Approximate distance oracles for unweighted graphs in expected O(n2) time
TL;DR: This article shows that one can actually construct approximate distance oracles in expected O(n) time if the graph is unweighted, and leads to the first expected linear-time algorithm for computing an optimal size (2, 1)-spanner of an unweighting graph.
Abstract: Let G = (V, E) be an undirected graph on n vertices, and let δ(u, v) denote the distance in G between two vertices u and v. Thorup and Zwick showed that for any positive integer t, the graph G can be preprocessed to build a data structure that can efficiently report t-approximate distance between any pair of vertices. That is, for any u, v ∈ V, the distance reported is at least δ(u, v) and at most tδ(u, v). The remarkable feature of this data structure is that, for t≥3, it occupies subquadratic space, that is, it does not store all-pairs distances explicitly, and still it can answer any t-approximate distance query in constant time. They named the data structure “approximate distance oracle” because of this feature. Furthermore, the trade-off between the stretch t and the size of the data structure is essentially optimal.In this article, we show that we can actually construct approximate distance oracles in expected O(n2) time if the graph is unweighted. One of the new ideas used in the improved algorithm also leads to the first expected linear-time algorithm for computing an optimal size (2, 1)-spanner of an unweighted graph. A (2, 1) spanner of an undirected unweighted graph G = (V, E) is a subgraph (V, E), E ⊆ E, such that for any two vertices u and v in the graph, their distance in the subgraph is at most 2δ(u, v) p 1.
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TL;DR: This survey reviews selected approaches, algorithms, and results on shortest-path queries from these fields, with the main focus lying on the tradeoff between the index size and the query time.
Abstract: We consider the point-to-point (approximate) shortest-path query problem, which is the following generalization of the classical single-source (SSSP) and all-pairs shortest-path (APSP) problems: we are first presented with a network (graph). A so-called preprocessing algorithm may compute certain information (a data structure or index) to prepare for the next phase. After this preprocessing step, applications may ask shortest-path or distance queries, which should be answered as fast as possible.Due to its many applications in areas such as transportation, networking, and social science, this problem has been considered by researchers from various communities (sometimes under different names): algorithm engineers construct fast route planning methods; database and information systems researchers investigate materialization tradeoffs, query processing on spatial networks, and reachability queries; and theoretical computer scientists analyze distance oracles and sparse spanners. Related problems are considered for compact routing and distance labeling schemes in networking and distributed computing and for metric embeddings in geometry as well.In this survey, we review selected approaches, algorithms, and results on shortest-path queries from these fields, with the main focus lying on the tradeoff between the index size and the query time. We survey methods for general graphs as well as specialized methods for restricted graph classes, in particular for those classes with arguable practical significance such as planar graphs and complex networks.
215 citations
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TL;DR: This article develops a couple of new techniques for constructing (α, β)-spanners and presents an additive (1,6)-spanner of size O, an economical agent that assigns costs and values to paths in the graph, and shows that this path buying algorithm can be parameterized in different ways to yield other sparseness-distortion tradeoffs.
Abstract: An (α, β)-spanner of an unweighted graph G is a subgraph H that distorts distances in G up to a multiplicative factor of α and an additive term β. It is well known that any graph contains a (multiplicative) (2k−1, 0)-spanner of size O(n1+1/k) and an (additive) (1,2)-spanner of size O(n3/2). However no other additive spanners are known to exist.In this article we develop a couple of new techniques for constructing (α, β)-spanners. Our first result is an additive (1,6)-spanner of size O(n4/3). The construction algorithm can be understood as an economical agent that assigns costs and values to paths in the graph, purchasing affordable paths and ignoring expensive ones, which are intuitively well approximated by paths already purchased. We show that this path buying algorithm can be parameterized in different ways to yield other sparseness-distortion tradeoffs. Our second result addresses the problem of which (α, β)-spanners can be computed efficiently, ideally in linear time. We show that, for any k, a (k,k−1)-spanner with size O(kn1+1/k) can be found in linear time, and, further, that in a distributed network the algorithm terminates in a constant number of rounds. Previous spanner constructions with similar performance had roughly twice the multiplicative distortion.
