Author: George Kesidis
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031799984
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 111
Book Description
This book concerns peer-to-peer applications and mechanisms operating on the Internet, particularly those that are not fully automated and involve significant human interaction. So, the realm of interest is the intersection of distributed systems and online social networking. Generally, simple models are described to clarify the ideas. Beginning with short overviews of caching, graph theory and game theory, we cover the basic ideas of structured and unstructured search. We then describe a simple framework for reputations and for iterated referrals and consensus. This framework is applied to a problem of sybil identity management. The fundamental result for iterated Byzantine consensus for a relatively important issue is also given. Finally, a straight-forward epidemic model is used to describe the propagation of malware on-line and for BitTorrent-style file-sharing. This short book can be used as a preliminary orientation to this subject matter. References are given for the interested student to papers with good survey and tutorial content and to those with more advanced treatments of specific topics. For an instructor, this book is suitable for a one-semester seminar course. Alternatively, it could be the framework for a semester's worth of lectures where the instructor would supplement each chapter with additional lectures on related or more advanced subject matter. A basic background is required in the areas of computer networking, probability theory, stochastic processes, and queueing. Table of Contents: Networking overview / Graphs / Games / Search in structured networks / Search in unstructured networks / Transactions, reputations, and referrals / False Referrals / Peer-to-peer file sharing / Consensus in dynamical belief systems / Byzantine consensus / Epidemics
An Introduction to Models of Online Peer-to-Peer Social Networking
Author: George Kesidis
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031799984
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 111
Book Description
This book concerns peer-to-peer applications and mechanisms operating on the Internet, particularly those that are not fully automated and involve significant human interaction. So, the realm of interest is the intersection of distributed systems and online social networking. Generally, simple models are described to clarify the ideas. Beginning with short overviews of caching, graph theory and game theory, we cover the basic ideas of structured and unstructured search. We then describe a simple framework for reputations and for iterated referrals and consensus. This framework is applied to a problem of sybil identity management. The fundamental result for iterated Byzantine consensus for a relatively important issue is also given. Finally, a straight-forward epidemic model is used to describe the propagation of malware on-line and for BitTorrent-style file-sharing. This short book can be used as a preliminary orientation to this subject matter. References are given for the interested student to papers with good survey and tutorial content and to those with more advanced treatments of specific topics. For an instructor, this book is suitable for a one-semester seminar course. Alternatively, it could be the framework for a semester's worth of lectures where the instructor would supplement each chapter with additional lectures on related or more advanced subject matter. A basic background is required in the areas of computer networking, probability theory, stochastic processes, and queueing. Table of Contents: Networking overview / Graphs / Games / Search in structured networks / Search in unstructured networks / Transactions, reputations, and referrals / False Referrals / Peer-to-peer file sharing / Consensus in dynamical belief systems / Byzantine consensus / Epidemics
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031799984
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 111
Book Description
This book concerns peer-to-peer applications and mechanisms operating on the Internet, particularly those that are not fully automated and involve significant human interaction. So, the realm of interest is the intersection of distributed systems and online social networking. Generally, simple models are described to clarify the ideas. Beginning with short overviews of caching, graph theory and game theory, we cover the basic ideas of structured and unstructured search. We then describe a simple framework for reputations and for iterated referrals and consensus. This framework is applied to a problem of sybil identity management. The fundamental result for iterated Byzantine consensus for a relatively important issue is also given. Finally, a straight-forward epidemic model is used to describe the propagation of malware on-line and for BitTorrent-style file-sharing. This short book can be used as a preliminary orientation to this subject matter. References are given for the interested student to papers with good survey and tutorial content and to those with more advanced treatments of specific topics. For an instructor, this book is suitable for a one-semester seminar course. Alternatively, it could be the framework for a semester's worth of lectures where the instructor would supplement each chapter with additional lectures on related or more advanced subject matter. A basic background is required in the areas of computer networking, probability theory, stochastic processes, and queueing. Table of Contents: Networking overview / Graphs / Games / Search in structured networks / Search in unstructured networks / Transactions, reputations, and referrals / False Referrals / Peer-to-peer file sharing / Consensus in dynamical belief systems / Byzantine consensus / Epidemics
