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1104.1227
Intervention in Power Control Games With Selfish Users
cs.IT cs.GT cs.NI math.IT
We study the power control problem in wireless ad hoc networks with selfish users. Without incentive schemes, selfish users tend to transmit at their maximum power levels, causing significant interference to each other. In this paper, we study a class of incentive schemes based on intervention to induce selfish users to transmit at desired power levels. An intervention scheme can be implemented by introducing an intervention device that can monitor the power levels of users and then transmit power to cause interference to users. We mainly consider first-order intervention rules based on individual transmit powers. We derive conditions on design parameters and the intervention capability to achieve a desired outcome as a (unique) Nash equilibrium and propose a dynamic adjustment process that the designer can use to guide users and the intervention device to the desired outcome. The effect of using intervention rules based on aggregate receive power is also analyzed. Our results show that with perfect monitoring intervention schemes can be designed to achieve any positive power profile while using interference from the intervention device only as a threat. We also analyze the case of imperfect monitoring and show that a performance loss can occur. Lastly, simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance improvement from using intervention rules and compare the performances of different intervention rules.
1104.1237
A Statistical Nonparametric Approach of Face Recognition: Combination of Eigenface & Modified k-Means Clustering
cs.CV
Facial expressions convey non-verbal cues, which play an important role in interpersonal relations. Automatic recognition of human face based on facial expression can be an important component of natural human-machine interface. It may also be used in behavioural science. Although human can recognize the face practically without any effort, but reliable face recognition by machine is a challenge. This paper presents a new approach for recognizing the face of a person considering the expressions of the same human face at different instances of time. This methodology is developed combining Eigenface method for feature extraction and modified k-Means clustering for identification of the human face. This method endowed the face recognition without using the conventional distance measure classifiers. Simulation results show that proposed face recognition using perception of k-Means clustering is useful for face images with different facial expressions.
1104.1249
The Design of a Novel Prismatic Drive for a Three-DOF Parallel-Kinematics Machine
cs.RO
The design of a novel prismatic drive is reported in this paper. This transmission is based on Slide-o-Cam, a cam mechanism with multiple rollers mounted on a common translating follower. The design of Slide-o-Cam was reported elsewhere. This drive thus provides pure-rolling motion, thereby reducing the friction of rack-and-pinions and linear drives. Such properties can be used to design new transmissions for parallel-kinematics machines. In this paper, this transmission is intended to replace the ball-screws in Orthoglide, a three-dof parallel robot intended for machining applications.
1104.1279
Context Aware Multisensor Image Fusion for Military Sensor Networks using Multi Agent System
cs.MA
This paper proposes a Context Aware Agent based Military Sensor Network (CAMSN) to form an improved infrastructure for multi-sensor image fusion. It considers contexts driven by a node and sink. The contexts such as general and critical object detection are node driven where as sensing time (such as day or night) is sink driven. The agencies used in the scheme are categorized as node and sink agency. Each agency employs a set of static and mobile agents to perform dedicated tasks. Node agency performs context sensing and context interpretation based on the sensed image and sensing time. Node agency comprises of node manager agent, context agent and node blackboard (NBB). Context agent gathers the context from the target and updates the NBB, Node manager agent interprets the context and passes the context information to sink node by using flooding mechanism. Sink agency mainly comprises of sink manager agent, fusing agent, and sink black board. A context at the sensor node triggers the fusion process at the sink. Based on the context, sink manager agent triggers the fusing agent. Fusing agent roams around the network, visits active sensor node, fuses the relevant images and sends the fused image to sink. The fusing agent uses wavelet transform for fusion. The scheme is simulated for testing its operation effectiveness in terms of fusion time, mean square error, throughput, dropping rate, bandwidth requirement, node battery usage and agent overhead.
1104.1311
Latent table discovery by semantic relationship extraction between unrelated sets of entity sets of structured data sources
cs.DB
Querying is one of the basic functionality expected from a database system. Query efficiency is adversely affected by increase in the number of participating tables. Also, querying based on syntax largely limits the gamut of queries a database system can process. Syntactic queries rely on the database table structure, which is a cause of concern for large organisations due to incompatibility between heterogeneous systems that store data distributed across geographic locations. Solution to these problems is answered to some extent by moving towards semantic technology by making data and the database meaningful. In doing so, relationship between sets of entity sets will not be limited only to syntactic constraints but would also permit semantic connections nonetheless such relationships may be tacit, intangible and invisible. The goal of this work is to extract such hidden relationships between unrelated sets of entity sets and store them in a tangible form. A few sample cases are provided to vindicate that the proposed work improves querying significantly.
1104.1317
Algorithm for Sensor Network Attitude Problem
math.OC cs.SY
Sensor network attitude problem consists in retrieving the attitude of each sensor of a network knowing some relative orientations between pairs of sensors. The attitude of a sensor is its orientation in an absolute axis system. We present in this paper a method for solving the sensor network attitude problem using quaternion formalism which allows to apply linear algebra tools. The proposed algorithm solves the problem when all of the relative attitudes are known. A complete characterisation of the algorithm is established: spatial complexity, time complexity and robustness. Our algorithm is validated in simulations and with real experiments.
1104.1320
On the geometry of small weight codewords of dual algebraic geometric codes
math.AG cs.IT math.IT
We investigate the geometry of the support of small weight codewords of dual algebraic geometric codes on smooth complete intersections by applying the powerful tools recently developed by Alain Couvreur. In particular, by restricting ourselves to the case of Hermitian codes, we recover and extend previous results obtained by the second named author joint with Marco Pellegrini and Massimiliano Sala.
1104.1389
Generalizing the Markov and covariance interpolation problem using input-to-state filters
math.OC cs.SY
In the Markov and covariance interpolation problem a transfer function $W$ is sought that match the first coefficients in the expansion of $W$ around zero and the first coefficients of the Laurent expansion of the corresponding spectral density $WW^\star$. Here we solve an interpolation problem where the matched parameters are the coefficients of expansions of $W$ and $WW^\star$ around various points in the disc. The solution is derived using input-to-state filters and is determined by simple calculations such as solving Lyapunov equations and generalized eigenvalue problems.
1104.1408
Coding Bounds for Multiple Phased-Burst Correction and Single Burst Correction Codes
cs.IT math.IT
In this paper, two upper bounds on the achievable code rate of linear block codes for multiple phased-burst correction (MPBC) are presented. One bound is constrained to a maximum correctable cyclic burst length within every subblock, or equivalently a constraint on the minimum error free length or gap within every phased-burst. This bound, when reduced to the special case of a bound for single burst correction (SBC), is shown to be the Abramson bound when the cyclic burst length is less than half the block length. The second MPBC bound is developed without the minimum error free gap constraint and is used as a comparison to the first bound.
1104.1436
Efficient First Order Methods for Linear Composite Regularizers
cs.LG math.OC stat.ME stat.ML
A wide class of regularization problems in machine learning and statistics employ a regularization term which is obtained by composing a simple convex function \omega with a linear transformation. This setting includes Group Lasso methods, the Fused Lasso and other total variation methods, multi-task learning methods and many more. In this paper, we present a general approach for computing the proximity operator of this class of regularizers, under the assumption that the proximity operator of the function \omega is known in advance. Our approach builds on a recent line of research on optimal first order optimization methods and uses fixed point iterations for numerically computing the proximity operator. It is more general than current approaches and, as we show with numerical simulations, computationally more efficient than available first order methods which do not achieve the optimal rate. In particular, our method outperforms state of the art O(1/T) methods for overlapping Group Lasso and matches optimal O(1/T^2) methods for the Fused Lasso and tree structured Group Lasso.
1104.1448
A Basic Unified Context for Evaluating the Beam Forming and MIMO Options in a Wireless Link
cs.IT math.IT
For one isolated wireless link we take a unified look at simple beamforming (BF) as contrasted with MIMO to see how both emerge and under which conditions advantage goes to one or the other. Communication is from a high base array to a user in clutter. The channel propagation model is derived from fundamentals. The base knows the power angular spectrum, but not the channel instantiation. Eigenstates of the field spatial autocorrelation are the preferred apodizations (APODs) which are drivers of the natural modes for exciting lectric fields. Preference for MIMO or BF depends on APOD spectra which are surveyed pointing to various asymptotic effects, including the maximum BF gain. Performance is studied under varying eigenmode power settings at 10% outage. We focus on (1,4) driving the strongest mode for BF and (4,4) driving the 4 strongest for MIMO. Results are obtained under representative parameter settings, e.g. an angular spread of 8 deg, 2 GHz carrier, 0 dB SNR and an array aperture of 1.68m (4 field decorrelation lengths) with antenna elements spaced as close as lambda/2. We find MIMO excelling for array apertures much larger than the decorrelation length; BF does almost as well for smaller apertures.
1104.1450
Plug-in Approach to Active Learning
math.ST cs.LG stat.TH
We present a new active learning algorithm based on nonparametric estimators of the regression function. Our investigation provides probabilistic bounds for the rates of convergence of the generalization error achievable by proposed method over a broad class of underlying distributions. We also prove minimax lower bounds which show that the obtained rates are almost tight.
1104.1457
High-Rate Short-Block LDPC Codes for Iterative Decoding with Applications to High-Density Magnetic Recording Channels
cs.IT math.IT
This paper investigates the Triangle Single Parity Check (T/SPC) code, a novel class of high-rate low-complexity LDPC codes. T/SPC is a regular, soft decodable, linear-time encodable/decodable code. Compared to previous high-rate and low-complexity LDPC codes, such as the well-known Turbo Product Code / Single Parity Check (TPC/SPC), T/SPC provides higher code rates, shorter code words, and lower complexity. This makes T/SPC very attractive for practical implementation on integrated circuits. In addition, we analyze the performance of iterative decoders based on a soft-input soft-output (SISO) equalizer using T/SPC over high-density perpendicular magnetic recording channels. Computer simulations show that the proposed scheme is able to achieve a gain of up to 0.3 dB over TPC/SPC codes with a significant reduction of implementation complexity.
