34342205
Pfaffian Algorithms for Sampling Routings on Regions with Free Boundary Conditions
Sets of non-intersecting, monotonic lattice paths, or fixed routings, provide a common representation for several combinatorial problems and have been the key element for designing sampling algorithms. Markov chain algorithms based on routings have led to efficient samplers for tilings, Eulerian orientations [8] and triangulations [9], while an algorithm which successively calculates ratios of determinants has led to a very fast method for sampling fixed routings [12]. We extend Wilson’s determinant algorithm [12] to sample free routings where the number of paths, as well as the endpoints, are allowed to vary. The algorithm is based on a technique due to Stembridge for counting free routings by calculating the Pfaffian of a suitable matrix [11] and a method of Colbourn, Myrvold and Neufeld [1] for efficiently calculating ratios of determinants. As an application, we show how to sample tilings on planar lattice regions with free boundary conditions.
18074193
Dynamic Diffusion Load Balancing
We consider the problem of dynamic load balancing in arbitrary (connected) networks on n nodes. Our load generation model is such that during each round, n tasks are generated on arbitrary nodes, and then (possibly after some balancing) one task is deleted from every non-empty node. Notice that this model fully saturates the resources of the network in the sense that we generate just as many new tasks per round as the network is able to delete. We show that even in this situation the system is stable, in that the total load remains bounded (as a function of n alone) over time. Our proof only requires that the underlying “communication” graph be connected. (It of course also works if we generate less than n new tasks per round, but the major contribution of this paper is the fully saturated case.) We further show that the upper bound we obtain is asymptotically tight (up to a moderate multiplicative constant) by demonstrating a corresponding lower bound on the system load for the particular example of a linear array (or path). We also show some simple negative results (i.e., instability) for work-stealing based diffusion-type algorithms in this setting.
94046
Rapidly mixing Markov chains for sampling contingency tables with a constant number of rows
We consider the problem of sampling almost uniformly from the set of contingency tables with given row and column sums, when the number of rows is a constant. (2002) have recently given a fully polynomial randomized approximation scheme (fpras) for the related counting problem, which only employs Markov chain methods indirectly. But they leave open the question as to whether a natural Markov chain on such tables mixes rapidly. Here we answer this question in the affirmative, and hence provide a very different proof of the main result of Cryan and Dyer. We show that the "2 /spl times/ 2 heat-bath" Markov chain is rapidly mixing. We prove this by considering first a heat-bath chain operating on a larger window. Using techniques developed by Morris and Sinclair (2002) (see also Morris (2002)) for the multidimensional knapsack problem, we show that this chain mixes rapidly. We then apply the comparison method of Diaconis and Saloff-Coste (1993) to show that the 2 /spl times/ 2 chain is rapidly mixing. As part of our analysis, we give the first proof that the 2 /spl times/ 2 chain mixes in time polynomial in the input size when both the number of rows and the number of columns is constant.
5430944
Distributed selfish load balancing
Suppose that a set of m tasks are to be shared as equally as possible amongst a set of n resources. A game-theoretic mechanism to find a suitable allocation is to associate each task with a "selfish agent", and require each agent to select a resource, with the cost of a resource being the number of agents to select it. Agents would then be expected to migrate from overloaded to underloaded resources, until the allocation becomes balanced.Recent work has studied the question of how this can take place within a distributed setting in which agents migrate selfishly without any centralized control. In this paper we discuss a natural protocol for the agents which combines the following desirable features: It can be implemented in a strongly distributed setting, uses no central control, and has good convergence properties. For m ≫ n, the system becomes approximately balanced (an ε-Nash equilibrium) in expected time O(log log m). We show using a martingale technique that the process converges to a perfectly balanced allocation in expected time O(log log m + n4). We also give a lower bound of Ω (max{log log m, n}) for the convergence time.
