parameters beating the Gilbert-Varshamov bound. In fact, using toric codes, we construct a $(n,k,d)=(49,11,28)$ code over $\fff_8$, which is better than any other known code listed in Brouwer's on-line tables for that $n$ and $k$.
math/0209407
Uniformly distributed sequences of p-adic integers, II
math.NT cs.IT math.DS math.IT
The paper describes ergodic (with respect to the Haar measure) functions in the class of all functions, which are defined on (and take values in) the ring of p-adic integers, and which satisfy (at least, locally) Lipschitz condition with coefficient 1. Equiprobable (in particular, measure-preserving) functions of this class are described also. In some cases (and especially for p=2) the descriptions are given by explicit formulae. Some of the results may be viewed as descriptions of ergodic isometric dynamical systems on p-adic unit disk. The study was motivated by the problem of pseudorandom number generation for computer simulation and cryptography. From this view the paper describes nonlinear congruential pseudorandom generators modulo M which produce stricly periodic uniformly distributed sequences modulo M with maximal possible period length (i.e., exactly M). Both the state change function and the output function of these generators could be, e.g., meromorphic functions (in particular, polynomials with rational, but not necessarily integer coefficients, or rational functions), or compositions of arithmetical operations (like addition, multiplication, exponentiation, raising to integer powers, including negative ones) with standard computer operations, such as bitwise logical operations (XOR, OR, AND, etc.). The linear complexity of the produced sequences is also studied.
math/0210018
Topological robotics: motion planning in projective spaces
math.AT cs.RO math.DG
We study an elementary problem of topological robotics: rotation of a line, which is fixed by a revolving joint at a base point: one wants to bring the line from its initial position to a final position by a continuous motion in the space. The final goal is to construct an algorithm which will perform this task once the initial and final positions are given. Any such motion planning algorithm will have instabilities, which are caused by topological reasons. A general approach to study instabilities of robot motion was suggested recently by the first named author. With any path-connected topological space X one associates a number TC(X), called the topological complexity of X. This number is of fundamental importance for the motion planning problem: TC(X) determines character of instabilities which have all motion planning algorithms in X. In the present paper we study the topological complexity of real projective spaces. In particular we compute TC(RP^n) for all n<24. Our main result is that (for n distinct from 1, 3, 7) the problem of calculating of TC(RP^n) is equivalent to finding the smallest k such that RP^n can be immersed into the Euclidean space R^{k-1}.
math/0210115
Topological Robotics: Subspace Arrangements and Collision Free Motion Planning
math.AT cs.RO math.DG
We study an elementary problem of the topological robotics: collective motion of a set of $n$ distinct particles which one has to move from an initial configuration to a final configuration, with the requirement that no collisions occur in the process of motion. The ultimate goal is to construct an algorithm which will perform this task once the initial and the final configurations are given. This reduces to a topological problem of finding the topological complexity TC(C_n(\R^m)) of the configutation space C_n(\R^m) of $n$ distinct ordered particles in \R^m. We solve this problem for m=2 (the planar case) and for all odd m, including the case m=3 (particles in the three-dimensional space). We also study a more general motion planning problem in Euclidean space with a hyperplane arrangement as obstacle.
math/0210408
Representations of finite groups on Riemann-Roch spaces
math.AG cs.IT math.GR math.IT
We study the action of a finite group on the Riemann-Roch space of certain divisors on a curve. If $G$ is a finite subgroup of the automorphism group of a projective curve $X$ over an algebraically closed field and $D$ is a divisor on $X$ left stable by $G$ then we show the irreducible constituents of the natural representation of $G$ on the Riemann-Roch space $L(D)=L_X(D)$ are of dimension $\leq d$, where $d$ is the size of the smallest $G$-orbit acting on $X$. We give an example to show that this is, in general, sharp (i.e., that dimension $d$ irreducible constituents can occur). Connections with coding theory, in particular to permutation decoding of AG codes, are discussed in the last section. Many examples are included.
math/0211040
On cyclic convolutional codes
math.RA cs.IT math.CO math.IT
We investigate the notion of cyclicity for convolutional codes as it has been introduced by Piret and Roos in the seventies. Codes of this type are described as submodules of the module of all vector polynomials in one variable with some additional generalized cyclic structure but also as specific left ideals in a skew polynomial ring. Extending a result of Piret, we show in a purely algebraic setting that these ideals are always principal. This leads to the notion of a generator polynomial just like for cyclic block codes. Similarly a control polynomial can be introduced by considering the right annihilator ideal. An algorithmic procedure is developed which produces unique reduced generator and control polynomials. We also show how basic code properties and a minimal generator matrix can be read off from these objects. A close link between polynomial and vector description of the codes is provided by certain generalized circulant matrices.
math/0211107
On Near-MDS Elliptic Codes
math.AG cs.IT math.CO math.IT
The main conjecture on maximum distance separable (MDS) codes states that, execpt for some special cases, the maximum length of a q-ary linear MDS code is q+1. This conjecture does not hold true for near maximum distance separable codes because of the existence of q-ary near MDS elliptic codes having length bigger than q+1. An interesting related question is whether a near MDS elliptic code can be extended to a longer near MDS code. Our results are some non-extendability results and an alternative and simpler construction for certain known near MDS elliptic codes.
