Linear Network Coding with Pre-Determined Coefficient Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network coding methods require complex centralized coordination and randomness in coefficient generation, which is inefficient and costly, especially in resource-constrained environments like wireless multicast networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing 'thrifty codes' that use pre-determined parameters and functions stored in nodes for generating coefficients, eliminating the need for online pseudo-random number generators and reducing complexity by reusing a limited set of parameters to generate coefficients for linear network coding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If random coefficient generation is used in network coding, then coding efficiency and error correction capability are improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase due to requiring online pseudo-random number generators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-generating coding coefficients offline and storing them in lookup tables at network nodes. Instead of generating random coefficients online during packet encoding, the system pre-computes and stores coefficient matrices in advance, eliminating the need for complex real-time random number generation while maintaining the mathematical properties required for effective network coding and error correction.
2Productivity
If centralized coordination is used for network coding, then optimal routing and coding solutions are achieved, but communication overhead and coordination complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each network node to independently perform network coding operations using locally stored pre-generated coefficients. Each node autonomously encodes packets by retrieving coefficients from its local lookup table and applying them to incoming data packets, without requiring centralized coordination or complex inter-node communication for coefficient distribution, thus simplifying the system while maintaining coding efficiency.
3Device complexity
If pre-determined coefficients are used in network coding, then device complexity and energy consumption are reduced, but coding flexibility and adaptability may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing pre-generated coefficient matrices that can be reused across multiple encoding operations and different network conditions. The lookup tables store coefficient sets that serve multiple purposes: they can be used for different packet types, varied network topologies, and multiple encoding scenarios, providing universal applicability without requiring complex adaptive generation mechanisms at each node.
Data Source
AI summary
A network node having a receiver for receiving input packets, a local node memory where one or more parameters for coding are stored, an encoder for creating coded packets from the input packets using linear network coding, and a transmitter to transmit the coded packets. Each coefficient of the linear network coding is a parameter of the one or more parameters or a pre-determined function of the one or more parameters. A related method and a network are also presented.