1104.1471
New Techniques for Upper-Bounding the ML Decoding Performance of Binary Linear Codes
cs.IT math.IT
In this paper, new techniques are presented to either simplify or improve most existing upper bounds on the maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding performance of the binary linear codes over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. Firstly, the recently proposed union bound using truncated weight spectrums by Ma {\em et al} is re-derived in a detailed way based on Gallager's first bounding technique (GFBT), where the "good region" is specified by a sub-optimal list decoding algorithm. The error probability caused by the bad region can be upper-bounded by the tail-probability of a binomial distribution, while the error probability caused by the good region can be upper-bounded by most existing techniques. Secondly, we propose two techniques to tighten the union bound on the error probability caused by the good region. The first technique is based on pair-wise error probabilities, which can be further tightened by employing the independence between the error events and certain components of the received random vectors. The second technique is based on triplet-wise error probabilities, which can be upper-bounded by proving that any three bipolar vectors form a non-obtuse triangle. The proposed bounds improve the conventional union bounds but have a similar complexity since they involve only the $Q$-function. The proposed bounds can also be adapted to bit-error probabilities.
1104.1472
Gaussian Affine Feature Detector
cs.CV
A new method is proposed to get image features' geometric information. Using Gaussian as an input signal, a theoretical optimal solution to calculate feature's affine shape is proposed. Based on analytic result of a feature model, the method is different from conventional iterative approaches. From the model, feature's parameters such as position, orientation, background luminance, contrast, area and aspect ratio can be extracted. Tested with synthesized and benchmark data, the method achieves or outperforms existing approaches in term of accuracy, speed and stability. The method can detect small, long or thin objects precisely, and works well under general conditions, such as for low contrast, blurred or noisy images.
1104.1477
An Agent-based Architecture for a Knowledge-work Support System
cs.HC cs.AI cs.MA
Enhancement of technology-based system support for knowledge workers is an issue of great importance. The "Knowledge work Support System (KwSS)" framework analyzes this issue from a holistic perspective. KwSS proposes a set of design principles for building a comprehensive IT-based support system, which enhances the capability of a human agent for performing a set of complex and interrelated knowledge-works relevant to one or more target task-types within a domain of professional activities. In this paper, we propose a high-level, software-agent based architecture for realizing a KwSS system that incorporates these design principles. Here we focus on developing a number of crucial enabling components of the architecture, including (1) an Activity Theory-based novel modeling technique for knowledgeintensive activities; (2) a graph theoretic formalism for representing these models in a knowledge base in conjunction with relevant entity taxonomies/ontologies; and (3) an algorithm for reasoning, using the knowledge base, about various aspects of possible supports for activities at performance-time.
1104.1485
Fuzzy Rules and Evidence Theory for Satellite Image Analysis
cs.CV
Design of a fuzzy rule based classifier is proposed. The performance of the classifier for multispectral satellite image classification is improved using Dempster- Shafer theory of evidence that exploits information of the neighboring pixels. The classifiers are tested rigorously with two known images and their performance are found to be better than the results available in the literature. We also demonstrate the improvement of performance while using D-S theory along with fuzzy rule based classifiers over the basic fuzzy rule based classifiers for all the test cases.
1104.1506
Prosper: image and robot-guided prostate brachytherapy
cs.RO physics.med-ph
Brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer consists in destroying cancer by introducing iodine radioactive seeds into the gland through hollow needles. The planning of the position of the seeds and their introduction into the prostate is based on intra-operative ultrasound (US) imaging. We propose to optimize the global quality of the procedure by: i) using 3D US; ii) enhancing US data with MRI registration; iii) using a specially designed needle-insertion robot, connected to the imaging data. The imaging methods have been successfully tested on patient data while the robot accuracy has been evaluated on a realistic deformable phantom.
1104.1528
Coded Modulation for Power Line Communications
cs.IT math.IT
We discuss the application of coded modulation for power-line communications. We combine M-ary FSK with diversity and coding to make the transmission robust against permanent frequency disturbances and impulse noise. We give a particular example of the coding/modulation scheme that is in agreement with the existing CENELEC norms. The scheme can be considered as a form of coded Frequency Hopping and is thus extendable to any frequency range.
1104.1546
Physical Simulation of Inarticulate Robots
cs.RO
In this note we study the structure and the behavior of inarticulate robots. We introduce a robot that moves by successive revolvings. The robot's structure is analyzed, simulated and discussed in detail.
1104.1550
A bio-inspired image coder with temporal scalability
cs.CV cs.IT cs.NE math.IT
We present a novel bio-inspired and dynamic coding scheme for static images. Our coder aims at reproducing the main steps of the visual stimulus processing in the mammalian retina taking into account its time behavior. The main novelty of this work is to show how to exploit the time behavior of the retina cells to ensure, in a simple way, scalability and bit allocation. To do so, our main source of inspiration will be the biologically plausible retina model called Virtual Retina. Following a similar structure, our model has two stages. The first stage is an image transform which is performed by the outer layers in the retina. Here it is modelled by filtering the image with a bank of difference of Gaussians with time-delays. The second stage is a time-dependent analog-to-digital conversion which is performed by the inner layers in the retina. Thanks to its conception, our coder enables scalability and bit allocation across time. Also, our decoded images do not show annoying artefacts such as ringing and block effects. As a whole, this article shows how to capture the main properties of a biological system, here the retina, in order to design a new efficient coder.
1104.1556
Benchmarking the Quality of Diffusion-Weighted Images
cs.CV
We present a novel method that allows for measuring the quality of diffusion-weighted MR images dependent on the image resolution and the image noise. For this purpose, we introduce a new thresholding technique so that noise and the signal can automatically be estimated from a single data set. Thus, no user interaction as well as no double acquisition technique, which requires a time-consuming proper geometrical registration, is needed. As a coarser image resolution or slice thickness leads to a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), our benchmark determines a resolution-independent quality measure so that images with different resolutions can be adequately compared. To evaluate our method, a set of diffusion-weighted images from different vendors is used. It is shown that the quality can efficiently be determined and that the automatically computed SNR is comparable to the SNR which is measured manually in a manually selected region of interest.
1104.1582
A Fuzzy Control Algorithm for the Electronic Stability Program optimized for tyre burst control
cs.SY math.OC
This paper introduces an improved Electronic Stability Program for cars that can deal with the sudden burst of a tyre. The Improved Electronic Stability Program (IESP) is based on a fuzzy logic algorithm. The IESP collects data from the same sensors of a standard ESP and acts on brakes/throttle with the same actuators. The IESP reads the driver steering angle and the dynamic condition of the car and selectively acts on throttle and brakes in order to put the car on the required direction even during a tyre burst.
1104.1605
Efficient Top-K Retrieval in Online Social Tagging Networks
cs.IR cs.DB cs.SI
We consider in this paper top-k query answering in social tagging systems, also known as folksonomies. This problem requires a significant departure from existing, socially agnostic techniques. In a network-aware context, one can (and should) exploit the social links, which can indicate how users relate to the seeker and how much weight their tagging actions should have in the result build-up. We propose an algorithm that has the potential to scale to current applications. While the problem has already been considered in previous literature, this was done either under strong simplifying assumptions or under choices that cannot scale to even moderate-size real world applications. We first consider a key aspect of the problem, which is accessing the closest or most relevant users for a given seeker. We describe how this can be done on the fly (without any pre-computations) for several possible choices - arguably the most natural ones - of proximity computation in a user network. Based on this, our top-k algorithm is sound and complete, while addressing the scalability issues of the existing ones. Importantly, our technique is instance optimal in the case when the search relies exclusively on the social weight of tagging actions. To further reduce response times, we then consider directions for efficiency by approximation. Extensive experiments on real world data show that our techniques can drastically improve the response time, without sacrificing precision.
1104.1672
Dimension-free tail inequalities for sums of random matrices
math.PR cs.LG stat.ML
We derive exponential tail inequalities for sums of random matrices with no dependence on the explicit matrix dimensions. These are similar to the matrix versions of the Chernoff bound and Bernstein inequality except with the explicit matrix dimensions replaced by a trace quantity that can be small even when the dimension is large or infinite. Some applications to principal component analysis and approximate matrix multiplication are given to illustrate the utility of the new bounds.
1104.1677
Automatic Vehicle Checking Agent (VCA)
cs.AI
A definition of intelligence is given in terms of performance that can be quantitatively measured. In this study, we have presented a conceptual model of Intelligent Agent System for Automatic Vehicle Checking Agent (VCA). To achieve this goal, we have introduced several kinds of agents that exhibit intelligent features. These are the Management agent, internal agent, External Agent, Watcher agent and Report agent. Metrics and measurements are suggested for evaluating the performance of Automatic Vehicle Checking Agent (VCA). Calibrate data and test facilities are suggested to facilitate the development of intelligent systems.
1104.1678
A Proposed Decision Support System/Expert System for Guiding Fresh Students in Selecting a Faculty in Gomal University, Pakistan
cs.AI
This paper presents the design and development of a proposed rule based Decision Support System that will help students in selecting the best suitable faculty/major decision while taking admission in Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. The basic idea of our approach is to design a model for testing and measuring the student capabilities like intelligence, understanding, comprehension, mathematical concepts plus his/her past academic record plus his/her intelligence level, and applying the module results to a rule-based decision support system to determine the compatibility of those capabilities with the available faculties/majors in Gomal University. The result is shown as a list of suggested faculties/majors with the student capabilities and abilities.
1104.1717
Continuous and Discrete Adjoints to the Euler Equations for Fluids
cs.CE math.NA physics.flu-dyn
Adjoints are used in optimization to speed-up computations, simplify optimality conditions or compute sensitivities. Because time is reversed in adjoint equations with first order time derivatives, boundary conditions and transmission conditions through shocks can be difficult to understand. In this article we analyze the adjoint equations that arise in the context of compressible flows governed by the Euler equations of fluid dynamics. We show that the continuous adjoints and the discrete adjoints computed by automatic differentiation agree numerically; in particular the adjoint is found to be continuous at the shocks and usually discontinuous at contact discontinuities by both.
1104.1742
Asymptotic Capacity Analysis for Adaptive Transmission Schemes under General Fading Distributions
cs.IT math.IT
Asymptotic comparisons of ergodic channel capacity at high and low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are provided for several adaptive transmission schemes over fading channels with general distributions, including optimal power and rate adaptation, rate adaptation only, channel inversion and its variants. Analysis of the high-SNR pre-log constants of the ergodic capacity reveals the existence of constant capacity difference gaps among the schemes with a pre-log constant of ?1. Closed-form expressions for these high-SNR capacity difference gaps are derived, which are proportional to the SNR loss between these schemes in dB scale. The largest one of these gaps is found to be between the optimal power and rate adaptation scheme and the channel inversion scheme. Based on these expressions it is shown that the presence of space diversity or multi-user diversity makes channel inversion arbitrarily close to achieving optimal capacity at high SNR with sufficiently large number of antennas or users. A low-SNR analysis also reveals that the presence of fading provably always improves capacity at sufficiently low SNR, compared to the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) case. Numerical results are shown to corroborate our analytical results.