math/0211269
On ASGS framework: general requirements and an example of implementation
math.CO cs.CR cs.DM cs.IT math.IT
In the paper we propose general framework for Automatic Secret Generation and Sharing (ASGS) that should be independent of underlying secret sharing scheme. ASGS allows to prevent the dealer from knowing the secret or even to eliminate him at all. Two situations are discussed. First concerns simultaneous generation and sharing of the random, prior nonexistent secret. Such a secret remains unknown until it is reconstructed. Next, we propose the framework for automatic sharing of a known secret. In this case the dealer does not know the secret and the secret owner does not know the shares. We present opportunities for joining ASGS with other extended capabilities, with special emphasize on PVSS and proactive secret sharing. Finally, we illustrate framework with practical implementation. Keywords: cryptography, secret sharing, data security, extended capabilities, extended key verification protocol
math/0212038
A Goppa-like bound on the trellis state complexity of algebraic geometric codes
math.AG cs.IT math.IT
For a linear code $\cC$ of length $n$ and dimension $k$, Wolf noticed that the trellis state complexity $s(\cC)$ of $\cC$ is upper bounded by $w(\cC):=\min(k,n-k)$. In this paper we point out some new lower bounds for $s(\cC)$. In particular, if $\cC$ is an Algebraic Geometric code, then $s(\cC)\geq w(\cC)-(g-a)$, where $g$ is the genus of the underlying curve and $a$ is the abundance of the code.
math/0212212
Coverage control for mobile sensing networks
math.OC cs.IT math.IT
This paper presents control and coordination algorithms for groups of vehicles. The focus is on autonomous vehicle networks performing distributed sensing tasks where each vehicle plays the role of a mobile tunable sensor. The paper proposes gradient descent algorithms for a class of utility functions which encode optimal coverage and sensing policies. The resulting closed-loop behavior is adaptive, distributed, asynchronous, and verifiably correct.
math/0301135
Grassmannian Frames with Applications to Coding and Communication
math.FA cs.IT math.IT
For a given class ${\cal F}$ of uniform frames of fixed redundancy we define a Grassmannian frame as one that minimizes the maximal correlation $|< f_k,f_l >|$ among all frames $\{f_k\}_{k \in {\cal I}} \in {\cal F}$. We first analyze finite-dimensional Grassmannian frames. Using links to packings in Grassmannian spaces and antipodal spherical codes we derive bounds on the minimal achievable correlation for Grassmannian frames. These bounds yield a simple condition under which Grassmannian frames coincide with uniform tight frames. We exploit connections to graph theory, equiangular line sets, and coding theory in order to derive explicit constructions of Grassmannian frames. Our findings extend recent results on uniform tight frames. We then introduce infinite-dimensional Grassmannian frames and analyze their connection to uniform tight frames for frames which are generated by group-like unitary systems. We derive an example of a Grassmannian Gabor frame by using connections to sphere packing theory. Finally we discuss the application of Grassmannian frames to wireless communication and to multiple description coding.
math/0301268
Improving Search Algorithms by Using Intelligent Coordinates
math.OC cond-mat.stat-mech cs.MA nlin.AO
We consider the problem of designing a set of computational agents so that as they all pursue their self-interests a global function G of the collective system is optimized. Three factors govern the quality of such design. The first relates to conventional exploration-exploitation search algorithms for finding the maxima of such a global function, e.g., simulated annealing. Game-theoretic algorithms instead are related to the second of those factors, and the third is related to techniques from the field of machine learning. Here we demonstrate how to exploit all three factors by modifying the search algorithm's exploration stage so that rather than by random sampling, each coordinate of the underlying search space is controlled by an associated machine-learning-based ``player'' engaged in a non-cooperative game. Experiments demonstrate that this modification improves SA by up to an order of magnitude for bin-packing and for a model of an economic process run over an underlying network. These experiments also reveal novel small worlds phenomena.
math/0302043
Extended visual cryptography systems
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
Visual cryptography schemes have been introduced in 1994 by Naor and Shamir. Their idea was to encode a secret image into $n$ shadow images and to give exactly one such shadow image to each member of a group $P$ of $n$ persons. Whereas most work in recent years has been done concerning the problem of qualified and forbidden subsets of $P$ or the question of contrast optimizing, in this paper we study extended visual cryptography schemes, i.e. shared secret systems where any subset of $P$ shares its own secret.
math/0302132
Computing Symmetrized Weight Enumerators for Lifted Quadratic Residue Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
The paper describes a method to determine symmetrized weight enumerators of $p^m$-linear codes based on the notion of a disjoint weight enumerator. Symmetrized weight enumerators are given for the lifted quadratic residue codes of length 24 modulo $2^m$ and modulo $3^m$, for any positive $m$.
math/0302154
Twisted Klein curves modulo 2
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We give an explicit description of all 168 quartic curves over the field of two elements that are isomorphic to the Klein curve over an algebraic extension. Some of the curves have been known for their small class number, others for attaining the maximal number of rational points.
math/0302172
Results on zeta functions for codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT math.NT
We give a new and short proof of the Mallows-Sloane upper bound for self-dual codes. We formulate a version of Greene's theorem for normalized weight enumerators. We relate normalized rank-generating polynomials to two-variable zeta functions. And we show that a self-dual code has the Clifford property, but that the same property does not hold in general for formally self-dual codes.
