We give an efficient algorithm for maintaining a minimum spanning forest of a plane graph subject to on-line modifications. The modifications supported include changes in the edge weights, and insertion and deletion of edges and vertices which are consistent with the given embedding. Our algorithm runs in O(log n) time per operation and O(n) space.

We consider the problem of repeatedly evaluating the same (computationally expensive) query to a database that is being updated between successive query requests. In this situation, it should be possible to use the difference between successive database states and the answer to the query in one state to reduce the cost of evaluating the query in the next state. We use first-order queries to compute the differences, and call this process "first-order incremental query evaluation." After formalizing the notion of first-order incremental query evaluation, we give an algorithm that constructs, for each regular chain query (including transitive closure as a special case), a nonrecursive program to compute the difference between the answer after an update and the answer before the update. We then extend this result to weakly regular queries, which are regular chain programs augmented with conjunctive queries having the so-called cartesian-closed increment property, and to the case of unbound...

In this paper we introduce a general framework for casting fully dynamic transitive closure into the problem of reevaluating polynomials over matrices. With this technique, we improve the best known bounds for fully dynamic transitive closure. In particular, we devise a deterministic algorithm for general directed graphs that achieves O(n²) amortized time for updates, while preserving unit worstcase cost for queries. In case of deletions only, our algorithm performs updates faster in O(n) amortized time. Our

this paper appeared in the Proceedings of the 13th lat. Workshop on "Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science" (WG '87), June 29 July 1, 1987, Kloster Banz/Staffelstein (FIG), published as: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 314, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1988, pp. 106 - 120

This paper presents an efficient fully dynamic graph algorithm for maintaining the transitive closure of a directed graph. The algorithm updates the adjacency matrix of the transitive closure with each update to the graph. Hence, each reachability query of the form "Is there a directed path from i to j?" can be answered in O(1) time. The algorithm is randomized; it is correct when answering yes, but has O(1/n^c) probability of error when answering no, for any constant c. In acyclic graphs, worst case update time is O(n^2). In general graphs, update time is O(n^(2+alpha)), where alpha = min {.26, maximum size of a strongly connected component}. The space complexity of the algorithm is O(n^2).

Traditionally, interest in parallel computation centered around the speedup provided by parallel algorithms over their sequential counterparts. In this paper, we ask a different type of question: Can parallel computers, due to their speed, do more than simply speed up the solution to a problem? We show that for real-time optimization problems, a parallel computer can obtain a solution that is better than that obtained by a sequential one. Specifically, a sequential and a parallel algorithm are exhibited for the problem of computing the best-possible approximation to the minimum-weight spanning tree of a connected, undirected and weighted graph whose vertices and edges are not all available at the outset, but instead arrive in real time. While the parallel algorithm succeeds in computing the exact minimum-weight spanning tree, the sequential algorithm can only manage to obtain an approximate solution. In the worst case, the ratio of the weight of the solution obtained seque...

We consider the problem of repeatedly evaluating the same (computationally expensive) query to a database that is being updated between successive query requests. In this situation, it should be possible to use the difference between successive database states and the answer to the query in one state to reduce the cost of evaluating the query in the next state. We use nonrecursive Datalog (which are unions of conjunctive queries) to compute the differences, and call this process "incremental query evaluation using conjunctive queries." After formalizing the notion of incremental query evaluation using conjunctive queries, we give an algorithm that constructs, for each regular chain query (including transitive closure as a special case), a nonrecursive Datalog program to compute the difference between the answer after an update and the answer before the update. We then extend this result to weakly regular queries, which are regular chain programs augmented with conjunctive queries havin...

Parallel computers can do more than simply speed up sequential computations. They are capable of finding solutions that are far better in quality than those obtained by sequential computers. This fact is demonstrated by analyzing sequential and parallel solutions to numerical problems in a real-time paradigm. In this setting, numerical data required to solve a problem are received as input by a computer system, at regular intervals. The computer must process its inputs as soon as they arrive. It must also produce its outputs at regular intervals, as soon as they are available. We show that for some real-time numerical problems a parallel computer can deliver a solution that is significantly more accurate than when computed by a sequential computer. Similar results were derived recently in the areas of real-time optimization and real-time cryptography. Key words and phrases: Parallelism, real-time computation, numerical analysis. This research was supported by the Natural Sciences a...

The primary purpose of parallel computation is the fast execution of computational tasks that are too slow to perform sequentially. As a consequence, interest in parallel computation to date has naturally focused on the speedup provided by parallel algorithms over their sequential counterparts. The thesis of this paper is that a second equally important motivation for using parallel computers exists. Specifically, the following question is posed: Can parallel computers, thanks to their multiple processors, do more than simply speed up the solution to a problem? We show that within the paradigm of real-time computation, some classes of problems have the property that a solution to a problem in the class, when computed in parallel, is far superior in quality than the best one obtained on a sequential computer. What constitutes a better solution depends on the problem under consideration. Thus, `better' means `closer to optimal' for optimization problems, `more secure' for crypto...

.<F3.733e+05> Advanced applications in fields such as CAD, software engineering, real-time process control, corporate repositories and digital libraries require the construction, efficient access and management of large, shared knowledge bases. Such knowledge bases cannot be built using existing tools such as expert system shells, because these do not scale up, nor can they be built in terms of existing database technology, because such technology does not support the rich representational structure and inference mechanisms required for knowledge-based systems. This paper proposes a generic architecture for a knowledge base management system intended for such applications. The architecture assumes an object-oriented knowledge representation language with an assertional sublanguage used to express constraints and rules. It also provides for general-purpose deductive inference and special-purpose temporal reasoning. Results reported in the paper address several knowledge base management ...