1104.1745
Multi-User Diversity with Random Number of Users
cs.IT math.IT
Multi-user diversity is considered when the number of users in the system is random. The complete monotonicity of the error rate as a function of the (deterministic) number of users is established and it is proved that randomization of the number of users always leads to deterioration of average system performance at any average SNR. Further, using stochastic ordering theory, a framework for comparison of system performance for different user distributions is provided. For Poisson distributed users, the difference in error rate of the random and deterministic number of users cases is shown to asymptotically approach zero as the average number of users goes to infinity for any fixed average SNR. In contrast, for a finite average number of users and high SNR, it is found that randomization of the number of users deteriorates performance significantly, and the diversity order under fading is dominated by the smallest possible number of users. For Poisson distributed users communicating over Rayleigh faded channels, further closed-form results are provided for average error rate, and the asymptotic scaling law for ergodic capacity is also provided. Simulation results are provided to corroborate our analytical findings.
1104.1789
Zipf's law unzipped
physics.soc-ph cs.SI
Why does Zipf's law give a good description of data from seemingly completely unrelated phenomena? Here it is argued that the reason is that they can all be described as outcomes of a ubiquitous random group division: the elements can be citizens of a country and the groups family names, or the elements can be all the words making up a novel and the groups the unique words, or the elements could be inhabitants and the groups the cities in a country, and so on. A Random Group Formation (RGF) is presented from which a Bayesian estimate is obtained based on minimal information: it provides the best prediction for the number of groups with $k$ elements, given the total number of elements, groups, and the number of elements in the largest group. For each specification of these three values, the RGF predicts a unique group distribution $N(k)\propto \exp(-bk)/k^{\gamma}$, where the power-law index $\gamma$ is a unique function of the same three values. The universality of the result is made possible by the fact that no system specific assumptions are made about the mechanism responsible for the group division. The direct relation between $\gamma$ and the total number of elements, groups, and the number of elements in the largest group, is calculated. The predictive power of the RGF model is demonstrated by direct comparison with data from a variety of systems. It is shown that $\gamma$ usually takes values in the interval $1\leq\gamma\leq 2$ and that the value for a given phenomena depends in a systematic way on the total size of the data set. The results are put in the context of earlier discussions on Zipf's and Gibrat's laws, $N(k)\propto k^{-2}$ and the connection between growth models and RGF is elucidated.
1104.1823
Which weighted circulant networks have perfect state transfer?
cs.DM cs.IT math.IT quant-ph
The question of perfect state transfer existence in quantum spin networks based on weighted graphs has been recently presented by many authors. We give a simple condition for characterizing weighted circulant graphs allowing perfect state transfer in terms of their eigenvalues. This is done by extending the results about quantum periodicity existence in the networks obtained by Saxena, Severini and Shparlinski and characterizing integral graphs among weighted circulant graphs. Finally, classes of weighted circulant graphs supporting perfect state transfer are found. These classes completely cover the class of circulant graphs having perfect state transfer in the unweighted case. In fact, we show that there exists an weighted integral circulant graph with $n$ vertices having perfect state transfer if and only if $n$ is even. Moreover we prove the non-existence of perfect state transfer for several other classes of weighted integral circulant graphs of even order.
1104.1824
Simulating Spiking Neural P systems without delays using GPUs
cs.DC cs.ET cs.FL cs.NE q-bio.NC
We present in this paper our work regarding simulating a type of P system known as a spiking neural P system (SNP system) using graphics processing units (GPUs). GPUs, because of their architectural optimization for parallel computations, are well-suited for highly parallelizable problems. Due to the advent of general purpose GPU computing in recent years, GPUs are not limited to graphics and video processing alone, but include computationally intensive scientific and mathematical applications as well. Moreover P systems, including SNP systems, are inherently and maximally parallel computing models whose inspirations are taken from the functioning and dynamics of a living cell. In particular, SNP systems try to give a modest but formal representation of a special type of cell known as the neuron and their interactions with one another. The nature of SNP systems allowed their representation as matrices, which is a crucial step in simulating them on highly parallel devices such as GPUs. The highly parallel nature of SNP systems necessitate the use of hardware intended for parallel computations. The simulation algorithms, design considerations, and implementation are presented. Finally, simulation results, observations, and analyses using an SNP system that generates all numbers in $\mathbb N$ - {1} are discussed, as well as recommendations for future work.
1104.1825
Characterization of circulant graphs having perfect state transfer
cs.DM cs.IT math.IT quant-ph
In this paper we answer the question of when circulant quantum spin networks with nearest-neighbor couplings can give perfect state transfer. The network is described by a circulant graph $G$, which is characterized by its circulant adjacency matrix $A$. Formally, we say that there exists a {\it perfect state transfer} (PST) between vertices $a,b\in V(G)$ if $|F(\tau)_{ab}|=1$, for some positive real number $\tau$, where $F(t)=\exp(\i At)$. Saxena, Severini and Shparlinski ({\it International Journal of Quantum Information} 5 (2007), 417--430) proved that $|F(\tau)_{aa}|=1$ for some $a\in V(G)$ and $\tau\in \R^+$ if and only if all eigenvalues of $G$ are integer (that is, the graph is integral). The integral circulant graph $\ICG_n (D)$ has the vertex set $Z_n = \{0, 1, 2, ..., n - 1\}$ and vertices $a$ and $b$ are adjacent if $\gcd(a-b,n)\in D$, where $D \subseteq \{d : d \mid n,\ 1\leq d<n\}$. These graphs are highly symmetric and have important applications in chemical graph theory. We show that $\ICG_n (D)$ has PST if and only if $n\in 4\N$ and $D=\widetilde{D_3}\cup D_2\cup 2D_2\cup 4D_2\cup \{n/2^a\}$, where $\widetilde{D_3}=\{d\in D\ |\ n/d\in 8\N\}$, $D_2= \{d\in D\ |\ n/d\in 8\N+4\}\setminus \{n/4\}$ and $a\in\{1,2\}$. We have thus answered the question of complete characterization of perfect state transfer in integral circulant graphs raised in {\it Quantum Information and Computation}, Vol. 10, No. 3&4 (2010) 0325--0342 by Angeles-Canul {\it et al.} Furthermore, we also calculate perfect quantum communication distance (distance between vertices where PST occurs) and describe the spectra of integral circulant graphs having PST. We conclude by giving a closed form expression calculating the number of integral circulant graphs of a given order having PST.
1104.1872
Convex and Network Flow Optimization for Structured Sparsity
math.OC cs.LG stat.ML
We consider a class of learning problems regularized by a structured sparsity-inducing norm defined as the sum of l_2- or l_infinity-norms over groups of variables. Whereas much effort has been put in developing fast optimization techniques when the groups are disjoint or embedded in a hierarchy, we address here the case of general overlapping groups. To this end, we present two different strategies: On the one hand, we show that the proximal operator associated with a sum of l_infinity-norms can be computed exactly in polynomial time by solving a quadratic min-cost flow problem, allowing the use of accelerated proximal gradient methods. On the other hand, we use proximal splitting techniques, and address an equivalent formulation with non-overlapping groups, but in higher dimension and with additional constraints. We propose efficient and scalable algorithms exploiting these two strategies, which are significantly faster than alternative approaches. We illustrate these methods with several problems such as CUR matrix factorization, multi-task learning of tree-structured dictionaries, background subtraction in video sequences, image denoising with wavelets, and topographic dictionary learning of natural image patches.
1104.1880
Approximative Covariance Interpolation
math.OC cs.SY
When methods of moments are used for identification of power spectral densities, a model is matched to estimated second order statistics such as, e.g., covariance estimates. If the estimates are good there is an infinite family of power spectra consistent with such an estimate and in applications, such as identification, we want to single out the most representative spectrum. We choose a prior spectral density to represent a priori information, and the spectrum closest to it in a given quasi-distance is determined. However, if the estimates are based on few data, or the model class considered is not consistent with the process considered, it may be necessary to use an approximative covariance interpolation. Two different types of regularizations are considered in this paper that can be applied on many covariance interpolation based estimation methods.
1104.1892
"Improved FCM algorithm for Clustering on Web Usage Mining"
cs.IR cs.CV
In this paper we present clustering method is very sensitive to the initial center values, requirements on the data set too high, and cannot handle noisy data the proposal method is using information entropy to initialize the cluster centers and introduce weighting parameters to adjust the location of cluster centers and noise problems.The navigation datasets which are sequential in nature, Clustering web data is finding the groups which share common interests and behavior by analyzing the data collected in the web servers, this improves clustering on web data efficiently using improved fuzzy c-means(FCM) clustering. Web usage mining is the application of data mining techniques to web log data repositories. It is used in finding the user access patterns from web access log. Web data Clusters are formed using on MSNBC web navigation dataset.
1104.1905
A simulation of the Neolithic transition in Western Eurasia
cs.MA q-bio.PE
Farming and herding were introduced to Europe from the Near East and Anatolia; there are, however, considerable arguments about the mechanisms of this transition. Were it people who moved and outplaced the indigenous hunter- gatherer groups or admixed with them? Or was it just material and information that moved-the Neolithic Package-consisting of domesticated plants and animals and the knowledge of its use? The latter process is commonly referred to as cultural diffusion and the former as demic diffusion. Despite continuous and partly combined efforts by archaeologists, anthropologists, linguists, paleontologists and geneticists a final resolution of the debate has not yet been reached. In the present contribution we interpret results from the Global Land Use and technological Evolution Simulator (GLUES), a mathematical model for regional sociocultural development embedded in the western Eurasian geoenvironmental context during the Holocene. We demonstrate that the model is able to realistically hindcast the expansion speed and the inhomogeneous space-time evolution of the transition to agropastoralism in Europe. GLUES, in contrast to models that do not resolve endogenous sociocultural dynamics, also describes and explains how and why the Neolithic advanced in stages. In the model analysis, we uncouple the mechanisms of migration and information exchange. We find that (1) an indigenous form of agropastoralism could well have arisen in certain Mediterranean landscapes, but not in Northern and Central Europe, where it depended on imported technology and material, (2) both demic diffusion by migration or cultural diffusion by trade may explain the western European transition equally well, (3) [...]