math/0303104
Bounding the trellis state complexity of algebraic geometric codes
math.AG cs.IT math.IT
Let C be an algebraic geometric code of dimension k and length n constructed on a curve X over $F_q$. Let s(C) be the state complexity of C and set w(C):=min{k,n-k}, the Wolf upper bound on s(C). We introduce a numerical function R that depends on the gonality sequence of X and show that s(C)\geq w(C)-R(2g-2), where g is the genus of X. As a matter of fact, R(2g-2)\leq g-(\gamma_2-2) with \gamma_2 being the gonality over F_q of X, and thus in particular we have that s(C)\geq w(C)-g+\gamma_2-2.
math/0303254
Strongly MDS Convolutional Codes
math.RA cs.IT math.IT math.OC
MDS convolutional codes have the property that their free distance is maximal among all codes of the same rate and the same degree. In this paper we introduce a class of MDS convolutional codes whose column distances reach the generalized Singleton bound at the earliest possible instant. We call these codes strongly MDS convolutional codes. It is shown that these codes can decode a maximum number of errors per time interval when compared with other convolutional codes of the same rate and degree. These codes have also a maximum or near maximum distance profile. A code has a maximum distance profile if and only if the dual code has this property.
math/0304192
On reconstructing n-point configurations from the distribution of distances or areas
math.AC cs.CV cs.SC
One way to characterize configurations of points up to congruence is by considering the distribution of all mutual distances between points. This paper deals with the question if point configurations are uniquely determined by this distribution. After giving some counterexamples, we prove that this is the case for the vast majority of configurations. In the second part of the paper, the distribution of areas of sub-triangles is used for characterizing point configurations. Again it turns out that most configurations are reconstructible from the distribution of areas, though there are counterexamples.
math/0304283
Whitehead method and Genetic Algorithms
math.GR cs.NE cs.SC
In this paper we discuss a genetic version (GWA) of the Whitehead's algorithm, which is one of the basic algorithms in combinatorial group theory. It turns out that GWA is surprisingly fast and outperforms the standard Whitehead's algorithm in free groups of rank >= 5. Experimenting with GWA we collected an interesting numerical data that clarifies the time-complexity of the Whitehead's Problem in general. These experiments led us to several mathematical conjectures. If confirmed they will shed light on hidden mechanisms of Whitehead Method and geometry of automorphic orbits in free groups.
math/0304292
The Ubiquity of Order Domains for the Construction of Error Control Codes
math.AC cs.IT math.AG math.IT math.RA
The order domains are a class of commutative rings introduced by H{\o}holdt, van Lint, and Pellikaan to simplify the theory of error control codes using ideas from algebraic geometry. The definition is largely motivated by the structures utilized in the Berlekamp-Massey-Sakata (BMS) decoding algorithm, with Feng-Rao majority voting for unknown syndromes, applied to one-point geometric Goppa codes constructed from curves. However, order domains are much more general, and O'Sullivan has shown that the BMS algorithm can be applied to decode all codes constructed from order domains by a suitable generalization of Goppa's procedure for curves. In this article we will first discuss the connection between order domains and valuations on function fields over a finite field. Under some mild conditions, we will see that a general projective variety over a finite field has projective models which can be used to construct order domains and Goppa-type codes for which the BMS algorithm is applicable. We will then give a slightly different interpretation of Geil and Pellikaan's extrinsic characterization of order domains via the theory of Gr\"obner bases, and show that their results are related to the existence of toric deformations of varieties. To illustrate the potential usefulness of these observations, we present a series of new explicit examples of order domains associated to varieties with many rational points over finite fields: Hermitian hypersurfaces, Grassmannians, and flag varieties.
math/0304306
Genetic algorithms and the Andrews-Curtis conjecture
math.GR cs.NE cs.SC
The Andrews-Curtis conjecture claims that every balanced presentation of the trivial group can be transformed into the trivial presentation by a finite sequence of "elementary transformations" which are Nielsen transformations together with an arbitrary conjugation of a relator. It is believed that the Andrews-Curtis conjecture is false; however, not so many possible counterexamples are known. It is not a trivial matter to verify whether the conjecture holds for a given balanced presentation or not. The purpose of this paper is to describe some non-deterministic methods, called Genetic Algorithms, designed to test the validity of the Andrews-Curtis conjecture. Using such algorithm we have been able to prove that all known (to us) balanced presentations of the trivial group where the total length of the relators is at most 12 satisfy the conjecture. In particular, the Andrews-Curtis conjecture holds for the presentation <x,y|x y x = y x y, x^2 = y^3> which was one of the well known potential counterexamples.
math/0305121
Robust Estimators under the Imprecise Dirichlet Model
math.PR cs.IT cs.LG math.IT math.ST stat.TH
Walley's Imprecise Dirichlet Model (IDM) for categorical data overcomes several fundamental problems which other approaches to uncertainty suffer from. Yet, to be useful in practice, one needs efficient ways for computing the imprecise=robust sets or intervals. The main objective of this work is to derive exact, conservative, and approximate, robust and credible interval estimates under the IDM for a large class of statistical estimators, including the entropy and mutual information.
