Silence-Based Communication

• Published in: IEEE transactions on information theory Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 350 - 366
• Main Authors: Dhulipala, A.K., Fragouli, C., Orlitsky, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.01.2010; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Analysis; Applied sciences; Communication channels; Communication complexity; Complexity; Complexity theory; Computation; Computer networks; Conveying; Costs; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; DH-HEMTs; Distributed computing; Exact sciences and technology; function computation; Information theory; Information, signal and communications theory; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; multiple-round; one-round; Protocol; Protocols; Satellites; sensor networks; Signal and communications theory; Signal, noise; Silence; symmetric functions; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Temperature sensors; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); Upper bound; Upper bounds; Very large scale integration; one-round; Lower bound; symmetric functions; Worst case method; sensor networks; Symmetric function; Information transmission; Upper bound; Communication complexity; function computation; Sensor array; multiple-round; Signal detection
• ISSN: 0018-9448; 1557-9654
• DOI: 10.1109/TIT.2009.2034813

Communication complexity - the minimum amount of communication required - for computing a function of data held by several parties is studied. A communication model where silence is used to convey information is introduced. For this model the worst case and average-case complexities of symmetric functions are studied. For binary-input functions the average- and worst case complexities are determined and the protocols achieving them are described. For functions of nonbinary inputs one-round communication, where each party is restricted to communicate in consecutive stages, is considered and the extra amount of communication required by one- over multiple-round communication is analyzed. For the special case of ternary-input functions close lower and upper bounds on the worst case one-round complexity are provided and protocols achieving them are described. Protocols achieving the average-case one-round complexity for ternary-input functions are also described. These protocols can be generalized to inputs of arbitrary size.