1104.1910
Tails of Random Matrix Diagonal Elements: The Case of the Wishart Inverse
cs.IT cond-mat.stat-mech math.IT
We analytically compute the large-deviation probability of a diagonal matrix element of two cases of random matrices, namely $\beta=[\vec H^\dagger\vec H]^{-1}_{11}$ and $\gamma=[\vec I_N+\rho\vec H^\dagger\vec H]^{-1}_{11}$, where $\vec H$ is a $M\times N$ complex Gaussian matrix with independent entries and $M\geq N$. These diagonal entries are related to the "signal to interference and noise ratio" (SINR) in multi-antenna communications. They depend not only on the eigenvalues but also on the corresponding eigenfunction weights, which we are able to evaluate on average constrained on the value of the SINR. We also show that beyond a lower and upper critical value of $\beta$, $\gamma$, the maximum and minimum eigenvalues, respectively, detach from the bulk. Responsible for this detachment is the fact that the corresponding eigenvalue weight becomes macroscopic (i.e. O(1)), and hence exerts a strong repulsion to the eigenvalue.
1104.1924
Rational Deployment of CSP Heuristics
cs.AI
Heuristics are crucial tools in decreasing search effort in varied fields of AI. In order to be effective, a heuristic must be efficient to compute, as well as provide useful information to the search algorithm. However, some well-known heuristics which do well in reducing backtracking are so heavy that the gain of deploying them in a search algorithm might be outweighed by their overhead. We propose a rational metareasoning approach to decide when to deploy heuristics, using CSP backtracking search as a case study. In particular, a value of information approach is taken to adaptive deployment of solution-count estimation heuristics for value ordering. Empirical results show that indeed the proposed mechanism successfully balances the tradeoff between decreasing backtracking and heuristic computational overhead, resulting in a significant overall search time reduction.
1104.1945
Off-Line Handwritten Signature Retrieval using Curvelet Transforms
cs.CV
In this paper, a new method for offline handwritten signature retrieval is based on curvelet transform is proposed. Many applications in image processing require similarity retrieval of an image from a large collection of images. In such cases, image indexing becomes important for efficient organization and retrieval of images. This paper addresses this issue in the context of a database of handwritten signature images and describes a system for similarity retrieval. The proposed system uses a curvelet based texture features extraction. The performance of the system has been tested with an image database of 180 signatures. The results obtained indicate that the proposed system is able to identify signatures with great with accuracy even when a part of a signature is missing.
1104.1970
Wet paper codes and the dual distance in steganography
cs.CR cs.IT math.IT
In 1998 Crandall introduced a method based on coding theory to secretly embed a message in a digital support such as an image. Later Fridrich et al. improved this method to minimize the distortion introduced by the embedding; a process called wet paper. However, as previously emphasized in the literature, this method can fail during the embedding step. Here we find sufficient and necessary conditions to guarantee a successful embedding by studying the dual distance of a linear code. Since these results are essentially of combinatorial nature, they can be generalized to systematic codes, a large family containing all linear codes. We also compute the exact number of solutions and point out the relationship between wet paper codes and orthogonal arrays.
1104.1971
A unified framework for Schelling's model of segregation
physics.soc-ph cond-mat.stat-mech cs.SI
Schelling's model of segregation is one of the first and most influential models in the field of social simulation. There are many variations of the model which have been proposed and simulated over the last forty years, though the present state of the literature on the subject is somewhat fragmented and lacking comprehensive analytical treatments. In this article a unified mathematical framework for Schelling's model and its many variants is developed. This methodology is useful in two regards: firstly, it provides a tool with which to understand the differences observed between models; secondly, phenomena which appear in several model variations may be understood in more depth through analytic studies of simpler versions.
1104.1990
Adaptive Evolutionary Clustering
cs.LG stat.ML
In many practical applications of clustering, the objects to be clustered evolve over time, and a clustering result is desired at each time step. In such applications, evolutionary clustering typically outperforms traditional static clustering by producing clustering results that reflect long-term trends while being robust to short-term variations. Several evolutionary clustering algorithms have recently been proposed, often by adding a temporal smoothness penalty to the cost function of a static clustering method. In this paper, we introduce a different approach to evolutionary clustering by accurately tracking the time-varying proximities between objects followed by static clustering. We present an evolutionary clustering framework that adaptively estimates the optimal smoothing parameter using shrinkage estimation, a statistical approach that improves a naive estimate using additional information. The proposed framework can be used to extend a variety of static clustering algorithms, including hierarchical, k-means, and spectral clustering, into evolutionary clustering algorithms. Experiments on synthetic and real data sets indicate that the proposed framework outperforms static clustering and existing evolutionary clustering algorithms in many scenarios.
1104.2018
Efficient Learning of Generalized Linear and Single Index Models with Isotonic Regression
cs.AI cs.LG stat.ML
Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) and Single Index Models (SIMs) provide powerful generalizations of linear regression, where the target variable is assumed to be a (possibly unknown) 1-dimensional function of a linear predictor. In general, these problems entail non-convex estimation procedures, and, in practice, iterative local search heuristics are often used. Kalai and Sastry (2009) recently provided the first provably efficient method for learning SIMs and GLMs, under the assumptions that the data are in fact generated under a GLM and under certain monotonicity and Lipschitz constraints. However, to obtain provable performance, the method requires a fresh sample every iteration. In this paper, we provide algorithms for learning GLMs and SIMs, which are both computationally and statistically efficient. We also provide an empirical study, demonstrating their feasibility in practice.
1104.2026
Collaboration in Social Networks
physics.soc-ph cs.GT cs.SI
The very notion of social network implies that linked individuals interact repeatedly with each other. This allows them not only to learn successful strategies and adapt to them, but also to condition their own behavior on the behavior of others, in a strategic forward looking manner. Game theory of repeated games shows that these circumstances are conducive to the emergence of collaboration in simple games of two players. We investigate the extension of this concept to the case where players are engaged in a local contribution game and show that rationality and credibility of threats identify a class of Nash equilibria -- that we call "collaborative equilibria" -- that have a precise interpretation in terms of sub-graphs of the social network. For large network games, the number of such equilibria is exponentially large in the number of players. When incentives to defect are small, equilibria are supported by local structures whereas when incentives exceed a threshold they acquire a non-local nature, which requires a "critical mass" of more than a given fraction of the players to collaborate. Therefore, when incentives are high, an individual deviation typically causes the collapse of collaboration across the whole system. At the same time, higher incentives to defect typically support equilibria with a higher density of collaborators. The resulting picture conforms with several results in sociology and in the experimental literature on game theory, such as the prevalence of collaboration in denser groups and in the structural hubs of sparse networks.
1104.2034
Materials to the Russian-Bulgarian Comparative Dictionary "EAD"
cs.CL
This article presents a fragment of a new comparative dictionary "A comparative dictionary of names of expansive action in Russian and Bulgarian languages". Main features of the new web-based comparative dictionary are placed, the principles of its formation are shown, primary links between the word-matches are classified. The principal difference between translation dictionaries and the model of double comparison is also shown. The classification scheme of the pages is proposed. New concepts and keywords have been introduced. The real prototype of the dictionary with a few key pages is published. The broad debate about the possibility of this prototype to become a version of Russian-Bulgarian comparative dictionary of a new generation is available.
1104.2049
Optimal Channel Training in Uplink Network MIMO Systems
cs.IT math.IT
We consider a multi-cell frequency-selective fading uplink channel (network MIMO) from K single-antenna user terminals (UTs) to B cooperative base stations (BSs) with M antennas each. The BSs, assumed to be oblivious of the applied codebooks, forward compressed versions of their observations to a central station (CS) via capacity limited backhaul links. The CS jointly decodes the messages from all UTs. Since the BSs and the CS are assumed to have no prior channel state information (CSI), the channel needs to be estimated during its coherence time. Based on a lower bound of the ergodic mutual information, we determine the optimal fraction of the coherence time used for channel training, taking different path losses between the UTs and the BSs into account. We then study how the optimal training length is impacted by the backhaul capacity. Although our analytical results are based on a large system limit, we show by simulations that they provide very accurate approximations for even small system dimensions.
1104.2059
Template-based matching using weight maps
cs.CV
Template matching is one of the most prevalent pattern recognition methods worldwide. It has found uses in most visual concept detection fields. In this work, we investigate methods for improving template matching by adjusting the weights of different regions of the template. We compare several weight maps and test the methods using the FERET face test set in the context of human eye detection.
1104.2069
GEOMIR2K9 - A Similar Scene Finder
cs.CV
The main goal of the GEOMIR2K9 project is to create a software program that is able to find similar scenic images clustered by geographical location and sorted by similarity based only on their visual content. The user should be able to input a query image, based on this given query image the program should find relevant visual content and present this to the user in a meaningful way. Technically the goal for the GEOMIR2K9 project is twofold. The first of these two goals is to create a basic low level visual information retrieval system. This includes feature extraction, post processing of the feature data and classification/ clustering based on similarity with a strong focus on scenic images. The second goal of this project is to provide the user with a novel and suitable interface and visualization method so that the user may interact with the retrieved images in a natural and meaningful way.
1104.2079
Optimizing XML querying using type-based document projection
cs.DB
XML data projection (or pruning) is a natural optimization for main memory query engines: given a query Q over a document D, the subtrees of D that are not necessary to evaluate Q are pruned, thus producing a smaller document D'; the query Q is then executed on D', hence avoiding to allocate and process nodes that will never be reached by Q. In this article, we propose a new approach, based on types, that greatly improves current solutions. Besides providing comparable or greater precision and far lesser pruning overhead, our solution ---unlike current approaches--- takes into account backward axes, predicates, and can be applied to multiple queries rather than just to single ones. A side contribution is a new type system for XPath able to handle backward axes. The soundness of our approach is formally proved. Furthermore, we prove that the approach is also complete (i.e., yields the best possible type-driven pruning) for a relevant class of queries and Schemas. We further validate our approach using the XMark and XPathMark benchmarks and show that pruning not only improves the main memory query engine's performances (as expected) but also those of state of the art native XML databases.
1104.2086
A Universal Part-of-Speech Tagset
cs.CL
To facilitate future research in unsupervised induction of syntactic structure and to standardize best-practices, we propose a tagset that consists of twelve universal part-of-speech categories. In addition to the tagset, we develop a mapping from 25 different treebank tagsets to this universal set. As a result, when combined with the original treebank data, this universal tagset and mapping produce a dataset consisting of common parts-of-speech for 22 different languages. We highlight the use of this resource via two experiments, including one that reports competitive accuracies for unsupervised grammar induction without gold standard part-of-speech tags.