math/0305135
Distance bounds for convolutional codes and some optimal codes
math.RA cs.IT math.IT math.OC
After a discussion of the Griesmer and Heller bound for the distance of a convolutional code we present several codes with various parameters, over various fields, and meeting the given distance bounds. Moreover, the Griesmer bound is used for deriving a lower bound for the field size of an MDS convolutional code and examples are presented showing that, in most cases, the lower bound is tight. Most of the examples in this paper are cyclic convolutional codes in a generalized sense as it has been introduced in the seventies. A brief introduction to this promising type of cyclicity is given at the end of the paper in order to make the examples more transparent.
math/0305308
Numerical Analogues of Aronson's Sequence
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
Aronson's sequence 1, 4, 11, 16, ... is defined by the English sentence ``t is the first, fourth, eleventh, sixteenth, ... letter of this sentence.'' This paper introduces some numerical analogues, such as: a(n) is taken to be the smallest positive integer greater than a(n-1) which is consistent with the condition ``n is a member of the sequence if and only if a(n) is odd.'' This sequence can also be characterized by its ``square'', the sequence a^(2)(n) = a(a(n)), which equals 2n+3 for n >= 1. There are many generalizations of this sequence, some of which are new, while others throw new light on previously known sequences.
math/0306354
Coding and tiling of Julia sets for subhyperbolic rational maps
math.DS cs.IT math.IT
Let $f:\hat{C}\to\hat{C}$ be a subhyperbolic rational map of degree $d$. We construct a set of coding maps $Cod(f)=\{\pi_r:\Sigma\to J\}_r$ of the Julia set $J$ by geometric coding trees, where the parameter $r$ ranges over mappings from a certain tree to the Riemann sphere. Using the universal covering space $\phi:\tilde S\to S$ for the corresponding orbifold, we lift the inverse of $f$ to an iterated function system $I=(g_i)_{i=1,2,...,d}$. For the purpose of studying the structure of $Cod(f)$, we generalize Kenyon and Lagarias-Wang's results : If the attractor $K$ of $I$ has positive measure, then $K$ tiles $\phi^{-1}(J)$, and the multiplicity of $\pi_r$ is well-defined. Moreover, we see that the equivalence relation induced by $\pi_r$ is described by a finite directed graph, and give a necessary and sufficient condition for two coding maps $\pi_r$ and $\pi_{r'}$ to be equal.
math/0306395
Sur la non-linearite des fonctions booleennes
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
Boolean functions on the space $F_{2}^m$ are not only important in the theory of error-correcting codes, but also in cryptography, where they occur in private key systems. In these two cases, the nonlinearity of these function is a main concept. In this article, I show that the spectral amplitude of boolean functions, which is linked to their nonlinearity, is of the order of $2^{m/2}\sqrt{m}$ in mean, whereas its range is bounded by $2^{m/2}$ and $2^m$. Moreover I examine a conjecture of Patterson and Wiedemann saying that the minimum of this spectral amplitude is as close as desired to $2^{m/2}$. I also study a weaker conjecture about the moments of order 4 of their Fourier transform. This article is inspired by works of Salem, Zygmund, Kahane and others about the related problem of real polynomials with random coefficients.
math/0307064
The Number of Hierarchical Orderings
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
An ordered set-partition (or preferential arrangement) of n labeled elements represents a single ``hierarchy''; these are enumerated by the ordered Bell numbers. In this note we determine the number of ``hierarchical orderings'' or ``societies'', where the n elements are first partitioned into m <= n subsets and a hierarchy is specified for each subset. We also consider the unlabeled case, where the ordered Bell numbers are replaced by the composition numbers. If there is only a single hierarchy, we show that the average rank of an element is asymptotic to n/(4 log 2) in the labeled case and to n/4 in the unlabeled case.
math/0307196
Convolutional Codes with Maximum Distance Profile
math.OC cs.IT math.IT math.RA
Maximum distance profile codes are characterized by the property that two trajectories which start at the same state and proceed to a different state will have the maximum possible distance from each other relative to any other convolutional code of the same rate and degree. In this paper we use methods from systems theory to characterize maximum distance profile codes algebraically. Tha main result shows that maximum distance profile codes form a generic set inside the variety which parametrizes the set of convolutional codes of a fixed rate and a fixed degree.
math/0308046
Still better nonlinear codes from modular curves
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We give a new construction of nonlinear error-correcting codes over suitable finite fields k from the geometry of modular curves with many rational points over k, combining two recent improvements on Goppa's construction. The resulting codes are asymptotically the best currently known.
math/0308110
Sphere packing bounds in the Grassmann and Stiefel manifolds
math.MG cs.IT math.IT
Applying the Riemann geometric machinery of volume estimates in terms of curvature, bounds for the minimal distance of packings/codes in the Grassmann and Stiefel manifolds will be derived and analyzed. In the context of space-time block codes this leads to a monotonically increasing minimal distance lower bound as a function of the block length. This advocates large block lengths for the code design.
