Title:

网络编码迷蝴蝶

Abstract:
Network coding (NC) brings a paradigm shift in the data transport mode from the traditional store-and-forward. The linear-algebraic theory of NC structures data units as a finite field, and the fundamental theorem guarantees the best possible throughput. Linearity makes the hardware/software implementation feasibly fast for practical applications, including wireless communication, redundant storage, P2P content delivery, IC layout, security, channel coding, optical communication, sensor networks, personal communications, etc. All these applications are under different contexts. Luckily the Butterfly Network provides an example that is comprehensible to people in all walks of life and, at the same time, is generalizable into elegant mathematics.

The wide applicability has generated interest in multi-disciplinary research among computer science, information/coding theory, matrix theory, networking, operations research, and switching. NC is now one of the most active fields in information technology. Since 2003, the NC literature has grown explosively to about 10,000 papers and books. This talk starts with the Butterfly Network, introducing various applications of NC, and then a unified algebra theory of linear network coding.

Bio:
Professor Shuo-Yen Robert Li is currently an emeritus professor in the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a distinguished professor in University of Electronic S&T of China. He received the BS degree from National Taiwan University in 1970 and the PhD degree from UC Berkeley in 1974, both in math. He taught applied math at MIT in 1974-76 and math, statistics and CS at University of Illinois, Chicago in 1976-79. After working on switching systems and theoretic research at Bell Labs/Bellcore for a decade, he joined CUHK as a chair professor in 1989. From 2009-2014, he also served as Co-director of Institute of Network Coding.
Bob Li is a cofounder of the theory of network coding. The paper “Linear Network Coding” won the IEEE Information Theory Society Paper Award of Year 2005. His “martingale of patterns” (1980) engenders a research area with applications to genetics and other fields. The “algebraic switching fabric” adopted by the “Metro Switch” project of ITRI in Taiwan is derived from his book “Algebraic Switching Theory and Broadband Applications” (2001).

A pointer at his homepage www.ie.cuhk.edu.hk/bobli leads to lecture notes in the series of “A Dialogue between Mathematics and Engineering”.