arXiv subjects

Magnus M. Halldorsson

Publications and source records attributed to Magnus M. Halldorsson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Decentralized Distributed Graph Coloring: Cluster Graphs

Graph coloring is fundamental to distributed computing. We give the first sub-logarithmic distributed algorithm for coloring cluster graphs. These graphs are obtained from the underlying communication network by contracting nodes and edges, and they appear frequently as components in the study of distributed algorithms. In particular, we give a $O(\log^* n)$-round algorithm to $(Δ+1)$-color cluster graphs of at least polylogarithmic degree. The previous best bound known was $\operatorname{poly}(\log n)$ [Flin et al., SODA'24]. This properly generalizes results in the CONGEST model and shows that distributed graph problems can be solved quickly even when the node itself is decentralized.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2020

Coloring Fast Without Learning Your Neighbors' Colors

We give an improved randomized CONGEST algorithm for distance-$2$ coloring that uses $Δ^2+1$ colors and runs in $O(\log n)$ rounds, improving the recent $O(\log Δ\cdot \log n)$-round algorithm in [Halldórsson, Kuhn, Maus; PODC '20]. We then improve the time complexity to $O(\log Δ) + 2^{O(\sqrt{\log\log n})}$.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2020

Distance-2 Coloring in the CONGEST Model

We give efficient randomized and deterministic distributed algorithms for computing a distance-$2$ vertex coloring of a graph $G$ in the CONGEST model. In particular, if $Δ$ is the maximum degree of $G$, we show that there is a randomized CONGEST model algorithm to compute a distance-$2$ coloring of $G$ with $Δ^2+1$ colors in $O(\logΔ\cdot\log n)$ rounds. Further if the number of colors is slightly increased to $(1+ε)Δ^2$ for some $ε>1/{\rm polylog}(n)$, we show that it is even possible to compute a distance-$2$ coloring deterministically in polylog$(n)$ time in the CONGEST model. Finally, we give a $O(Δ^2 + \log^* n)$-round deterministic CONGEST algorithm to compute distance-$2$ coloring with $Δ^2+1$ colors.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2018

Effective Wireless Scheduling via Hypergraph Sketches

An overarching issue in resource management of wireless networks is assessing their capacity: How much communication can be achieved in a network, utilizing all the tools available: power control, scheduling, routing, channel assignment and rate adjustment? We propose the first framework for approximation algorithms in the physical model of wireless interference that addresses these questions in full. The approximations obtained are at most doubly logarithmic in the link length and rate diversity. Where previous bounds are known, this gives an exponential improvement (or better). A key contribution is showing that the complex interference relationship of the physical model can be simplified, at a small cost, into a novel type of amenable conflict graphs. We also show that the approximation obtained is provably the best possible for any conflict graph formulation.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2018

Spanning Trees With Edge Conflicts and Wireless Connectivity

We introduce the problem of finding a spanning tree along with a partition of the tree edges into fewest number of feasible sets, where constraints on the edges define feasibility. The motivation comes from wireless networking, where we seek to model the irregularities seen in actual wireless environments. Not all node pairs may be able to communicate, even if geographically close --- thus, the available pairs are modeled with a link graph $\mathcal{L}=(V,E)$. Also, signal attenuation need not follow a nice geometric formulas --- hence, interference is modeled by a conflict (hyper)graph $\mathcal{C}=(E,F)$ on the links. The objective is to maximize the efficiency of the communication, or equivalently minimizing the length of a schedule of the tree edges in the form of a coloring. We find that in spite of all this generality, the problem can be approximated linearly in terms of a versatile parameter, the inductive independence of the interference graph. Specifically, we give a simple algorithm that attains a $O(ρ\log n)$-approximation, where $n$ is the number of nodes and $ρ$ is the inductive independence, and show that near-linear dependence on $ρ$ is also necessary. We also treat an extension to Steiner trees, modeling multicasting, and obtain a comparable result. Our results suggest that several canonical assumptions of geometry, regularity and "niceness" in wireless settings can sometimes be relaxed without a significant hit in algorithm performance.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2017