Social and Economic Networks
Author: Matthew O. Jackson
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 140083399X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 519
Book Description
Networks of relationships help determine the careers that people choose, the jobs they obtain, the products they buy, and how they vote. The many aspects of our lives that are governed by social networks make it critical to understand how they impact behavior, which network structures are likely to emerge in a society, and why we organize ourselves as we do. In Social and Economic Networks, Matthew Jackson offers a comprehensive introduction to social and economic networks, drawing on the latest findings in economics, sociology, computer science, physics, and mathematics. He provides empirical background on networks and the regularities that they exhibit, and discusses random graph-based models and strategic models of network formation. He helps readers to understand behavior in networked societies, with a detailed analysis of learning and diffusion in networks, decision making by individuals who are influenced by their social neighbors, game theory and markets on networks, and a host of related subjects. Jackson also describes the varied statistical and modeling techniques used to analyze social networks. Each chapter includes exercises to aid students in their analysis of how networks function. This book is an indispensable resource for students and researchers in economics, mathematics, physics, sociology, and business.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 140083399X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 519
Book Description
Networks of relationships help determine the careers that people choose, the jobs they obtain, the products they buy, and how they vote. The many aspects of our lives that are governed by social networks make it critical to understand how they impact behavior, which network structures are likely to emerge in a society, and why we organize ourselves as we do. In Social and Economic Networks, Matthew Jackson offers a comprehensive introduction to social and economic networks, drawing on the latest findings in economics, sociology, computer science, physics, and mathematics. He provides empirical background on networks and the regularities that they exhibit, and discusses random graph-based models and strategic models of network formation. He helps readers to understand behavior in networked societies, with a detailed analysis of learning and diffusion in networks, decision making by individuals who are influenced by their social neighbors, game theory and markets on networks, and a host of related subjects. Jackson also describes the varied statistical and modeling techniques used to analyze social networks. Each chapter includes exercises to aid students in their analysis of how networks function. This book is an indispensable resource for students and researchers in economics, mathematics, physics, sociology, and business.
The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society
Author: Debra L. Merskin
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483375528
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 2169
Book Description
The reference will discuss mass media around the world in their varied forms—newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, books, music, websites, and social media—and will describe the role of each in both mirroring and shaping society.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483375528
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 2169
Book Description
The reference will discuss mass media around the world in their varied forms—newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, books, music, websites, and social media—and will describe the role of each in both mirroring and shaping society.
Network Connectivity
Author: Chen Chen
Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN: 1636392962
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 165
Book Description
Networks naturally appear in many high-impact domains, ranging from social network analysis to disease dissemination studies to infrastructure system design. Within network studies, network connectivity plays an important role in a myriad of applications. The diversity of application areas has spurred numerous connectivity measures, each designed for some specific tasks. Depending on the complexity of connectivity measures, the computational cost of calculating the connectivity score can vary significantly. Moreover, the complexity of the connectivity would predominantly affect the hardness of connectivity optimization, which is a fundamental problem for network connectivity studies. This book presents a thorough study in network connectivity, including its concepts, computation, and optimization. Specifically, a unified connectivity measure model will be introduced to unveil the commonality among existing connectivity measures. For the connectivity computation aspect, the authors introduce the connectivity tracking problems and present several effective connectivity inference frameworks under different network settings. Taking the connectivity optimization perspective, the book analyzes the problem theoretically and introduces an approximation framework to effectively optimize the network connectivity.Lastly, the book discusses the new research frontiers and directions to explore for network connectivity studies. This book is an accessible introduction to the study of connectivity in complex networks. It is essential reading for advanced undergraduates, Ph.D. students, as well as researchers and practitioners who are interested in graph mining, data mining, and machine learning.
Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN: 1636392962
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 165
Book Description
Networks naturally appear in many high-impact domains, ranging from social network analysis to disease dissemination studies to infrastructure system design. Within network studies, network connectivity plays an important role in a myriad of applications. The diversity of application areas has spurred numerous connectivity measures, each designed for some specific tasks. Depending on the complexity of connectivity measures, the computational cost of calculating the connectivity score can vary significantly. Moreover, the complexity of the connectivity would predominantly affect the hardness of connectivity optimization, which is a fundamental problem for network connectivity studies. This book presents a thorough study in network connectivity, including its concepts, computation, and optimization. Specifically, a unified connectivity measure model will be introduced to unveil the commonality among existing connectivity measures. For the connectivity computation aspect, the authors introduce the connectivity tracking problems and present several effective connectivity inference frameworks under different network settings. Taking the connectivity optimization perspective, the book analyzes the problem theoretically and introduces an approximation framework to effectively optimize the network connectivity.Lastly, the book discusses the new research frontiers and directions to explore for network connectivity studies. This book is an accessible introduction to the study of connectivity in complex networks. It is essential reading for advanced undergraduates, Ph.D. students, as well as researchers and practitioners who are interested in graph mining, data mining, and machine learning.
Network Games
Author: Asu Ozdaglar
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792483
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 143
Book Description
Traditional network optimization focuses on a single control objective in a network populated by obedient users and limited dispersion of information. However, most of today's networks are large-scale with lack of access to centralized information, consist of users with diverse requirements, and are subject to dynamic changes. These factors naturally motivate a new distributed control paradigm, where the network infrastructure is kept simple and the network control functions are delegated to individual agents which make their decisions independently ("selfishly"). The interaction of multiple independent decision-makers necessitates the use of game theory, including economic notions related to markets and incentives. This monograph studies game theoretic models of resource allocation among selfish agents in networks. The first part of the monograph introduces fundamental game theoretic topics. Emphasis is given to the analysis of dynamics in game theoretic situations, which is crucial for design and control of networked systems. The second part of the monograph applies the game theoretic tools for the analysis of resource allocation in communication networks. We set up a general model of routing in wireline networks, emphasizing the congestion problems caused by delay and packet loss. In particular, we develop a systematic approach to characterizing the inefficiencies of network equilibria, and highlight the effect of autonomous service providers on network performance. We then turn to examining distributed power control in wireless networks. We show that the resulting Nash equilibria can be efficient if the degree of freedom given to end-users is properly designed. Table of Contents: Static Games and Solution Concepts / Game Theory Dynamics / Wireline Network Games / Wireless Network Games / Future Perspectives
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792483
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 143
Book Description
Traditional network optimization focuses on a single control objective in a network populated by obedient users and limited dispersion of information. However, most of today's networks are large-scale with lack of access to centralized information, consist of users with diverse requirements, and are subject to dynamic changes. These factors naturally motivate a new distributed control paradigm, where the network infrastructure is kept simple and the network control functions are delegated to individual agents which make their decisions independently ("selfishly"). The interaction of multiple independent decision-makers necessitates the use of game theory, including economic notions related to markets and incentives. This monograph studies game theoretic models of resource allocation among selfish agents in networks. The first part of the monograph introduces fundamental game theoretic topics. Emphasis is given to the analysis of dynamics in game theoretic situations, which is crucial for design and control of networked systems. The second part of the monograph applies the game theoretic tools for the analysis of resource allocation in communication networks. We set up a general model of routing in wireline networks, emphasizing the congestion problems caused by delay and packet loss. In particular, we develop a systematic approach to characterizing the inefficiencies of network equilibria, and highlight the effect of autonomous service providers on network performance. We then turn to examining distributed power control in wireless networks. We show that the resulting Nash equilibria can be efficient if the degree of freedom given to end-users is properly designed. Table of Contents: Static Games and Solution Concepts / Game Theory Dynamics / Wireline Network Games / Wireless Network Games / Future Perspectives