750888
Detecting approximate incomplete symmetries in discrete point sets
Motivated by the need to detect design intent in approximate boundary representation models, we give an algorithm to detect incomplete symmetries of discrete points, giving the models' potential local symmetries at various automatically detected tolerances. Here, incomplete symmetry is defined as a set of incomplete cycles which are constructed by, e.g., a set of consecutive vertices of an approximately regular polygon, induced by a single isometry. All seven 3D elementary isometries are considered for symmetry detection. Incomplete cycles are first found using a tolerance-controlled point expansion approach. Subsequently, these cycles are clustered for incomplete symmetry detection. The resulting clusters have welldefined, unambiguous approximate symmetries suitable for design intent detection, as demonstrated experimentally.
2292456
Algorithms for reverse engineering boundary representation models
Abstract A procedure for reconstructing solid models of conventional engineering objects from a multiple-view, 3D point cloud is described. (Conventional means bounded by simple analytical surfaces, swept surfaces and blends.) Emphasis is put on producing accurate and topologically consistent boundary representation models, ready to be used in computer aided design and manufacture. The basic phases of our approach to reverse engineering are summarised, and related computational difficulties are analysed. Four key algorithmic components are presented in more detail: efficiently segmenting point data into regions; creating linear extrusions and surfaces of revolution with smooth, constrained profiles; creating the topology of B-rep models; and finally adding blends. The application of these algorithms in an integrated system is illustrated by means of various examples, including a well-known reverse engineering benchmark.
1385691
Skewed Mirror Symmetry for Depth Estimation in 3D Line-Drawings
We aim to reconstruct three-dimensional polyhedral solids from axonometric-like line drawings. A new approach is proposed to make use of planes of mirror symmetry detected in such sketches. Taking account of mirror symmetry of such polyhedra can significantly improve the reconstruction process. Applying symmetry as a regularity in optimisation-based reconstruction is shown to be adequate by itself, without the need for other inflation techniques or regularities. Furthermore, symmetry can be used to reduce the size of the reconstruction problem, leading to a reduction in computing time.
12804235
Finding Approximate Shape Regularities for Reverse Engineering
Current reverse engineering systems can generate boundary representation (B-rep) models from 3D range data. Such models suffer from inaccuracies caused by noise in the input data and algorithms. The quality of reverse engineered geometric models can be improved by finding candidate shape regularities in such a model, and constraining the model to meet a suitable subset of them, in a post-processing step called beautification. This paper discusses algorithms to detect such approximate regularities in terms of similarities between feature objects describing properties of faces, edges and vertices, and small groups of these elements in a B-rep model with only planar, spherical, cylindrical, conical and toroidal faces. For each group of similar feature objects they also seek special feature objects which may represent the group, e.g. an integer value which approximates the radius of similar cylinders. Experiments show that the regularities found by the algorithms include the desired regularities as well as spurious regularities, which can be limited by an appropriate choice of tolerances.
2976173
Segmenting reliefs on triangle meshes
Sculptural reliefs are widely used in various industries for purposes such as applying brands to packaging and decorating porcelain. In order to easily apply reliefs to CAD models, it is often desirable to reverse-engineer previously designed and manufactured reliefs. 3D scanners can generate triangle meshes from objects with reliefs; however, previous mesh segmentation work has not considered the particular problem of separation of reliefs from background. We consider here the specific case of segmenting a simple relief delimited by a single outer contour, which lies on a smooth, slowly varying background. Generally, such reliefs meet the surrounding surface in a small step, enabling us to devise a specific method for such relief segmentation.We find the boundary between the background and the relief using an adaptive snake. It starts at a simple user-drawn contour, and is driven inwards by a collapsing force until it matches the relief's boundary. Our method is insensitive to the choice of the initial contour. The snake's limiting position is controlled by a feature energy term designed to find a step. A refinement strategy is then used to drive the snake into concavities of the relief contour.We demonstrate operation of our algorithm using real scanned models with different relief contour shapes and triangle meshes with different resolutions.