math/0308153
Mathematics and Logic as Information Compression by Multiple Alignment, Unification and Search
math.GM cs.AI math.LO
This article introduces the conjecture that "mathematics, logic and related disciplines may usefully be understood as information compression (IC) by 'multiple alignment', 'unification' and 'search' (ICMAUS)". As a preparation for the two main sections of the article, concepts of information and information compression are reviewed. Related areas of research are also described including IC in brains and nervous systems, and IC in relation to inductive inference, Minimum Length Encoding and probabilistic reasoning. The ICMAUS concepts and a computer model in which they are embodied are briefly described. The first of the two main sections describes how many of the commonly-used forms and structures in mathematics, logic and related disciplines (such as theoretical linguistics and computer programming) may be seen as devices for IC. In some cases, these forms and structures may be interpreted in terms of the ICMAUS framework. The second main section describes a selection of examples where processes of calculation and inference in mathematics, logic and related disciplines may be understood as IC. In many cases, these examples may be understood more specifically in terms of the ICMAUS concepts.
math/0309081
Asymmetric binary covering codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
An asymmetric binary covering code of length n and radius R is a subset C of the n-cube Q_n such that every vector x in Q_n can be obtained from some vector c in C by changing at most R 1's of c to 0's, where R is as small as possible. K^+(n,R) is defined as the smallest size of such a code. We show K^+(n,R) is of order 2^n/n^R for constant R, using an asymmetric sphere-covering bound and probabilistic methods. We show K^+(n,n-R')=R'+1 for constant coradius R' iff n>=R'(R'+1)/2. These two results are extended to near-constant R and R', respectively. Various bounds on K^+ are given in terms of the total number of 0's or 1's in a minimal code. The dimension of a minimal asymmetric linear binary code ([n,R]^+ code) is determined to be min(0,n-R). We conclude by discussing open problems and techniques to compute explicit values for K^+, giving a table of best known bounds.
math/0309120
An invariant of finitary codes with finite expected square root coding length
math.PR cs.IT math.IT
Let $p$ and $q$ be probability vectors with the same entropy $h$. Denote by $B(p)$ the Bernoulli shift indexed by $\Z$ with marginal distribution $p$. Suppose that $\phi$ is a measure preserving homomorphism from $B(p)$ to $B(q)$. We prove that if the coding length of $\phi$ has a finite 1/2 moment, then $\sigma_p^2=\sigma_q^2$, where $\sigma_p^2=\sum_i p_i(-\log p_i-h)^2$ is the {\dof informational variance} of $p$. In this result, which sharpens a theorem of Parry (1979), the 1/2 moment cannot be replaced by a lower moment. On the other hand, for any $\theta<1$, we exhibit probability vectors $p$ and $q$ that are not permutations of each other, such that there exists a finitary isomorphism $\Phi$ from $B(p)$ to $B(q)$ where the coding lengths of $\Phi$ and of its inverse have a finite $\theta$ moment. We also present an extension to ergodic Markov chains.
math/0309123
Error Correcting Codes on Algebraic Surfaces
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
Error correcting codes are defined and important parameters for a code are explained. Parameters of new codes constructed on algebraic surfaces are studied. In particular, codes resulting from blowing up points in $\proj^2$ are briefly studied, then codes resulting from ruled surfaces are covered. Codes resulting from ruled surfaces over curves of genus 0 are completely analyzed, and some codes are discovered that are better than direct product Reed Solomon codes of similar length. Ruled surfaces over genus 1 curves are also studied, but not all classes are completely analyzed. However, in this case a family of codes are found that are comparable in performance to the direct product code of a Reed Solomon code and a Goppa code. Some further work is done on surfaces from higher genus curves, but there remains much work to be done in this direction to understand fully the resulting codes. Codes resulting from blowing points on surfaces are also studied, obtaining necessary parameters for constructing infinite families of such codes. Also included is a paper giving explicit formulas for curves with more \field{q}-rational points than were previously known for certain combinations of field size and genus. Some upper bounds are now known to be optimal from these examples.
math/0309285
An Algorithm for Optimal Partitioning of Data on an Interval
math.NA astro-ph cs.CE cs.DS cs.IT math.CO math.IT
Many signal processing problems can be solved by maximizing the fitness of a segmented model over all possible partitions of the data interval. This letter describes a simple but powerful algorithm that searches the exponentially large space of partitions of $N$ data points in time $O(N^2)$. The algorithm is guaranteed to find the exact global optimum, automatically determines the model order (the number of segments), has a convenient real-time mode, can be extended to higher dimensional data spaces, and solves a surprising variety of problems in signal detection and characterization, density estimation, cluster analysis and classification.
math/0309389
Approximate Squaring
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
We study the ``approximate squaring'' map f(x) := x ceiling(x) and its behavior when iterated. We conjecture that if f is repeatedly applied to a rational number r = l/d > 1 then eventually an integer will be reached. We prove this when d=2, and provide evidence that it is true in general by giving an upper bound on the density of the ``exceptional set'' of numbers which fail to reach an integer. We give similar results for a p-adic analogue of f, when the exceptional set is nonempty, and for iterating the ``approximate multiplication'' map f_r(x) := r ceiling(x) where r is a fixed rational number.
