Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems

Computer-aided methods, based on the entropic linear program framework, have been shown to be effective in assisting the study of information theoretic fundamental limits of information systems. One key element that significantly impacts their computation efficiency and applicability is the reductio...

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Main Authors: Chao Tian, James S. Plank, Brent Hurst, Ruida Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Information
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/2/82
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author Chao Tian
James S. Plank
Brent Hurst
Ruida Zhou
author_facet Chao Tian
James S. Plank
Brent Hurst
Ruida Zhou
author_sort Chao Tian
collection DOAJ
description Computer-aided methods, based on the entropic linear program framework, have been shown to be effective in assisting the study of information theoretic fundamental limits of information systems. One key element that significantly impacts their computation efficiency and applicability is the reduction of variables, based on problem-specific symmetry and dependence relations. In this work, we propose using the disjoint-set data structure to algorithmically identify the reduction mapping, instead of relying on exhaustive enumeration in the equivalence classification. Based on this reduced linear program, we consider four techniques to investigate the fundamental limits of information systems: (1) computing an outer bound for a given linear combination of information measures and providing the values of information measures at the optimal solution; (2) efficiently computing a polytope tradeoff outer bound between two information quantities; (3) producing a proof (as a weighted sum of known information inequalities) for a computed outer bound; and (4) providing the range for information quantities between which the optimal value does not change, i.e., sensitivity analysis. A toolbox, with an efficient JSON format input frontend, and either Gurobi or Cplex as the linear program solving engine, is implemented and open-sourced.
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spelling doaj.art-364368e4711d4ff6babfa98bd39a0e2d2023-12-11T17:14:27ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892021-02-011228210.3390/info12020082Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information SystemsChao Tian0James S. Plank1Brent Hurst2Ruida Zhou3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAComputer-aided methods, based on the entropic linear program framework, have been shown to be effective in assisting the study of information theoretic fundamental limits of information systems. One key element that significantly impacts their computation efficiency and applicability is the reduction of variables, based on problem-specific symmetry and dependence relations. In this work, we propose using the disjoint-set data structure to algorithmically identify the reduction mapping, instead of relying on exhaustive enumeration in the equivalence classification. Based on this reduced linear program, we consider four techniques to investigate the fundamental limits of information systems: (1) computing an outer bound for a given linear combination of information measures and providing the values of information measures at the optimal solution; (2) efficiently computing a polytope tradeoff outer bound between two information quantities; (3) producing a proof (as a weighted sum of known information inequalities) for a computed outer bound; and (4) providing the range for information quantities between which the optimal value does not change, i.e., sensitivity analysis. A toolbox, with an efficient JSON format input frontend, and either Gurobi or Cplex as the linear program solving engine, is implemented and open-sourced.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/2/82capacityconverse boundscomputational methods
spellingShingle Chao Tian
James S. Plank
Brent Hurst
Ruida Zhou
Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
Information
capacity
converse bounds
computational methods
title Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
title_full Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
title_fullStr Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
title_full_unstemmed Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
title_short Computational Techniques for Investigating Information Theoretic Limits of Information Systems
title_sort computational techniques for investigating information theoretic limits of information systems
topic capacity
converse bounds
computational methods
url https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/2/82
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