108 citations
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TL;DR: This work gives a simple, near-optimal solution for the source detection task in the CONGEST model, where messages contain at most O(log ) bits, and demonstrates its utility for various routing problems, exact and approximate diameter computation, and spanner construction.
Abstract: Given a simple graph G=(V,E) and a set of sources S ⊆ V, denote for each node ν e V by Lν(∞) the lexicographically ordered list of distance/source pairs (d(s,v),s), where s ∈ S. For integers d,k ∈ N∪{∞}, we consider the source detection, or (S,d,k)-detection task, requiring each node v to learn the first k entries of Lν(∞) (if for all of them d(s,v) ≤ d) or all entries (d(s,v),s) ∈ Lν(∞) satisfying that d(s,v) ≤ d (otherwise). Solutions to this problem provide natural generalizations of concurrent breadth-first search (BFS) tree constructions. For example, the special case of k=∞ requires each source s ∈ S to build a complete BFS tree rooted at s, whereas the special case of d=∞ and S=V requires constructing a partial BFS tree comprising at least k nodes from every node in V.In this work, we give a simple, near-optimal solution for the source detection task in the CONGEST model, where messages contain at most O(log n) bits, running in d+k rounds. We demonstrate its utility for various routing problems, exact and approximate diameter computation, and spanner construction. For those problems, we obtain algorithms in the CONGEST model that are faster and in some cases much simpler than previous solutions.
107 citations
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TL;DR: It is shown that a 2-approximate distance oracle requires space $\tOmega(n^2 / \sqrt{\alpha})$ and this implies a space lower bound to achieve approximation $2d+1$.
Abstract: We give the first improvement to the space/approximation trade-off of distance oracles since the seminal result of Thorup and Zwick [STOC'01]. For unweighted graphs, our distance oracle has size $O(n^{5/3}) = O(n^{1.66\cdots})$ and, when queried about vertices at distance $d$, returns a path of length $2d+1$. For weighted graphs with $m=n^2/\alpha$ edges, our distance oracle has size $O(n^2 / \sqrt[3]{\alpha})$ and returns a factor 2 approximation. Based on a plausible conjecture about the hardness of set intersection queries, we show that a 2-approximate distance oracle requires space $\tOmega(n^2 / \sqrt{\alpha})$. For unweighted graphs, this implies a $\tOmega(n^{1.5})$ space lower bound to achieve approximation $2d+1$.
98 citations
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TL;DR: The common task implicitly tackled in these diverse applications as the problem of constructing sparse TC-spanners is abstracted asThe study of approximability of the size of the sparsest of a given directed graph is initiated.
Abstract: Given a directed graph $G = (V,E)$ and an integer $k \geq 1$, a $k$-transitive-closure-spanner ($k$-TC-spanner) of $G$ is a directed graph $H = (V, E_H)$ that has (1) the same transitive-closure as $G$ and (2) diameter at most $k$. These spanners were implicitly studied in the context of circuit complexity, data structures, property testing, and access control, and properties of these spanners have been rediscovered over the span of 20 years. We abstract the common task implicitly tackled in these diverse applications as the problem of constructing sparse TC-spanners. We initiate the study of approximability of the size of the sparsest $k$-TC-spanner of a given directed graph. We completely resolve the approximability of $2$-TC-spanners, showing that it is $\Theta(\log n)$ unless $\textsf{P} = \textsf{NP}$. For $k>2$, we present a polynomial time algorithm that finds a $k$-TC-spanner with size within $O((n \log n)^{1-1/k})$ of the optimum. Our techniques also yield algorithms with the first nontrivial app...
88 citations
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TL;DR: A data structure for representing a set of n items from a universe of m items, which uses space n+o(n) and accommodates membership queries in constant time and is easy to implement.
Abstract: A data structure for representing a set of n items from a umverse of m items, which uses space n + o(n) and accommodates membership queries m constant time is described. Both the data structure and the query algorithm are easy to ~mplement.
905 citations
"Approximate distance oracles for un..." refers background in this paper
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TL;DR: The most impressive feature of the data structure is its constant query time, hence the name "oracle", and it provides faster constructions of sparse spanners of weighted graphs, and improved tree covers and distance labelings of weighted or unweighted graphs.