Analytical Methods for Network Congestion Control
Author: Steven Low
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792750
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
The congestion control mechanism has been responsible for maintaining stability as the Internet scaled up by many orders of magnitude in size, speed, traffic volume, coverage, and complexity over the last three decades. In this book, we develop a coherent theory of congestion control from the ground up to help understand and design these algorithms. We model network traffic as fluids that flow from sources to destinations and model congestion control algorithms as feedback dynamical systems. We show that the model is well defined. We characterize its equilibrium points and prove their stability. We will use several real protocols for illustration but the emphasis will be on various mathematical techniques for algorithm analysis. Specifically we are interested in four questions: 1. How are congestion control algorithms modelled? 2. Are the models well defined? 3. How are the equilibrium points of a congestion control model characterized? 4. How are the stability of these equilibrium points analyzed? For each topic, we first present analytical tools, from convex optimization, to control and dynamical systems, Lyapunov and Nyquist stability theorems, and to projection and contraction theorems. We then apply these basic tools to congestion control algorithms and rigorously prove their equilibrium and stability properties. A notable feature of this book is the careful treatment of projected dynamics that introduces discontinuity in our differential equations. Even though our development is carried out in the context of congestion control, the set of system theoretic tools employed and the process of understanding a physical system, building mathematical models, and analyzing these models for insights have a much wider applicability than to congestion control.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792750
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
The congestion control mechanism has been responsible for maintaining stability as the Internet scaled up by many orders of magnitude in size, speed, traffic volume, coverage, and complexity over the last three decades. In this book, we develop a coherent theory of congestion control from the ground up to help understand and design these algorithms. We model network traffic as fluids that flow from sources to destinations and model congestion control algorithms as feedback dynamical systems. We show that the model is well defined. We characterize its equilibrium points and prove their stability. We will use several real protocols for illustration but the emphasis will be on various mathematical techniques for algorithm analysis. Specifically we are interested in four questions: 1. How are congestion control algorithms modelled? 2. Are the models well defined? 3. How are the equilibrium points of a congestion control model characterized? 4. How are the stability of these equilibrium points analyzed? For each topic, we first present analytical tools, from convex optimization, to control and dynamical systems, Lyapunov and Nyquist stability theorems, and to projection and contraction theorems. We then apply these basic tools to congestion control algorithms and rigorously prove their equilibrium and stability properties. A notable feature of this book is the careful treatment of projected dynamics that introduces discontinuity in our differential equations. Even though our development is carried out in the context of congestion control, the set of system theoretic tools employed and the process of understanding a physical system, building mathematical models, and analyzing these models for insights have a much wider applicability than to congestion control.
Sharing Network Resources
Author: Abhey Parekh
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792661
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
Resource Allocation lies at the heart of network control. In the early days of the Internet the scarcest resource was bandwidth, but as the network has evolved to become an essential utility in the lives of billions, the nature of the resource allocation problem has changed. This book attempts to describe the facets of resource allocation that are most relevant to modern networks. It is targeted at graduate students and researchers who have an introductory background in networking and who desire to internalize core concepts before designing new protocols and applications. We start from the fundamental question: what problem does network resource allocation solve? This leads us, in Chapter 1, to examine what it means to satisfy a set of user applications that have different requirements of the network, and to problems in Social Choice Theory. We find that while capturing these preferences in terms of utility is clean and rigorous, there are significant limitations to this choice. Chapter 2 focuses on sharing divisible resources such as links and spectrum. Both of these resources are somewhat atypical -- a link is most accurately modeled as a queue in our context, but this leads to the analytical intractability of queueing theory, and spectrum allocation methods involve dealing with interference, a poorly understood phenomenon. Chapters 3 and 4 are introductions to two allocation workhorses: auctions and matching. In these chapters we allow the users to game the system (i.e., to be strategic), but don't allow them to collude. In Chapter 5, we relax this restriction and focus on collaboration. Finally, in Chapter 6, we discuss the theoretical yet fundamental issue of stability. Here, our contribution is mostly on making a mathematically abstruse subdiscipline more accessible without losing too much generality.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792661
