Title :
Reversible and Irreversible Information Networks
Author_Institution :
Univ. of London, London
Abstract :
It is shown that there exist information networks where messages can be sent (utilizing network coding) more easily in one direction than in the opposite direction. This is valid even though each channel is assumed to have the same capacity in both directions. It is shown that irreversible information networks only have solutions that use nonlinear network coding. This correspondence argues that this result is more surprising than it might appear at first sight and that it follows using ideas resembling the path integral in quantum mechanics.
Keywords :
encoding; information theory; irreversible information network; nonlinear network coding; quantum mechanics; reversible information network; Computer science; Data engineering; Information theory; Intelligent networks; Linear algebra; Mathematical model; Network coding; Quantum mechanics; Unicast; Wireless sensor networks; Information networks; linear algebra; multiple unicast networks; network coding; nonlinear network coding; path integral;
Journal_Title :
Information Theory, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TIT.2007.907345