On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts

Compared with scalar linear network coding (LNC) formulated over the finite field GF(<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>2</mn><mi>L</mi></msup></semantics&...

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Main Authors: Rina Su, Chengji Zhao, Qifu Sun, Zhongshan Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Entropy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/559
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author Rina Su
Chengji Zhao
Qifu Sun
Zhongshan Zhang
author_facet Rina Su
Chengji Zhao
Qifu Sun
Zhongshan Zhang
author_sort Rina Su
collection DOAJ
description Compared with scalar linear network coding (LNC) formulated over the finite field GF(<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>2</mn><mi>L</mi></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>), vector LNC offers enhanced flexibility in the code design by enabling linear operations over the vector space <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>GF</mi><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>L</mi></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and demonstrates a number of advantages over scalar LNC. While random LNC (RLNC) has shown significant potential to improve the completion delay performance in wireless broadcasts, most prior studies focus on scalar RLNC. In particular, it is well known that, with increasing <i>L</i>, primitive scalar RLNC over GF(<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>2</mn><mi>L</mi></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>) asymptotically achieves the optimal completion delay. However, the completion delay performance of primitive vector RLNC remains unexplored. This work aims to fill in this blank. We derive closed-form expressions for the probability distribution and the expected value of both the completion delay at a single receiver and the system completion delay. We further unveil a fundamental limitation that is different from scalar RLNC: even for large enough <i>L</i>, primitive vector RLNC over <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>GF</mi><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>L</mi></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> inherently fails to reach optimal completion delay. In spite of this, the gap between the expected completion delay at a receiver and the optimal one is shown to be a constant smaller than <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.714</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, which implies that the expected completion delay normalized by the number <i>P</i> of original packets is asymptotically optimal with increasing <i>P</i>. We also validate our theoretical characterization through numerical simulations. Our theoretical characterization establishes primitive vector RLNC as a performance baseline for the future design of practical vector RLNC schemes with different design goals.
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spelling doaj-art-adb4826c809a4efd838bd2eeb4a9f5402025-08-20T03:24:37ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002025-05-0127655910.3390/e27060559On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless BroadcastsRina Su0Chengji Zhao1Qifu Sun2Zhongshan Zhang3School of Cyberspace Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaSchool of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Cyberspace Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology (ZhuHai), Zhuhai 519088, ChinaCompared with scalar linear network coding (LNC) formulated over the finite field GF(<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>2</mn><mi>L</mi></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>), vector LNC offers enhanced flexibility in the code design by enabling linear operations over the vector space <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>GF</mi><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>L</mi></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and demonstrates a number of advantages over scalar LNC. While random LNC (RLNC) has shown significant potential to improve the completion delay performance in wireless broadcasts, most prior studies focus on scalar RLNC. In particular, it is well known that, with increasing <i>L</i>, primitive scalar RLNC over GF(<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>2</mn><mi>L</mi></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>) asymptotically achieves the optimal completion delay. However, the completion delay performance of primitive vector RLNC remains unexplored. This work aims to fill in this blank. We derive closed-form expressions for the probability distribution and the expected value of both the completion delay at a single receiver and the system completion delay. We further unveil a fundamental limitation that is different from scalar RLNC: even for large enough <i>L</i>, primitive vector RLNC over <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>GF</mi><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>L</mi></msup></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> inherently fails to reach optimal completion delay. In spite of this, the gap between the expected completion delay at a receiver and the optimal one is shown to be a constant smaller than <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.714</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, which implies that the expected completion delay normalized by the number <i>P</i> of original packets is asymptotically optimal with increasing <i>P</i>. We also validate our theoretical characterization through numerical simulations. Our theoretical characterization establishes primitive vector RLNC as a performance baseline for the future design of practical vector RLNC schemes with different design goals.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/559random linear network coding (RLNC)vector linear network coding (VLNC)completion delaywireless broadcast
spellingShingle Rina Su
Chengji Zhao
Qifu Sun
Zhongshan Zhang
On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
Entropy
random linear network coding (RLNC)
vector linear network coding (VLNC)
completion delay
wireless broadcast
title On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
title_full On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
title_fullStr On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
title_full_unstemmed On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
title_short On Vector Random Linear Network Coding in Wireless Broadcasts
title_sort on vector random linear network coding in wireless broadcasts
topic random linear network coding (RLNC)
vector linear network coding (VLNC)
completion delay
wireless broadcast
url https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/559
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AT zhongshanzhang onvectorrandomlinearnetworkcodinginwirelessbroadcasts