1104.2097
PAC learnability versus VC dimension: a footnote to a basic result of statistical learning
cs.LG
A fundamental result of statistical learnig theory states that a concept class is PAC learnable if and only if it is a uniform Glivenko-Cantelli class if and only if the VC dimension of the class is finite. However, the theorem is only valid under special assumptions of measurability of the class, in which case the PAC learnability even becomes consistent. Otherwise, there is a classical example, constructed under the Continuum Hypothesis by Dudley and Durst and further adapted by Blumer, Ehrenfeucht, Haussler, and Warmuth, of a concept class of VC dimension one which is neither uniform Glivenko-Cantelli nor consistently PAC learnable. We show that, rather surprisingly, under an additional set-theoretic hypothesis which is much milder than the Continuum Hypothesis (Martin's Axiom), PAC learnability is equivalent to finite VC dimension for every concept class.
1104.2108
Stability of Modified-CS and LS-CS for Recursive Reconstruction of Sparse Signal Sequences
cs.IT math.IT
In this work, we obtain sufficient conditions for the "stability" of our recently proposed algorithms, Least Squares Compressive Sensing residual (LS-CS) and modified-CS, for recursively reconstructing sparse signal sequences from noisy measurements. By "stability" we mean that the number of misses from the current support estimate and the number of extras in it remain bounded by a time-invariant value at all times. We show that, for a signal model with fixed signal power and support set size; support set changes allowed at every time; and gradual coefficient magnitude increase/decrease, "stability" holds under mild assumptions -- bounded noise, high enough minimum nonzero coefficient magnitude increase rate, and large enough number of measurements at every time. A direct corollary is that the reconstruction error is also bounded by a time-invariant value at all times. If the support set of the sparse signal sequence changes slowly over time, our results hold under weaker assumptions than what simple compressive sensing (CS) needs for the same error bound. Also, our support error bounds are small compared to the support size. Our discussion is backed up by Monte Carlo simulation based comparisons.
1104.2110
Deterministic Real-time Thread Scheduling
cs.OS cs.SY
Race condition is a timing sensitive problem. A significant source of timing variation comes from nondeterministic hardware interactions such as cache misses. While data race detectors and model checkers can check races, the enormous state space of complex software makes it difficult to identify all of the races and those residual implementation errors still remain a big challenge. In this paper, we propose deterministic real-time scheduling methods to address scheduling nondeterminism in uniprocessor systems. The main idea is to use timing insensitive deterministic events, e.g, an instruction counter, in conjunction with a real-time clock to schedule threads. By introducing the concept of Worst Case Executable Instructions (WCEI), we guarantee both determinism and real-time performance.
1104.2112
Optimal Asymptotic Entrainment of Phase-Reduced Oscillators
nlin.CD cs.SY math.DS math.OC
We derive optimal periodic controls for entrainment of a self-driven oscillator to a desired frequency. The alternative objectives of minimizing power and maximizing frequency range of entrainment are considered. A state space representation of the oscillator is reduced to a linearized phase model, and the optimal periodic control is computed from the phase response curve using formal averaging and the calculus of variations. Computational methods are used to calculate the periodic orbit and the phase response curve, and a numerical method for approximating the optimal controls is introduced. Our method is applied to asymptotically control the period of spiking neural oscillators modeled using the Hodgkin-Huxley equations. This example illustrates the optimality of entrainment controls derived using phase models when applied to the original state space system.
1104.2116
Statistical Beamforming on the Grassmann Manifold for the Two-User Broadcast Channel
cs.IT math.IT math.OC
A Rayleigh fading spatially correlated broadcast setting with M = 2 antennas at the transmitter and two-users (each with a single antenna) is considered. It is assumed that the users have perfect channel information about their links whereas the transmitter has only statistical information of each user's link (covariance matrix of the vector channel). A low-complexity linear beamforming strategy that allocates equal power and one spatial eigen-mode to each user is employed at the transmitter. Beamforming vectors on the Grassmann manifold that depend only on statistical information are to be designed at the transmitter to maximize the ergodic sum-rate delivered to the two users. Towards this goal, the beamforming vectors are first fixed and a closed-form expression is obtained for the ergodic sum-rate in terms of the covariance matrices of the links. This expression is non-convex in the beamforming vectors ensuring that the classical Lagrange multiplier technique is not applicable. Despite this difficulty, the optimal solution to this problem is shown to be the solution to the maximization of an appropriately-defined average signal-to-interference and noise ratio (SINR) metric for each user. This solution is the dominant generalized eigenvector of a pair of positive-definite matrices where the first matrix is the covariance matrix of the forward link and the second is an appropriately-designed "effective" interference covariance matrix. In this sense, our work is a generalization of optimal signalling along the dominant eigen-mode of the transmit covariance matrix in the single-user case. Finally, the ergodic sum-rate for the general broadcast setting with M antennas at the transmitter and M-users (each with a single antenna) is obtained in terms of the covariance matrices of the links and the beamforming vectors.
1104.2124
Is a probabilistic modeling really useful in financial engineering? - A-t-on vraiment besoin d'un mod\`ele probabiliste en ing\'enierie financi\`ere ?
q-fin.CP cs.CE q-fin.PM q-fin.RM
A new standpoint on financial time series, without the use of any mathematical model and of probabilistic tools, yields not only a rigorous approach of trends and volatility, but also efficient calculations which were already successfully applied in automatic control and in signal processing. It is based on a theorem due to P. Cartier and Y. Perrin, which was published in 1995. The above results are employed for sketching a dynamical portfolio and strategy management, without any global optimization technique. Numerous computer simulations are presented.
1104.2156
Structural Analysis of Network Traffic Matrix via Relaxed Principal Component Pursuit
cs.NI cs.IT cs.PF math.IT
The network traffic matrix is widely used in network operation and management. It is therefore of crucial importance to analyze the components and the structure of the network traffic matrix, for which several mathematical approaches such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were proposed. In this paper, we first argue that PCA performs poorly for analyzing traffic matrix that is polluted by large volume anomalies, and then propose a new decomposition model for the network traffic matrix. According to this model, we carry out the structural analysis by decomposing the network traffic matrix into three sub-matrices, namely, the deterministic traffic, the anomaly traffic and the noise traffic matrix, which is similar to the Robust Principal Component Analysis (RPCA) problem previously studied in [13]. Based on the Relaxed Principal Component Pursuit (Relaxed PCP) method and the Accelerated Proximal Gradient (APG) algorithm, we present an iterative approach for decomposing a traffic matrix, and demonstrate its efficiency and flexibility by experimental results. Finally, we further discuss several features of the deterministic and noise traffic. Our study develops a novel method for the problem of structural analysis of the traffic matrix, which is robust against pollution of large volume anomalies.
1104.2171
From a Modified Ambrosio-Tortorelli to a Randomized Part Hierarchy Tree
cs.CV
We demonstrate the possibility of coding parts, features that are higher level than boundaries, using a modified AT field after augmenting the interaction term of the AT energy with a non-local term and weakening the separation into boundary/not-boundary phases. The iteratively extracted parts using the level curves with double point singularities are organized as a proper binary tree. Inconsistencies due to non-generic configurations for level curves as well as due to visual changes such as occlusion are successfully handled once the tree is endowed with a probabilistic structure. The work is a step in establishing the AT function as a bridge between low and high level visual processing.
1104.2175
Extracting Parts of 2D Shapes Using Local and Global Interactions Simultaneously
cs.CV
Perception research provides strong evidence in favor of part based representation of shapes in human visual system. Despite considerable differences among different theories in terms of how part boundaries are found, there is substantial agreement on that the process depends on many local and global geometric factors. This poses an important challenge from the computational point of view. In the first part of the chapter, I present a novel decomposition method by taking both local and global interactions within the shape domain into account. At the top of the partitioning hierarchy, the shape gets split into two parts capturing, respectively, the gross structure and the peripheral structure. The gross structure may be conceived as the least deformable part of the shape which remains stable under visual transformations. The peripheral structure includes limbs, protrusions, and boundary texture. Such a separation is in accord with the behavior of the artists who start with a gross shape and enrich it with details. The method is particularly interesting from the computational point of view as it does not resort to any geometric notions (e.g. curvature, convexity) explicitly. In the second part of the chapter, I relate the new method to PDE based shape representation schemes.
1104.2187
A Generalized Continuous Model for Random Markets
q-fin.GN cs.MA nlin.AO
A generalized continuous economic model is proposed for random markets. In this model, agents interact by pairs and exchange their money in a random way. A parameter controls the effectiveness of the transactions between the agents. We show in a rigorous way that this type of markets reach their asymptotic equilibrium on the exponential wealth distribution.
1104.2196
Space and Time as a Primary Classification Criterion for Information Retrieval in Distributed Social Networking
cs.IR cs.SI physics.soc-ph
We discuss in a compact way how the implicit relations between spatiotemporal relatedness of information items, spatiotemporal relatedness of users, social relatedness of users and semantic relatedness of information items may be exploited for an information retrieval architecture that operates along the lines of human ways of searching. The decentralized and agent oriented architecture mirrors emerging trends such as upcoming mobile and decentralized social networking as a new paradigm in social computing and is targetted to satisfy broader and more subtly interlinked information demands beyond immediate information needs which can be readily satisfied with current IR services. We briefly discuss why using spatio-temporal references as primary information criterion implicitly conserves other relations and is thus suitable for such an architecture. We finally shortly point to results from a large evaluation study using Wikipedia articles.
1104.2215
Sparse Representation of White Gaussian Noise with Application to L0-Norm Decoding in Noisy Compressed Sensing
cs.IT math.IT
The achievable and converse regions for sparse representation of white Gaussian noise based on an overcomplete dictionary are derived in the limit of large systems. Furthermore, the marginal distribution of such sparse representations is also inferred. The results are obtained via the Replica method which stems from statistical mechanics. A direct outcome of these results is the introduction of sharp threshold for $\ell_{0}$-norm decoding in noisy compressed sensing, and its mean-square error for underdetermined Gaussian vector channels.
1104.2239
Experimental Investigation of Forecasting Methods Based on Universal Measures
cs.IT math.IT physics.data-an
We describe and experimentally investigate a method to construct forecasting algorithms for stationary and ergodic processes based on universal measures (or so-called universal data compressors). Using some geophysical and economical time series as examples, we show that the precision of thus obtained predictions is higher than that of known methods.