math/0309425
Algebraic Aspects of Multiple Zeta Values
math.QA cs.IT math.IT math.NT
Multiple zeta values have been studied by a wide variety of methods. In this article we summarize some of the results about them that can be obtained by an algebraic approach. This involves "coding" the multiple zeta values by monomials in two noncommuting variables x and y. Multiple zeta values can then be thought of as defining a map \zeta: H^0 -> R, where H^0 is the graded rational vector space generated by the "admissible words" of the noncommutative polynomial algebra Q<x,y>. Now H^0 admits two (commutative) products making \zeta a homomorphism: the shuffle product and the "harmonic" product. The latter makes H^0 a subalgebra of the algebra QSym of quasi-symmetric functions. We also discuss some results about multiple zeta values that can be stated in terms of derivations and cyclic derivations of Q<x,y>, and define an action of the Hopf algebra QSym on Q<x,y> that appears useful. Finally, we apply the algebraic approach to finite partial sums of multiple zeta value series.
math/0310148
Convolutional Codes of Goppa Type
math.OC cs.IT math.AG math.IT
A new kind of Convolutional Codes generalizing Goppa Codes is proposed. This provides a systematic method for constructing convolutional codes with prefixed properties. In particular, examples of Maximum-Distance Separable (MDS) convolutional codes are obtained.
math/0310149
Convolutional Goppa Codes
math.OC cs.IT math.AG math.IT
We define Convolutional Goppa Codes over algebraic curves and construct their corresponding dual codes. Examples over the projective line and over elliptic curves are described, obtaining in particular some Maximum-Distance Separable (MDS) convolutional codes.
math/0310385
De Bruijn Cycles for Covering Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
A de Bruijn covering code is a q-ary string S so that every q-ary string is at most R symbol changes from some n-word appearing consecutively in S. We introduce these codes and prove that they can have length close to the smallest possible covering code. The proof employs tools from field theory, probability, and linear algebra. We also prove a number of ``spectral'' results on de Bruijn covering codes. Included is a table of the best known bounds on the lengths of small binary de Bruijn covering codes, up to R=11 and n=13, followed by several open questions in this area.
math/0311004
Which Point Configurations are Determined by the Distribution of their Pairwise Distances?
math.MG cs.CV math.AC math.AG
In a previous paper we showed that, for any $n \ge m+2$, most sets of $n$ points in $\RR^m$ are determined (up to rotations, reflections, translations and relabeling of the points) by the distribution of their pairwise distances. But there are some exceptional point configurations which are not reconstructible from the distribution of distances in the above sense. In this paper, we present a reconstructibility test with running time $O(n^{11})$. The cases of orientation preserving rigid motions (rotations and translations) and scalings are also discussed.
math/0311046
Codes and Invariant Theory
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
The main theorem in this paper is a far-reaching generalization of Gleason's theorem on the weight enumerators of codes which applies to arbitrary-genus weight enumerators of self-dual codes defined over a large class of finite rings and modules. The proof of the theorem uses a categorical approach, and will be the subject of a forthcoming book. However, the theorem can be stated and applied without using category theory, and we illustrate it here by applying it to generalized doubly-even codes over fields of characteristic 2, doubly-even codes over the integers modulo a power of 2, and self-dual codes over the noncommutative ring $\F_q + \F_q u$, where $u^2 = 0$..
math/0311129
Cayley-Bacharach and evaluation codes on complete intersections
math.AG cs.IT math.AC math.IT
In recent work, J. Hansen uses cohomological methods to find a lower bound for the minimum distance of an evaluation code determined by a reduced complete intersection in the projective plane. In this paper, we generalize Hansen's results from P^2 to P^m; we also show that the hypotheses in Hansen's work may be weakened. The proof is succinct and follows by combining the Cayley-Bacharach theorem and bounds on evaluation codes obtained from reduced zero-schemes.
math/0311289
Complete Weight Enumerators of Generalized Doubly-Even Self-Dual Codes
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
For any q which is a power of 2 we describe a finite subgroup of the group of invertible complex q by q matrices under which the complete weight enumerators of generalized doubly-even self-dual codes over the field with q elements are invariant. An explicit description of the invariant ring and some applications to extremality of such codes are obtained in the case q=4.
math/0311319
Modular and p-adic cyclic codes
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
This paper presents some basic theorems giving the structure of cyclic codes of length n over the ring of integers modulo p^a and over the p-adic numbers, where p is a prime not dividing n. An especially interesting example is the 2-adic cyclic code of length 7 with generator polynomial X^3 + lambda X^2 + (lambda - 1) X - 1, where lambda satisfies lambda^2 - lambda + 2 =0. This is the 2-adic generalization of both the binary Hamming code and the quaternary octacode (the latter being equivalent to the Nordstrom-Robinson code). Other examples include the 2-adic Golay code of length 24 and the 3-adic Golay code of length 12.
math/0312092
On the Parameters of Convolutional Codes with Cyclic Structure
math.RA cs.IT math.CO math.IT
In this paper convolutional codes with cyclic structure will be investigated. These codes can be understood as left principal ideals in a suitable skew-polynomial ring. It has been shown in [3] that only certain combinations of the parameters (field size, length, dimension, and Forney indices) can occur for cyclic codes. We will investigate whether all these combinations can indeed be realized by a suitable cyclic code and, if so, how to construct such a code. A complete characterization and construction will be given for minimal cyclic codes. It is derived from a detailed investigation of the units in the skew-polynomial ring.