Wireless Aggregation at Nearly Constant Rate

One of the most fundamental tasks in sensor networks is the computation of a (compressible) aggregation function of the input measurements. What rate of computation can be maintained, by properly choosing the aggregation tree, the TDMA schedule of the tree edges, and the transmission powers? This can be viewed as the convergecast capacity of a wireless network. We show here that the optimal rate is effectively a constant. This holds even in \emph{arbitrary} networks, under the physical model of interference. This compares with previous bounds that are logarithmic (e.g., $Ω(1/\log n)$). Namely, we show that a rate of $Ω(1/\log^* Δ)$ is possible, where $Δ$ is the length diversity (ratio between the furthest to the shortest distance between nodes). It also implies that the \emph{scheduling complexity} of wireless connectivity is $O(\log^* Δ)$. This is achieved using the natural minimum spanning tree (MST). Our method crucially depends on choosing the appropriate power assignment for the instance at hand, since without power control, only a trivial linear rate can be guaranteed. We also show that there is a fixed power assignment that allows for a rate of $Ω(1/\log\log Δ)$. Surprisingly, these bounds are best possible. No aggregation network can guarantee a rate better than $O(1/\log\log Δ)$ using fixed power assignment. Also, when using arbitrary power control, there are instances whose MSTs cannot be scheduled in fewer than $Ω(1/\log^* Δ)$ slots.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2017

Wireless Link Capacity under Shadowing and Fading

We consider the following basic link capacity (a.k.a., one-shot scheduling) problem in wireless networks: Given a set of communication links, find a maximum subset of links that can successfully transmit simultaneously. Good performance guarantees are known only for deterministic models, such as the physical model with geometric (log-distance) pathloss. We treat this problem under stochastic shadowing under general distributions, bound the effects of shadowing on optimal capacity, and derive constant approximation algorithms. We also consider temporal fading under Rayleigh distribution, and show that it affects non-fading solutions only by a constant-factor. These can be combined into a constant approximation link capacity algorithm under both time-invariant shadowing and temporal fading.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2017

Universal Framework for Wireless Scheduling Problems

An overarching issue in resource management of wireless networks is assessing their capacity: How much communication can be achieved in a network, utilizing all the tools available: power control, scheduling, routing, channel assignment and rate adjustment? We propose the first framework for approximation algorithms in the physical model that addresses these questions in full, including rate control. The approximations obtained are doubly logarithmic in the link length and rate diversity. Where previous bounds are known, this gives an exponential improvement. A key contribution is showing that the complex interference relationship of the physical model can be simplified into a novel type of amenable conflict graphs, at a small cost. We also show that the approximation obtained is provably the best possible for any conflict graph formulation.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2016

Data Dissemination in Unified Dynamic Wireless Networks

We give efficient algorithms for the fundamental problems of Broadcast and Local Broadcast in dynamic wireless networks. We propose a general model of communication which captures and includes both fading models (like SINR) and graph-based models (such as quasi unit disc graphs, bounded-independence graphs, and protocol model). The only requirement is that the nodes can be embedded in a bounded growth quasi-metric, which is the weakest condition known to ensure distributed operability. Both the nodes and the links of the network are dynamic: nodes can come and go, while the signal strength on links can go up or down. The results improve some of the known bounds even in the static setting, including an optimal algorithm for local broadcasting in the SINR model, which is additionally uniform (independent of network size). An essential component is a procedure for balancing contention, which has potentially wide applicability. The results illustrate the importance of carrier sensing, a stock feature of wireless nodes today, which we encapsulate in primitives to better explore its uses and usefulness.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2016

Leveraging Multiple Channels in Ad Hoc Networks

We examine the utility of multiple channels of communication in wireless networks under the SINR model of interference. The central question is whether the use of multiple channels can result in linear speedup, up to some fundamental limit. We answer this question affirmatively for the data aggregation problem, perhaps the most fundamental problem in sensor networks. To achieve this, we form a hierarchical structure of independent interest, and illustrate its versatility by obtaining a new algorithm with linear speedup for the node coloring problem.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2015