Abstract: Let G = (V,E) be an undirected weighted graph with vVv = n and vEv = m. Let k ≥ 1 be an integer. We show that G = (V,E) can be preprocessed in O(kmn1/k) expected time, constructing a data structure of size O(kn1p1/k), such that any subsequent distance query can be answered, approximately, in O(k) time. The approximate distance returned is of stretch at most 2k−1, that is, the quotient obtained by dividing the estimated distance by the actual distance lies between 1 and 2k−1. A 1963 girth conjecture of Erdos, implies that Ω(n1p1/k) space is needed in the worst case for any real stretch strictly smaller than 2kp1. The space requirement of our algorithm is, therefore, essentially optimal. The most impressive feature of our data structure is its constant query time, hence the name "oracle". Previously, data structures that used only O(n1p1/k) space had a query time of Ω(n1/k).Our algorithms are extremely simple and easy to implement efficiently. They also provide faster constructions of sparse spanners of weighted graphs, and improved tree covers and distance labelings of weighted or unweighted graphs.
579 citations
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TL;DR: The most impressive feature of the data structure is its constant query time, hence the name ``oracle', which provides faster constructions of sparse spanners of weighted graphs, and improved tree covers and distance labelings of weighted or unweighted graphs.
Abstract: Let G=(V,E) be an undirected weighted graph with |V|=n and |E|=m. Let k\ge 1 be an integer. We show that G=(V,E) can be preprocessed in O(kmn^{1/k}) expected time, constructing a data structure of size O(kn^{1+1/k}), such that any subsequent distance query can be answered, approximately, in O(k) time. The approximate distance returned is of stretch at most 2k-1, i.e., the quotient obtained by dividing the estimated distance by the actual distance lies between 1 and 2k-1. We show that a 1963 girth conjecture of Erd{\H{o}}s, implies that ω(n^{1+1/k}) space is needed in the worst case for any real stretch strictly smaller than 2k+1. The space requirement of our algorithm is, therefore, essentially optimal. The most impressive feature of our data structure is its constant query time, hence the name oracle. Previously, data structures that used only O(n^{1+1/k}) space had a query time of ω(n^{1/k}) and a slightly larger, non-optimal, stretch. Our algorithms are extremely simple and easy to implement efficiently. They also provide faster constructions of sparse spanners of weighted graphs, and improved tree covers and distance labelings of weighted or unweighted graphs.}
507 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, a combinatorial algorithm for the APSP problem with an additive error of 2 in time O(n 2.5 + n 1.5 ) was proposed.
Abstract: In the recent past, there has been considerable progress in devising algorithms for the all-pairs shortest paths (APSP) problem running in time significantly smaller than the obvious time bound of O(n3). Unfortunately, all the new algorithms are based on fast matrix multiplication algorithms that are notoriously impractical. Our work is motivated by the goal of devising purely combinatorial algorithms that match these improved running times. Our results come close to achieving this goal, in that we present algorithms with a small additive error in the length of the paths obtained. Our algorithms are easy to implement, have the desired property of being combinatorial in nature, and the hidden constants in the running time bound are fairly small.
Our main result is an algorithm which solves the APSP problem in unweighted, undirected graphs with an additive error of 2 in time $O(n^{2.5}\sqrt{\log n})$. This algorithm returns actual paths and not just the distances. In addition, we give more efficient algorithms with running time {\footnotesize $O(n^{1.5} \sqrt{k \log n} + n^2 \log^2 n)$} for the case where we are only required to determine shortest paths between k specified pairs of vertices rather than all pairs of vertices. The starting point for all our results is an $O(m \sqrt{n \log n})$ algorithm for distinguishing between graphs of diameter 2 and 4, and this is later extended to obtaining a ratio 2/3 approximation to the diameter in time $O(m \sqrt{n \log n} + n^2 \log n)$. Unlike in the case of APSP, our results for approximate diameter computation can be extended to the case of directed graphs with arbitrary positive real weights on the edges.
336 citations
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