math/0401045
Unitary Space Time Constellation Analysis: An Upper Bound for the Diversity
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
The diversity product and the diversity sum are two very important parameters for a good-performing unitary space time constellation. A basic question is what the maximal diversity product (or sum) is. In this paper we are going to derive general upper bounds on the diversity sum and the diversity product for unitary constellations of any dimension $n$ and any size $m$ using packing techniques on the compact Lie group U(n).
math/0401157
Generalized PSK in Space Time Coding
math.CO cs.IT math.IT math.OC
A wireless communication system using multiple antennas promises reliable transmission under Rayleigh flat fading assumptions. Design criteria and practical schemes have been presented for both coherent and non-coherent communication channels. In this paper we generalize one dimensional phase shift keying (PSK) signals and introduce space time constellations from generalized phase shift keying (GPSK) signals based on the complex and real orthogonal designs. The resulting space time constellations reallocate the energy for each transmitting antenna and feature good diversity products, consequently their performances are better than some of the existing comparable codes. Moreover since the maximum likelihood (ML) decoding of our proposed codes can be decomposed to one dimensional PSK signal demodulation, the ML decoding of our codes can be implemented in a very efficient way.
math/0401279
Backward Optimized Orthogonal Matching Pursuit
math.GM cs.IT math.IT
A recursive approach for shrinking coefficients of an atomic decomposition is proposed. The corresponding algorithm evolves so as to provide at each iteration a) the orthogonal projection of a signal onto a reduced subspace and b) the index of the coefficient to be disregarded in order to construct a coarser approximation minimizing the norm of the residual error.
math/0402346
Applications of Lefschetz numbers in control theory
math.OC cs.SY math.AT
We develop some applications of techniques of the Lefschetz coincidence theory in control theory. The topics are existence of equilibria and their robustness, controllability and its robustness.
math/0403548
Remarks on codes from modular curves: MAGMA applications
math.NT cs.IT math.AG math.IT
Expository paper discussing AG or Goppa codes arising from curves, first from an abstract general perspective then turning to concrete examples associated to modular curves. We will try to explain these extremely technical ideas using a special case at a level to a typical graduate student with some background in modular forms, number theory, group theory, and algebraic geometry. Many examples using MAGMA are included.
math/0404325
Asymptotic Improvement of the Gilbert-Varshamov Bound on the Size of Binary Codes
math.CO cs.IT math.AC math.IT
Given positive integers $n$ and $d$, let $A_2(n,d)$ denote the maximum size of a binary code of length $n$ and minimum distance $d$. The well-known Gilbert-Varshamov bound asserts that $A_2(n,d) \geq 2^n/V(n,d-1)$, where $V(n,d) = \sum_{i=0}^{d} {n \choose i}$ is the volume of a Hamming sphere of radius $d$. We show that, in fact, there exists a positive constant $c$ such that $$ A_2(n,d) \geq c \frac{2^n}{V(n,d-1)} \log_2 V(n,d-1) $$ whenever $d/n \le 0.499$. The result follows by recasting the Gilbert- Varshamov bound into a graph-theoretic framework and using the fact that the corresponding graph is locally sparse. Generalizations and extensions of this result are briefly discussed.
math/0405082
On the List and Bounded Distance Decodibility of the Reed-Solomon Codes
math.NT cs.IT math.IT
In this paper show that the list and bounded-distance decoding problems of certain bounds for the Reed-Solomon code are at least as hard as the discrete logarithm problem over finite fields.
math/0406077
A tutorial introduction to the minimum description length principle
math.ST cs.IT cs.LG math.IT stat.TH
This tutorial provides an overview of and introduction to Rissanen's Minimum Description Length (MDL) Principle. The first chapter provides a conceptual, entirely non-technical introduction to the subject. It serves as a basis for the technical introduction given in the second chapter, in which all the ideas of the first chapter are made mathematically precise. The main ideas are discussed in great conceptual and technical detail. This tutorial is an extended version of the first two chapters of the collection "Advances in Minimum Description Length: Theory and Application" (edited by P.Grunwald, I.J. Myung and M. Pitt, to be published by the MIT Press, Spring 2005).
math/0406221
Suboptimal behaviour of Bayes and MDL in classification under misspecification
math.ST cs.IT cs.LG math.IT stat.TH
We show that forms of Bayesian and MDL inference that are often applied to classification problems can be *inconsistent*. This means there exists a learning problem such that for all amounts of data the generalization errors of the MDL classifier and the Bayes classifier relative to the Bayesian posterior both remain bounded away from the smallest achievable generalization error.
math/0408146
Learning a Machine for the Decision in a Partially Observable Markov Universe
math.GM cs.AI cs.LG
In this paper, we are interested in optimal decisions in a partially observable Markov universe. Our viewpoint departs from the dynamic programming viewpoint: we are directly approximating an optimal strategic tree depending on the observation. This approximation is made by means of a parameterized probabilistic law. In this paper, a particular family of hidden Markov models, with input and output, is considered as a learning framework. A method for optimizing the parameters of these HMMs is proposed and applied. This optimization method is based on the cross-entropic principle.
math/0409548
On mutual information, likelihood-ratios and estimation error for the additive Gaussian channel
math.PR cs.IT math.IT math.ST stat.TH
This paper considers the model of an arbitrary distributed signal x observed through an added independent white Gaussian noise w, y=x+w. New relations between the minimal mean square error of the non-causal estimator and the likelihood ratio between y and \omega are derived. This is followed by an extended version of a recently derived relation between the mutual information I(x;y) and the minimal mean square error. These results are applied to derive infinite dimensional versions of the Fisher information and the de Bruijn identity. The derivation of the results is based on the Malliavin calculus.
