Distributed Linear Combination Network Pre-coding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication networks face significant resource overhead and inefficiencies when combining information from multiple nodes, leading to bandwidth consumption, lag, and power inefficiencies due to the need to transmit individual results across the network.

Innovation Solution

Pre-coding messages with an invertible transfer function allows intermediate nodes to perform linear operations, producing desired linear combinations at destination nodes while canceling interference, thereby reducing network resource usage and optimizing data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If individual results are transmitted from source nodes to destination nodes over communication links, then the desired linear combination can be produced at destination nodes, but network bandwidth is severely consumed and resources are taxed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputation accuracyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual result transmissions into a single aggregated transmission by performing distributed linear combinations at intermediate nodes. Instead of transmitting separate results from each source node to each destination node, the network merges computations at intermediate nodes, reducing the total number of transmissions and bandwidth consumption while maintaining computation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediate nodes as mediators between source nodes and destination nodes. These intermediate nodes perform linear combination operations on received data before forwarding results, acting as computational intermediaries that reduce the communication burden on direct source-destination links and optimize network resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If all individual results are transmitted over network edges, then complete information is available at destination nodes, but transmission time increases causing lags

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidtransmission lag

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary linear combination operations at intermediate nodes before data reaches destination nodes. By pre-computing linear combinations during the transmission process rather than waiting for all individual results to arrive at destinations, the system reduces transmission lag while ensuring information completeness through the mathematical properties of linear operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If individual results are transmitted across the network, then destination nodes can combine results to produce final output, but power consumption increases due to extensive transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputation throughputVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple transmission operations into fewer aggregated transmissions by performing linear combinations at intermediate nodes. This reduces the total volume of data transmitted across the network, directly lowering power consumption while maintaining computation throughput by distributing the computational workload across intermediate nodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If conventional transmission methods are used, then individual results reach destination nodes, but network resources are inefficiently utilized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs intermediate nodes as computational mediators that perform linear combination operations. This intermediary approach transforms the network from a simple data forwarding system into an active computational system, improving network efficiency by utilizing intermediate nodes for processing while maintaining transmission reliability through distributed computation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9524271B2Distributed computation of linear combinations in a network

Publication Date: 2016.12.20 ALCATEL LUCENT SA

AI summary

A first source node transmits a first transmission vector formed by multiplying a vector of input values and an inverse of a transfer matrix that relates vectors transmitted from the first source node via a plurality of intermediate nodes to vectors received at a plurality of destination nodes. Each of the intermediate nodes transmits a vector formed by a linear operation performed on received vectors. The linear operation may be determined based on linear combinations of the first transmission vector and one or more second transmission vectors transmitted by second source nodes. The linear combinations are to be received at the destination nodes. The linear operation is chosen so that propagation of the first transmission vector through the intermediate nodes produces, at the destination nodes, predetermined linear combinations of the first transmission vector and one or more second transmission vectors transmitted by one or more second source nodes.