1104.2284
Preprocessing: A Prerequisite for Discovering Patterns in WUM Process
cs.DB
Web log data is usually diverse and voluminous. This data must be assembled into a consistent, integrated and comprehensive view, in order to be used for pattern discovery. Without properly cleaning, transforming and structuring the data prior to the analysis, one cannot expect to find meaningful patterns. As in most data mining applications, data preprocessing involves removing and filtering redundant and irrelevant data, removing noise, transforming and resolving any inconsistencies. In this paper, a complete preprocessing methodology having merging, data cleaning, user/session identification and data formatting and summarization activities to improve the quality of data by reducing the quantity of data has been proposed. To validate the efficiency of the proposed preprocessing methodology, several experiments are conducted and the results show that the proposed methodology reduces the size of Web access log files down to 73-82% of the initial size and offers richer logs that are structured for further stages of Web Usage Mining (WUM). So preprocessing of raw data in this WUM process is the central theme of this paper.
1104.2285
Elimination of Specular reflection and Identification of ROI: The First Step in Automated Detection of Cervical Cancer using Digital Colposcopy
cs.CV physics.med-ph
Cervical Cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in women worldwide. Most cases of cervical cancer can be prevented through screening programs aimed at detecting precancerous lesions. During Digital Colposcopy, Specular Reflections (SR) appear as bright spots heavily saturated with white light. These occur due to the presence of moisture on the uneven cervix surface, which act like mirrors reflecting light from the illumination source. Apart from camouflaging the actual features, the SR also affects subsequent segmentation routines and hence must be removed. Our novel technique eliminates the SR and makes the colposcopic images (cervigram) ready for segmentation algorithms. The cervix region occupies about half of the cervigram image. Other parts of the image contain irrelevant information, such as equipment, frames, text and non-cervix tissues. This irrelevant information can confuse automatic identification of the tissues within the cervix. The first step is, therefore, focusing on the cervical borders, so that we have a geometric boundary on the relevant image area. We have proposed a type of modified kmeans clustering algorithm to evaluate the region of interest.
1104.2355
Cooperative Spectrum Sensing for Amplify-and-Forward Cognitive Networks
cs.IT math.IT
We develop a framework for spectrum sensing in cooperative amplify-and-forward cognitive radio networks. We consider a stochastic model where relays are assigned in cognitive radio networks to transmit the primary user's signal to a cognitive Secondary Base Station (SBS). We develop the Bayesian optimal decision rule under various scenarios of Channel State Information (CSI) varying from perfect to imperfect CSI. In order to obtain the optimal decision rule based on a Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT), the marginal likelihood under each hypothesis relating to presence or absence of transmission needs to be evaluated pointwise. However, in some cases the evaluation of the LRT can not be performed analytically due to the intractability of the multi-dimensional integrals involved. In other cases, the distribution of the test statistic can not be obtained exactly. To circumvent these difficulties we design two algorithms to approximate the marginal likelihood, and obtain the decision rule. The first is based on Gaussian Approximation where we quantify the accuracy of the approximation via a multivariate version of the Berry-Esseen bound. The second algorithm is based on Laplace approximation for the marginal likelihood, which results in a non-convex optimisation problem which is solved efficiently via Bayesian Expectation-Maximisation method. We also utilise a Laguerre series expansion to approximate the distribution of the test statistic in cases where its distribution can not be derived exactly. Performance is evaluated via analytic bounds and compared to numerical simulations.
1104.2364
Epidemic spreading with immunization rate on complex networks
physics.soc-ph cs.SI
We investigate the spread of diseases, computer viruses or information on complex networks and also immunization strategies to prevent or control the spread. When an entire population cannot be immunized and the effect of immunization is not perfect, we need the targeted immunization with immunization rate. Under such a circumstance we calculate epidemic thresholds for the SIR and SIS epidemic models. It is shown that, in scale-free networks, the targeted immunization is effective only if the immunization rate is equal to one. We analyze here epidemic spreading on directed complex networks, but similar results are also valid for undirected ones.
1104.2373
Hybrid Deterministic-Stochastic Methods for Data Fitting
cs.NA cs.SY math.OC stat.ML
Many structured data-fitting applications require the solution of an optimization problem involving a sum over a potentially large number of measurements. Incremental gradient algorithms offer inexpensive iterations by sampling a subset of the terms in the sum. These methods can make great progress initially, but often slow as they approach a solution. In contrast, full-gradient methods achieve steady convergence at the expense of evaluating the full objective and gradient on each iteration. We explore hybrid methods that exhibit the benefits of both approaches. Rate-of-convergence analysis shows that by controlling the sample size in an incremental gradient algorithm, it is possible to maintain the steady convergence rates of full-gradient methods. We detail a practical quasi-Newton implementation based on this approach. Numerical experiments illustrate its potential benefits.
1104.2444
A Simplified and Improved Free-Variable Framework for Hilbert's epsilon as an Operator of Indefinite Committed Choice
cs.AI math.LO
Free variables occur frequently in mathematics and computer science with ad hoc and altering semantics. We present the most recent version of our free-variable framework for two-valued logics with properly improved functionality, but only two kinds of free variables left (instead of three): implicitly universally and implicitly existentially quantified ones, now simply called "free atoms" and "free variables", respectively. The quantificational expressiveness and the problem-solving facilities of our framework exceed standard first-order and even higher-order modal logics, and directly support Fermat's descente infinie. With the improved version of our framework, we can now model also Henkin quantification, neither using quantifiers (binders) nor raising (Skolemization). We propose a new semantics for Hilbert's epsilon as a choice operator with the following features: We avoid overspecification (such as right-uniqueness), but admit indefinite choice, committed choice, and classical logics. Moreover, our semantics for the epsilon supports reductive proof search optimally.
1104.2541
Kernels for Global Constraints
cs.AI cs.DS
Bessiere et al. (AAAI'08) showed that several intractable global constraints can be efficiently propagated when certain natural problem parameters are small. In particular, the complete propagation of a global constraint is fixed-parameter tractable in k - the number of holes in domains - whenever bound consistency can be enforced in polynomial time; this applies to the global constraints AtMost-NValue and Extended Global Cardinality (EGC). In this paper we extend this line of research and introduce the concept of reduction to a problem kernel, a key concept of parameterized complexity, to the field of global constraints. In particular, we show that the consistency problem for AtMost-NValue constraints admits a linear time reduction to an equivalent instance on O(k^2) variables and domain values. This small kernel can be used to speed up the complete propagation of NValue constraints. We contrast this result by showing that the consistency problem for EGC constraints does not admit a reduction to a polynomial problem kernel unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses.
1104.2547
C-Codes: Cyclic Lowest-Density MDS Array Codes Constructed Using Starters for RAID 6
cs.IT cs.DM math.CO math.IT
The distance-3 cyclic lowest-density MDS array code (called the C-Code) is a good candidate for RAID 6 because of its optimal storage efficiency, optimal update complexity, optimal length, and cyclic symmetry. In this paper, the underlying connections between C-Codes (or quasi-C-Codes) and starters in group theory are revealed. It is shown that each C-Code (or quasi-C-Code) of length $2n$ can be constructed using an even starter (or even multi-starter) in $(Z_{2n},+)$. It is also shown that each C-Code (or quasi-C-Code) has a twin C-Code (or quasi-C-Code). Then, four infinite families (three of which are new) of C-Codes of length $p-1$ are constructed, where $p$ is a prime. Besides the family of length $p-1$, C-Codes for some sporadic even lengths are also presented. Even so, there are still some even lengths (such as 8) for which C-Codes do not exist. To cover this limitation, two infinite families (one of which is new) of quasi-C-Codes of length $2(p-1)$ are constructed for these even lengths.
1104.2580
Hypothesize and Bound: A Computational Focus of Attention Mechanism for Simultaneous N-D Segmentation, Pose Estimation and Classification Using Shape Priors
cs.CV cs.CG cs.GR cs.LG
Given the ever increasing bandwidth of the visual information available to many intelligent systems, it is becoming essential to endow them with a sense of what is worthwhile their attention and what can be safely disregarded. This article presents a general mathematical framework to efficiently allocate the available computational resources to process the parts of the input that are relevant to solve a given perceptual problem. By this we mean to find the hypothesis H (i.e., the state of the world) that maximizes a function L(H), representing how well each hypothesis "explains" the input. Given the large bandwidth of the sensory input, fully evaluating L(H) for each hypothesis H is computationally infeasible (e.g., because it would imply checking a large number of pixels). To address this problem we propose a mathematical framework with two key ingredients. The first one is a Bounding Mechanism (BM) to compute lower and upper bounds of L(H), for a given computational budget. These bounds are much cheaper to compute than L(H) itself, can be refined at any time by increasing the budget allocated to a hypothesis, and are frequently enough to discard a hypothesis. To compute these bounds, we develop a novel theory of shapes and shape priors. The second ingredient is a Focus of Attention Mechanism (FoAM) to select which hypothesis' bounds should be refined next, with the goal of discarding non-optimal hypotheses with the least amount of computation. The proposed framework: 1) is very efficient since most hypotheses are discarded with minimal computation; 2) is parallelizable; 3) is guaranteed to find the globally optimal hypothesis; and 4) its running time depends on the problem at hand, not on the bandwidth of the input. We instantiate the proposed framework for the problem of simultaneously estimating the class, pose, and a noiseless version of a 2D shape in a 2D image.
1104.2581
Approximate MIMO Iterative Processing with Adjustable Complexity Requirements
cs.IT math.IT
Targeting always the best achievable bit error rate (BER) performance in iterative receivers operating over multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels may result in significant waste of resources, especially when the achievable BER is orders of magnitude better than the target performance (e.g., under good channel conditions and at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)). In contrast to the typical iterative schemes, a practical iterative decoding framework that approximates the soft-information exchange is proposed which allows reduced complexity sphere and channel decoding, adjustable to the transmission conditions and the required bit error rate. With the proposed approximate soft information exchange the performance of the exact soft information can still be reached with significant complexity gains.
1104.2599
Streaming Tree Transducers
cs.FL cs.DB
Theory of tree transducers provides a foundation for understanding expressiveness and complexity of analysis problems for specification languages for transforming hierarchically structured data such as XML documents. We introduce streaming tree transducers as an analyzable, executable, and expressive model for transforming unranked ordered trees in a single pass. Given a linear encoding of the input tree, the transducer makes a single left-to-right pass through the input, and computes the output in linear time using a finite-state control, a visibly pushdown stack, and a finite number of variables that store output chunks that can be combined using the operations of string-concatenation and tree-insertion. We prove that the expressiveness of the model coincides with transductions definable using monadic second-order logic (MSO). Existing models of tree transducers either cannot implement all MSO-definable transformations, or require regular look ahead that prohibits single-pass implementation. We show a variety of analysis problems such as type-checking and checking functional equivalence are solvable for our model.