math/0410317
On doubly-cyclic convolutional codes
math.RA cs.IT math.IT
Cyclicity of a convolutional code (CC) is relying on a nontrivial automorphism of the algebra F[x]/(x^n-1), where F is a finite field. If this automorphism itself has certain specific cyclicity properties one is lead to the class of doubly-cyclic CC's. Within this large class Reed-Solomon and BCH convolutional codes can be defined. After constructing doubly-cyclic CC's, basic properties are derived on the basis of which distance properties of Reed-Solomon convolutional codes are investigated.This shows that some of them are optimal or near optimal with respect to distance and performance.
math/0411515
Fast Non-Parametric Bayesian Inference on Infinite Trees
math.ST cs.LG math.PR stat.TH
Given i.i.d. data from an unknown distribution, we consider the problem of predicting future items. An adaptive way to estimate the probability density is to recursively subdivide the domain to an appropriate data-dependent granularity. A Bayesian would assign a data-independent prior probability to "subdivide", which leads to a prior over infinite(ly many) trees. We derive an exact, fast, and simple inference algorithm for such a prior, for the data evidence, the predictive distribution, the effective model dimension, and other quantities.
math/0502315
Strong Asymptotic Assertions for Discrete MDL in Regression and Classification
math.ST cs.AI cs.IT cs.LG math.IT math.PR stat.TH
We study the properties of the MDL (or maximum penalized complexity) estimator for Regression and Classification, where the underlying model class is countable. We show in particular a finite bound on the Hellinger losses under the only assumption that there is a "true" model contained in the class. This implies almost sure convergence of the predictive distribution to the true one at a fast rate. It corresponds to Solomonoff's central theorem of universal induction, however with a bound that is exponentially larger.
math/0504378
A Short Proof that Phylogenetic Tree Reconstruction by Maximum Likelihood is Hard
math.PR cs.CC cs.CE math.ST q-bio.PE stat.TH
Maximum likelihood is one of the most widely used techniques to infer evolutionary histories. Although it is thought to be intractable, a proof of its hardness has been lacking. Here, we give a short proof that computing the maximum likelihood tree is NP-hard by exploiting a connection between likelihood and parsimony observed by Tuffley and Steel.
math/0504522
On the Classification of All Self-Dual Additive Codes over GF(4) of Length up to 12
math.CO cs.IT math.IT
We consider additive codes over GF(4) that are self-dual with respect to the Hermitian trace inner product. Such codes have a well-known interpretation as quantum codes and correspond to isotropic systems. It has also been shown that these codes can be represented as graphs, and that two codes are equivalent if and only if the corresponding graphs are equivalent with respect to local complementation and graph isomorphism. We use these facts to classify all codes of length up to 12, where previously only all codes of length up to 9 were known. We also classify all extremal Type II codes of length 14. Finally, we find that the smallest Type I and Type II codes with trivial automorphism group have length 9 and 12, respectively.
math/0507235
Analyticity of Entropy Rate of Hidden Markov Chains
math.PR cs.IT math.IT
We prove that under mild positivity assumptions the entropy rate of a hidden Markov chain varies analytically as a function of the underlying Markov chain parameters. A general principle to determine the domain of analyticity is stated. An example is given to estimate the radius of convergence for the entropy rate. We then show that the positivity assumptions can be relaxed, and examples are given for the relaxed conditions. We study a special class of hidden Markov chains in more detail: binary hidden Markov chains with an unambiguous symbol, and we give necessary and sufficient conditions for analyticity of the entropy rate for this case. Finally, we show that under the positivity assumptions the hidden Markov chain {\em itself} varies analytically, in a strong sense, as a function of the underlying Markov chain parameters.
math/0508171
Matrices of Forests and the Analysis of Digraphs
math.CO cs.CV cs.NI
The matrices of spanning rooted forests are studied as a tool for analysing the structure of digraphs and measuring their characteristics. The problems of revealing the basis bicomponents, measuring vertex proximity, and ranking from preference relations / sports competitions are considered. It is shown that the vertex accessibility measure based on spanning forests has a number of desirable properties. An interpretation for the normalized matrix of out-forests in terms of information dissemination is given. Keywords: Laplacian matrix, spanning forest, matrix-forest theorem, proximity measure, bicomponent, ranking, incomplete tournament, paired comparisons
math/0508319
Combinations and Mixtures of Optimal Policies in Unichain Markov Decision Processes are Optimal
math.CO cs.DM cs.LG math.OC math.PR
We show that combinations of optimal (stationary) policies in unichain Markov decision processes are optimal. That is, let M be a unichain Markov decision process with state space S, action space A and policies \pi_j^*: S -> A (1\leq j\leq n) with optimal average infinite horizon reward. Then any combination \pi of these policies, where for each state i in S there is a j such that \pi(i)=\pi_j^*(i), is optimal as well. Furthermore, we prove that any mixture of optimal policies, where at each visit in a state i an arbitrary action \pi_j^*(i) of an optimal policy is chosen, yields optimal average reward, too.