Random linear intersession network coding with selective cancelling

Abstract

The network coding capacity of a single multicast traffic is characterized by the min-cut/max-flow (mcMF) theorem, which can be achieved by random linear network coding (RLNC). Nonetheless, the graph-theoretic characterization for multiple unicast/multicast traffic remains an open problem. This paper proposes and studies a new class of intersession-network-coding schemes: RLNC with selective cancelling (SC), which inherits the complexity advantage of RLNC once the set of selective cancelling edges is decided. A graph-theoretic characterization is provided for the achievable rates of RLNC with SC for the general multiple multicast setting. The findings contain most existing achievability results as special cases, including the mcMF theorem of the single multicast traffic and the existing characterization of pairwise intersession network coding. One prominent feature of the proposed approach is its focus on the achievability analysis with arbitrary network topology, arbitrary inter-session packet-mixing capability, and arbitrary traffic demands, which distinguishes the results from the special case analysis, capacity outer bound constructions, and the pattern-based (butterfly-based) superposition arguments.