1104.2606
Statistical mechanics of the international trade network
q-fin.GN cs.SI physics.data-an physics.soc-ph
Analyzing real data on international trade covering the time interval 1950-2000, we show that in each year over the analyzed period the network is a typical representative of the ensemble of maximally random weighted networks, whose directed connections (bilateral trade volumes) are only characterized by the product of the trading countries' GDPs. It means that time evolution of this network may be considered as a continuous sequence of equilibrium states, i.e. quasi-static process. This, in turn, allows one to apply the linear response theory to make (and also verify) simple predictions about the network. In particular, we show that bilateral trade fulfills fluctuation-response theorem, which states that the average relative change in import (export) between two countries is a sum of relative changes in their GDPs. Yearly changes in trade volumes prove that the theorem is valid.
1104.2644
Idealized Dynamic Population Sizing for Uniformly Scaled Problems
cs.NE
This paper explores an idealized dynamic population sizing strategy for solving additive decomposable problems of uniform scale. The method is designed on top of the foundations of existing population sizing theory for this class of problems, and is carefully compared with an optimal fixed population sized genetic algorithm. The resulting strategy should be close to a lower bound in terms of what can be achieved, performance-wise, by self-adjusting population sizing algorithms for this class of problems.
1104.2679
Convex inner approximations of nonconvex semialgebraic sets applied to fixed-order controller design
math.OC cs.SY
We describe an elementary algorithm to build convex inner approximations of nonconvex sets. Both input and output sets are basic semialgebraic sets given as lists of defining multivariate polynomials. Even though no optimality guarantees can be given (e.g. in terms of volume maximization for bounded sets), the algorithm is designed to preserve convex boundaries as much as possible, while removing regions with concave boundaries. In particular, the algorithm leaves invariant a given convex set. The algorithm is based on Gloptipoly 3, a public-domain Matlab package solving nonconvex polynomial optimization problems with the help of convex semidefinite programming (optimization over linear matrix inequalities, or LMIs). We illustrate how the algorithm can be used to design fixed-order controllers for linear systems, following a polynomial approach.
1104.2689
Viscosity solutions of systems of PDEs with interconnected obstacles and Multi modes switching problems
math.OC cs.SY
This paper deals with existence and uniqueness, in viscosity sense, of a solution for a system of m variational partial differential inequalities with inter-connected obstacles. A particular case of this system is the deterministic version of the Verification Theorem of the Markovian optimal m-states switching problem. The switching cost functions are arbitrary. This problem is connected with the valuation of a power plant in the energy market. The main tool is the notion of systems of reflected BSDEs with oblique reflection.
1104.2721
Optimal Cell Towers Distribution by using Spatial Mining and Geographic Information System
cs.DB
The appearance of wireless communication is dramatically changing our life. Mobile telecommunications emerged as a technological marvel allowing for access to personal and other services, devices, computation and communication, in any place and at any time through effortless plug and play. Setting up wireless mobile networks often requires: Frequency Assignment, Communication Protocol selection, Routing schemes selection, and cells towers distributions. This research aims to optimize the cells towers distribution by using spatial mining with Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool. The distribution optimization could be done by applying the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) on the image of the area which must be covered with two levels of hierarchy. The research will apply the spatial association rules technique on the second level to select the best square in the cell for placing the antenna. From that the proposal will try to minimize the number of installed towers, makes tower's location feasible, and provides full area coverage.
1104.2745
An Axis-Based Representation for Recognition
cs.CV
This paper presents a new axis-based shape representation scheme along with a matching framework to address the problem of generic shape recognition. The main idea is to define the relative spatial arrangement of local symmetry axes and their metric properties in a shape centered coordinate frame. The resulting descriptions are invariant to scale, rotation, small changes in viewpoint and articulations. Symmetry points are extracted from a surface whose level curves roughly mimic the motion by curvature. By increasing the amount of smoothing on the evolving curve, only those symmetry axes that correspond to the most prominent parts of a shape are extracted. The representation does not suffer from the common instability problems of the traditional connected skeletons. It captures the perceptual qualities of shapes well. Therefore finding the similarities and the differences among shapes becomes easier. The matching process gives highly successful results on a diverse database of 2D shapes.
1104.2751
Disconnected Skeleton: Shape at its Absolute Scale
cs.CV
We present a new skeletal representation along with a matching framework to address the deformable shape recognition problem. The disconnectedness arises as a result of excessive regularization that we use to describe a shape at an attainably coarse scale. Our motivation is to rely on the stable properties of the shape instead of inaccurately measured secondary details. The new representation does not suffer from the common instability problems of traditional connected skeletons, and the matching process gives quite successful results on a diverse database of 2D shapes. An important difference of our approach from the conventional use of the skeleton is that we replace the local coordinate frame with a global Euclidean frame supported by additional mechanisms to handle articulations and local boundary deformations. As a result, we can produce descriptions that are sensitive to any combination of changes in scale, position, orientation and articulation, as well as invariant ones.
1104.2756
Privacy Preserving Moving KNN Queries
cs.DB
We present a novel approach that protects trajectory privacy of users who access location-based services through a moving k nearest neighbor (MkNN) query. An MkNN query continuously returns the k nearest data objects for a moving user (query point). Simply updating a user's imprecise location such as a region instead of the exact position to a location-based service provider (LSP) cannot ensure privacy of the user for an MkNN query: continuous disclosure of regions enables the LSP to follow a user's trajectory. We identify the problem of trajectory privacy that arises from the overlap of consecutive regions while requesting an MkNN query and provide the first solution to this problem. Our approach allows a user to specify the confidence level that represents a bound of how much more the user may need to travel than the actual kth nearest data object. By hiding a user's required confidence level and the required number of nearest data objects from an LSP, we develop a technique to prevent the LSP from tracking the user's trajectory for MkNN queries. We propose an efficient algorithm for the LSP to find k nearest data objects for a region with a user's specified confidence level, which is an essential component to evaluate an MkNN query in a privacy preserving manner; this algorithm is at least two times faster than the state-of-the-art algorithm. Extensive experimental studies validate the effectiveness of our trajectory privacy protection technique and the efficiency of our algorithm.
1104.2773
Distributed Stochastic Approximation for Constrained and Unconstrained Optimization
cs.IT math.IT
In this paper, we analyze the convergence of a distributed Robbins-Monro algorithm for both constrained and unconstrained optimization in multi-agent systems. The algorithm searches for local minima of a (nonconvex) objective function which is supposed to coincide with a sum of local utility functions of the agents. The algorithm under study consists of two steps: a local stochastic gradient descent at each agent and a gossip step that drives the network of agents to a consensus. It is proved that i) an agreement is achieved between agents on the value of the estimate, ii) the algorithm converges to the set of Kuhn-Tucker points of the optimization problem. The proof relies on recent results about differential inclusions. In the context of unconstrained optimization, intelligible sufficient conditions are provided in order to ensure the stability of the algorithm. In the latter case, we also provide a central limit theorem which governs the asymptotic fluctuations of the estimate. We illustrate our results in the case of distributed power allocation for ad-hoc wireless networks.
1104.2784
Diversity Analysis of Symbol-by-Symbol Linear Equalizers
cs.IT math.IT
In frequency-selective channels linear receivers enjoy significantly-reduced complexity compared with maximum likelihood receivers at the cost of performance degradation which can be in the form of a loss of the inherent frequency diversity order or reduced coding gain. This paper demonstrates that the minimum mean-square error symbol-by-symbol linear equalizer incurs no diversity loss compared to the maximum likelihood receivers. In particular, for a channel with memory $\nu$, it achieves the full diversity order of ($\nu+1$) while the zero-forcing symbol-by-symbol linear equalizer always achieves a diversity order of one.
1104.2788
Backdoors to Tractable Answer-Set Programming
cs.CC cs.AI
Answer Set Programming (ASP) is an increasingly popular framework for declarative programming that admits the description of problems by means of rules and constraints that form a disjunctive logic program. In particular, many AI problems such as reasoning in a nonmonotonic setting can be directly formulated in ASP. Although the main problems of ASP are of high computational complexity, located at the second level of the Polynomial Hierarchy, several restrictions of ASP have been identified in the literature, under which ASP problems become tractable. In this paper we use the concept of backdoors to identify new restrictions that make ASP problems tractable. Small backdoors are sets of atoms that represent "clever reasoning shortcuts" through the search space and represent a hidden structure in the problem input. The concept of backdoors is widely used in the areas of propositional satisfiability and constraint satisfaction. We show that it can be fruitfully adapted to ASP. We demonstrate how backdoors can serve as a unifying framework that accommodates several tractable restrictions of ASP known from the literature. Furthermore, we show how backdoors allow us to deploy recent algorithmic results from parameterized complexity theory to the domain of answer set programming.
1104.2824
Pattern discovery for semi-structured web pages using bar-tree representation
cs.IR cs.DS
Many websites with an underlying database containing structured data provide the richest and most dense source of information relevant for topical data integration. The real data integration requires sustainable and reliable pattern discovery to enable accurate content retrieval and to recognize pattern changes from time to time; yet, extracting the structured data from web documents is still lacking from its accuracy. This paper proposes the bar-tree representation to describe the whole pattern of web pages in an efficient way based on the reverse algorithm. While previous algorithms always trace the pattern and extract the region of interest from \textit{top root}, the reverse algorithm recognizes the pattern from the region of interest to both top and bottom roots simultaneously. The attributes are then extracted and labeled reversely from the region of interest of targeted contents. Since using conventional representations for the algorithm should require more computational power, the bar-tree method is developed to represent the generated patterns using bar graphs characterized by the depths and widths from the document roots. We show that this representation is suitable for extracting the data from the semi-structured web sources, and for detecting the template changes of targeted pages. The experimental results show perfect recognition rate for template changes in several web targets.
1104.2825
Foundations for Uniform Interpolation and Forgetting in Expressive Description Logics
cs.LO cs.AI
We study uniform interpolation and forgetting in the description logic ALC. Our main results are model-theoretic characterizations of uniform inter- polants and their existence in terms of bisimula- tions, tight complexity bounds for deciding the existence of uniform interpolants, an approach to computing interpolants when they exist, and tight bounds on their size. We use a mix of model- theoretic and automata-theoretic methods that, as a by-product, also provides characterizations of and decision procedures for conservative extensions.