A Local Broadcast Layer for the SINR Network Model

We present the first algorithm that implements an abstract MAC (absMAC) layer in the Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise-Ratio (SINR) wireless network model. We first prove that efficient SINR implementations are not possible for the standard absMAC specification. We modify that specification to an "approximate" version that better suits the SINR model. We give an efficient algorithm to implement the modified specification, and use it to derive efficient algorithms for higher-level problems of global broadcast and consensus. In particular, we show that the absMAC progress property has no efficient implementation in terms of the SINR strong connectivity graph $G_{1-ε}$, which contains edges between nodes of distance at most $(1-ε)$ times the transmission range, where $ε>0$ is a small constant that can be chosen by the user. This progress property bounds the time until a node is guaranteed to receive some message when at least one of its neighbors is transmitting. To overcome this limitation, we introduce the slightly weaker notion of approximate progress into the absMAC specification. We provide a fast implementation of the modified specification, based on decomposing a known algorithm into local and global parts. We analyze our algorithm in terms of local parameters such as node degrees, rather than global parameters such as the overall number of nodes. A key contribution is our demonstration that such a local analysis is possible even in the presence of global interference. Our absMAC algorithm leads to several new, efficient algorithms for solving higher-level problems in the SINR model. Namely, by combining our algorithm with known high-level algorithms, we obtain an improved algorithm for global single-message broadcast in the SINR model, and the first efficient algorithm for multi-message broadcast in that model.

cs.DC↗

arXiv2015

Space-Constrained Interval Selection

We study streaming algorithms for the interval selection problem: finding a maximum cardinality subset of disjoint intervals on the line. A deterministic 2-approximation streaming algorithm for this problem is developed, together with an algorithm for the special case of proper intervals, achieving improved approximation ratio of 3/2. We complement these upper bounds by proving that they are essentially best possible in the streaming setting: it is shown that an approximation ratio of $2 - ε$ (or $3 / 2 - ε$ for proper intervals) cannot be achieved unless the space is linear in the input size. In passing, we also answer an open question of Adler and Azar \cite{AdlerAzar03} regarding the space complexity of constant-competitive randomized preemptive online algorithms for the same problem.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2015

The Price of Local Power Control in Wireless Scheduling

We consider the problem of scheduling wireless links in the physical model, where we seek an assignment of power levels and a partition of the given set of links into the minimum number of subsets satisfying the signal-to-interference-and-noise-ratio (SINR) constraints. Specifically, we are interested in the efficiency of local power assignment schemes, or oblivious power schemes, in approximating wireless scheduling. Oblivious power schemes are motivated by networking scenarios when power levels must be decided in advance, and not as part of the scheduling computation. We first show that the known algorithms fail to obtain sub-logarithmic bounds; that is, their approximation ratio are $\tildeΩ(\log \max(Δ,n))$, where $n$ is the number of links, $Δ$ is the ratio of the maximum and minimum link lengths, and $\tildeΩ$ hides doubly-logarithmic factors. We then present the first $O(\log{\logΔ})$-approximation algorithm, which is known to be best possible (in terms of $Δ$) for oblivious power schemes. We achieve this by representing interference by a conflict graph, which allows the application of graph-theoretic results for a variety of related problems, including the weighted capacity problem. We explore further the contours of approximability, and find the choice of power assignment matters; that not all metric spaces are equal; and that the presence of weak links makes the problem harder. Combined, our result resolve the price of oblivious power for wireless scheduling, or the value of allowing unfettered power control.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2014

How Well Can Graphs Represent Wireless Interference?

