Counting independent sets in tree convex bipartite graphs

Abstract

The problems of counting independent sets, maximal independent sets, and independent perfect dominating sets are #P-complete for bipartite graphs, but can be solved in polynomial time for convex bipartite graphs, which are a subclass of bipartite graphs This paper studies these problems for tree convex bipartite graphs, which are a class of graphs between bipartite graphs and convex bipartite graphs. A bipartite graph G with bipartition (X Y) is called tree convex, if a tree T defined on X exists, such that for every vertex y in Y, the neighbors of y form a subtree of T If the associated tree T is simply a path, then G is just a convex bipartite graph. This paper first proves that the problems of counting independent sets, maximal independent sets, and independent perfect dominating sets remain #P-complete for tree convex bipartite graphs even when the associated tree T is only a comb or a star. This paper then presents polynomial-time algorithms to solve these problems for tree convex bipartite graphs when the associated tree T is restricted to a triad, which consists of three paths with one common endpoint.