Distributed Interval Voting with Node Failures of Various Types

Intervals constitute one of the most important tools for dealing with uncertainty in computations. Researchers in the fields of interval arithmetic and constraint propagation have devised elaborate methods for computing with interval variables. In this interpretation, an interval represents the proposition: "I don\´t know what the correct value is, but it cannot be outside this range. " However, intervals also have another use, which is captured in the statement: "Any value in this range would be fine with me. "In devising voting schemes for data fusion and fault-tolerant distributed computation, these two meanings, and a number of other lesser known variations, must be completely understood in order to design and implement meaningful voting strategies. Irregularities and paradoxes in voting schemes, extensively studied by mathematicians and social scientists, must also be taken into account to avoid serious pitfalls. In this paper, we discuss the two interpretations of interval voting, along with their practical implications, and show how voting strategies differ in their time and communication complexities, performance, and resilience according to the meaning intended and the types of failure assumed.