1104.2829
Self-organizing traffic lights at multiple-street intersections
nlin.AO cs.AI nlin.CG
Summary: Traffic light coordination is a complex problem. In this paper, we extend previous work on an abstract model of city traffic to allow for multiple street intersections. We test a self-organizing method in our model, showing that it is close to theoretical optima and superior to a traditional method of traffic light coordination. Abstract: The elementary cellular automaton following rule 184 can mimic particles flowing in one direction at a constant speed. This automaton can therefore model highway traffic. In a recent paper, we have incorporated intersections regulated by traffic lights to this model using exclusively elementary cellular automata. In such a paper, however, we only explored a rectangular grid. We now extend our model to more complex scenarios employing an hexagonal grid. This extension shows first that our model can readily incorporate multiple-way intersections and hence simulate complex scenarios. In addition, the current extension allows us to study and evaluate the behavior of two different kinds of traffic light controller for a grid of six-way streets allowing for either two or three street intersections: a traffic light that tries to adapt to the amount of traffic (which results in self-organizing traffic lights) and a system of synchronized traffic lights with coordinated rigid periods (sometimes called the "green wave" method). We observe a tradeoff between system capacity and topological complexity. The green wave method is unable to cope with the complexity of a higher-capacity scenario, while the self-organizing method is scalable, adapting to the complexity of a scenario and exploiting its maximum capacity. Additionally, in this paper we propose a benchmark, independent of methods and models, to measure the performance of a traffic light controller comparing it against a theoretical optimum.
1104.2842
Augmenting Tractable Fragments of Abstract Argumentation
cs.AI cs.CC
We present a new and compelling approach to the efficient solution of important computational problems that arise in the context of abstract argumentation. Our approach makes known algorithms defined for restricted fragments generally applicable, at a computational cost that scales with the distance from the fragment. Thus, in a certain sense, we gradually augment tractable fragments. Surprisingly, it turns out that some tractable fragments admit such an augmentation and that others do not. More specifically, we show that the problems of credulous and skeptical acceptance are fixed-parameter tractable when parameterized by the distance from the fragment of acyclic argumentation frameworks. Other tractable fragments such as the fragments of symmetrical and bipartite frameworks seem to prohibit an augmentation: the acceptance problems are already intractable for frameworks at distance 1 from the fragments. For our study we use a broad setting and consider several different semantics. For the algorithmic results we utilize recent advances in fixed-parameter tractability.
1104.2861
Using Channel Output Feedback to Increase Throughput in Hybrid-ARQ
cs.IT math.IT
Hybrid-ARQ protocols have become common in many packet transmission systems due to their incorporation in various standards. Hybrid-ARQ combines the normal automatic repeat request (ARQ) method with error correction codes to increase reliability and throughput. In this paper, we look at improving upon this performance using feedback information from the receiver, in particular, using a powerful forward error correction (FEC) code in conjunction with a proposed linear feedback code for the Rayleigh block fading channels. The new hybrid-ARQ scheme is initially developed for full received packet feedback in a point-to-point link. It is then extended to various different multiple-antenna scenarios (MISO/MIMO) with varying amounts of packet feedback information. Simulations illustrate gains in throughput.
1104.2930
Cluster Forests
stat.ME cs.LG stat.ML
With inspiration from Random Forests (RF) in the context of classification, a new clustering ensemble method---Cluster Forests (CF) is proposed. Geometrically, CF randomly probes a high-dimensional data cloud to obtain "good local clusterings" and then aggregates via spectral clustering to obtain cluster assignments for the whole dataset. The search for good local clusterings is guided by a cluster quality measure kappa. CF progressively improves each local clustering in a fashion that resembles the tree growth in RF. Empirical studies on several real-world datasets under two different performance metrics show that CF compares favorably to its competitors. Theoretical analysis reveals that the kappa measure makes it possible to grow the local clustering in a desirable way---it is "noise-resistant". A closed-form expression is obtained for the mis-clustering rate of spectral clustering under a perturbation model, which yields new insights into some aspects of spectral clustering.
1104.2939
Subexponential convergence for information aggregation on regular trees
cs.MA cs.IT math.IT math.ST stat.TH
We consider the decentralized binary hypothesis testing problem on trees of bounded degree and increasing depth. For a regular tree of depth t and branching factor k>=2, we assume that the leaves have access to independent and identically distributed noisy observations of the 'state of the world' s. Starting with the leaves, each node makes a decision in a finite alphabet M, that it sends to its parent in the tree. Finally, the root decides between the two possible states of the world based on the information it receives. We prove that the error probability vanishes only subexponentially in the number of available observations, under quite general hypotheses. More precisely the case of binary messages, decay is subexponential for any decision rule. For general (finite) message alphabet M, decay is subexponential for 'node-oblivious' decision rules, that satisfy a mild irreducibility condition. In the latter case, we propose a family of decision rules with close-to-optimal asymptotic behavior.
1104.2944
Global Computation in a Poorly Connected World: Fast Rumor Spreading with No Dependence on Conductance
cs.DM cs.DC cs.SI physics.soc-ph
In this paper, we study the question of how efficiently a collection of interconnected nodes can perform a global computation in the widely studied GOSSIP model of communication. In this model, nodes do not know the global topology of the network, and they may only initiate contact with a single neighbor in each round. This model contrasts with the much less restrictive LOCAL model, where a node may simultaneously communicate with all of its neighbors in a single round. A basic question in this setting is how many rounds of communication are required for the information dissemination problem, in which each node has some piece of information and is required to collect all others. In this paper, we give an algorithm that solves the information dissemination problem in at most $O(D+\text{polylog}{(n)})$ rounds in a network of diameter $D$, withno dependence on the conductance. This is at most an additive polylogarithmic factor from the trivial lower bound of $D$, which applies even in the LOCAL model. In fact, we prove that something stronger is true: any algorithm that requires $T$ rounds in the LOCAL model can be simulated in $O(T +\mathrm{polylog}(n))$ rounds in the GOSSIP model. We thus prove that these two models of distributed computation are essentially equivalent.
1104.2982
Multi-representation d'une ontologie : OWL, bases de donnees, syst\`emes de types et d'objets
cs.IR
Due to the emergence of the semantic Web and the increasing need to formalize human knowledge, ontologie engineering is now an important activity. But is this activity very different from other ones like software engineering, for example ? In this paper, we investigate analogies between ontologies on one hand, types, objects and data bases on the other one, taking into account the notion of evolution of an ontology. We represent a unique ontology using different paradigms, and observe that the distance between these different concepts is small. We deduce from this constatation that ontologies and more specifically ontology description languages can take advantage of beeing fertilizated with some other computer science domains and inherit important characteristics as modularity, for example.
1104.2998
On the exponential decay of the Euler-Bernoulli beam with boundary energy dissipation
math-ph cs.SY math.MP math.OC
We study the asymptotic behavior of the Euler-Bernoulli beam which is clamped at one end and free at the other end. We apply a boundary control with memory at the free end of the beam and prove that the "exponential decay" of the memory kernel is a necessary and sufficient condition for the exponential decay of the energy.
1104.3069
Efficient Maximum Likelihood Estimation of a 2-D Complex Sinusoidal Based on Barycentric Interpolation
cs.IT math.IT
This paper presents an efficient method to compute the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation of the parameters of a complex 2-D sinusoidal, with the complexity order of the FFT. The method is based on an accurate barycentric formula for interpolating band-limited signals, and on the fact that the ML cost function can be viewed as a signal of this type, if the time and frequency variables are switched. The method consists in first computing the DFT of the data samples, and then locating the maximum of the cost function by means of Newton's algorithm. The fact is that the complexity of the latter step is small and independent of the data size, since it makes use of the barycentric formula for obtaining the values of the cost function and its derivatives. Thus, the total complexity order is that of the FFT. The method is validated in a numerical example.
1104.3083
Narrow scope for resolution-limit-free community detection
physics.soc-ph cs.SI
Detecting communities in large networks has drawn much attention over the years. While modularity remains one of the more popular methods of community detection, the so-called resolution limit remains a significant drawback. To overcome this issue, it was recently suggested that instead of comparing the network to a random null model, as is done in modularity, it should be compared to a constant factor. However, it is unclear what is meant exactly by "resolution-limit-free", that is, not suffering from the resolution limit. Furthermore, the question remains what other methods could be classified as resolution-limit-free. In this paper we suggest a rigorous definition and derive some basic properties of resolution-limit-free methods. More importantly, we are able to prove exactly which class of community detection methods are resolution-limit-free. Furthermore, we analyze which methods are not resolution-limit-free, suggesting there is only a limited scope for resolution-limit-free community detection methods. Finally, we provide such a natural formulation, and show it performs superbly.
1104.3084
I/O-Efficient Data Structures for Colored Range and Prefix Reporting
cs.DS cs.IR
Motivated by information retrieval applications, we consider the one-dimensional colored range reporting problem in rank space. The goal is to build a static data structure for sets C_1,...,C_m \subseteq {1,...,sigma} that supports queries of the kind: Given indices a,b, report the set Union_{a <= i <= b} C_i. We study the problem in the I/O model, and show that there exists an optimal linear-space data structure that answers queries in O(1+k/B) I/Os, where k denotes the output size and B the disk block size in words. In fact, we obtain the same bound for the harder problem of three-sided orthogonal range reporting. In this problem, we are to preprocess a set of n two-dimensional points in rank space, such that all points inside a query rectangle of the form [x_1,x_2] x (-infinity,y] can be reported. The best previous bounds for this problem is either O(n lg^2_B n) space and O(1+k/B) query I/Os, or O(n) space and O(lg^(h)_B n +k/B) query I/Os, where lg^(h)_B n is the base B logarithm iterated h times, for any constant integer h. The previous bounds are both achieved under the indivisibility assumption, while our solution exploits the full capabilities of the underlying machine. Breaking the indivisibility assumption thus provides us with cleaner and optimal bounds. Our results also imply an optimal solution to the following colored prefix reporting problem. Given a set S of strings, each O(1) disk blocks in length, and a function c: S -> 2^{1,...,sigma}, support queries of the kind: Given a string p, report the set Union_{x in S intersection p*} c(x), where p* denotes the set of strings with prefix p. Finally, we consider the possibility of top-k extensions of this result, and present a simple solution in a model that allows non-blocked I/O.