Efficient use of a wireless network requires that transmissions be grouped into feasible sets, where feasibility means that each transmission can be successfully decoded in spite of the interference caused by simultaneous transmissions. Feasibility is most closely modeled by a signal-to-interference-plus-noise (SINR) formula, which unfortunately is conceptually complicated, being an asymmetric, cumulative, many-to-one relationship. We re-examine how well graphs can capture wireless receptions as encoded in SINR relationships, placing them in a framework in order to understand the limits of such modelling. We seek for each wireless instance a pair of graphs that provide upper and lower bounds on the feasibility relation, while aiming to minimize the gap between the two graphs. The cost of a graph formulation is the worst gap over all instances, and the price of (graph) abstraction is the smallest cost of a graph formulation. We propose a family of conflict graphs that is parameterized by a non-decreasing sub-linear function, and show that with a judicious choice of functions, the graphs can capture feasibility with a cost of $O(\log^* Δ)$, where $Δ$ is the ratio between the longest and the shortest link length. This holds on the plane and more generally in doubling metrics. We use this to give greatly improved $O(\log^* Δ)$-approximation for fundamental link scheduling problems with arbitrary power control. We explore the limits of graph representations and find that our upper bound is tight: the price of graph abstraction is $Ω(\log^* Δ)$. We also give strong impossibility results for general metrics, and for approximations in terms of the number of links.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2014

Nearly Optimal Bounds for Distributed Wireless Scheduling in the SINR Model

We study the wireless scheduling problem in the SINR model. More specifically, given a set of $n$ links, each a sender-receiver pair, we wish to partition (or \emph{schedule}) the links into the minimum number of slots, each satisfying interference constraints allowing simultaneous transmission. In the basic problem, all senders transmit with the same uniform power. We give a distributed $O(\log n)$-approximation algorithm for the scheduling problem, matching the best ratio known for centralized algorithms. It holds in arbitrary metric space and for every length-monotone and sublinear power assignment. It is based on an algorithm of Kesselheim and Vöcking, whose analysis we improve by a logarithmic factor. We show that every distributed algorithm uses $Ω(\log n)$ slots to schedule certain instances that require only two slots, which implies that the best possible absolute performance guarantee is logarithmic.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2013

The Power of Non-Uniform Wireless Power

We study a fundamental measure for wireless interference in the SINR model known as (weighted) inductive independence. This measure characterizes the effectiveness of using oblivious power --- when the power used by a transmitter only depends on the distance to the receiver --- as a mechanism for improving wireless capacity. We prove optimal bounds for inductive independence, implying a number of algorithmic applications. An algorithm is provided that achieves --- due to existing lower bounds --- capacity that is asymptotically best possible using oblivious power assignments. Improved approximation algorithms are provided for a number of problems for oblivious power and for power control, including distributed scheduling, connectivity, secondary spectrum auctions, and dynamic packet scheduling.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2012

Distributed Connectivity of Wireless Networks

We consider the problem of constructing a communication infrastructure from scratch, for a collection of identical wireless nodes. Combinatorially, this means a) finding a set of links that form a strongly connected spanning graph on a set of $n$ points in the plane, and b) scheduling it efficiently in the SINR model of interference. The nodes must converge on a solution in a distributed manner, having no means of communication beyond the sole wireless channel. We give distributed connectivity algorithms that run in time $O(poly(\log Δ, \log n))$, where $Δ$ is the ratio between the longest and shortest distances among nodes. Given that algorithm without prior knowledge of the instance are essentially limited to using uniform power, this is close to best possible. Our primary aim, however, is to find efficient structures, measured in the number of slots used in the final schedule of the links. Our main result is algorithms that match the efficiency of centralized solutions. Specifically, the networks can be scheduled in $O(\log n)$ slots using (arbitrary) power control, and in $O(\log n (\log\log Δ+ \log n))$ slots using a simple oblivious power scheme. Additionally, the networks have the desirable properties that the latency of a converge-cast and of any node-to-node communication is optimal $O(\log n)$ time.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2012

Towards Tight Bounds for Local Broadcasting

We consider the local broadcasting problem in the SINR model, which is a basic primitive for gathering initial information among $n$ wireless nodes. Assuming that nodes can measure received power, we achieve an essentially optimal constant approximate algorithm (with a $\log^2 n$ additive term). This improves upon the previous best $O(\log n)$-approximate algorithm. Without power measurement, our algorithm achieves $O(\log n)$-approximation, matching the previous best result, but with a simpler approach that works under harsher conditions, such as arbitrary node failures. We give complementary lower bounds under reasonable assumptions.

cs.NI↗