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
Resource Allocation lies at the heart of network control. In the early days of the Internet the scarcest resource was bandwidth, but as the network has evolved to become an essential utility in the lives of billions, the nature of the resource allocation problem has changed. This book attempts to describe the facets of resource allocation that are most relevant to modern networks. It is targeted at graduate students and researchers who have an introductory background in networking and who desire to internalize core concepts before designing new protocols and applications. We start from the fundamental question: what problem does network resource allocation solve? This leads us, in Chapter 1, to examine what it means to satisfy a set of user applications that have different requirements of the network, and to problems in Social Choice Theory. We find that while capturing these preferences in terms of utility is clean and rigorous, there are significant limitations to this choice. Chapter 2 focuses on sharing divisible resources such as links and spectrum. Both of these resources are somewhat atypical -- a link is most accurately modeled as a queue in our context, but this leads to the analytical intractability of queueing theory, and spectrum allocation methods involve dealing with interference, a poorly understood phenomenon. Chapters 3 and 4 are introductions to two allocation workhorses: auctions and matching. In these chapters we allow the users to game the system (i.e., to be strategic), but don't allow them to collude. In Chapter 5, we relax this restriction and focus on collaboration. Finally, in Chapter 6, we discuss the theoretical yet fundamental issue of stability. Here, our contribution is mostly on making a mathematically abstruse subdiscipline more accessible without losing too much generality.
Wireless Network Pricing
Author: Jianwei Huang
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792637
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
Today's wireless communications and networking practices are tightly coupled with economic considerations, to the extent that it is almost impossible to make a sound technology choice without understanding the corresponding economic implications. This book aims at providing a foundational introduction on how microeconomics, and pricing theory in particular, can help us to understand and build better wireless networks. The book can be used as lecture notes for a course in the field of network economics, or a reference book for wireless engineers and applied economists to understand how pricing mechanisms influence the fast growing modern wireless industry. This book first covers the basics of wireless communication technologies and microeconomics, before going in-depth about several pricing models and their wireless applications. The pricing models include social optimal pricing, monopoly pricing, price differentiation, oligopoly pricing, and network externalities, supported by introductory discussions of convex optimization and game theory. The wireless applications include wireless video streaming, service provider competitions, cellular usage-based pricing, network partial price differentiation, wireless spectrum leasing, distributed power control, and cellular technology upgrade. More information related to the book (including references, slides, and videos) can be found at ncel.ie.cuhk.edu.hk/content/wireless-network-pricing.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792637
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
Today's wireless communications and networking practices are tightly coupled with economic considerations, to the extent that it is almost impossible to make a sound technology choice without understanding the corresponding economic implications. This book aims at providing a foundational introduction on how microeconomics, and pricing theory in particular, can help us to understand and build better wireless networks. The book can be used as lecture notes for a course in the field of network economics, or a reference book for wireless engineers and applied economists to understand how pricing mechanisms influence the fast growing modern wireless industry. This book first covers the basics of wireless communication technologies and microeconomics, before going in-depth about several pricing models and their wireless applications. The pricing models include social optimal pricing, monopoly pricing, price differentiation, oligopoly pricing, and network externalities, supported by introductory discussions of convex optimization and game theory. The wireless applications include wireless video streaming, service provider competitions, cellular usage-based pricing, network partial price differentiation, wireless spectrum leasing, distributed power control, and cellular technology upgrade. More information related to the book (including references, slides, and videos) can be found at ncel.ie.cuhk.edu.hk/content/wireless-network-pricing.
Modeling and Optimization in Software-Defined Networks
Author: Konstantinos Poularakis
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 303102382X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
This book provides a quick reference and insights into modeling and optimization of software-defined networks (SDNs). It covers various algorithms and approaches that have been developed for optimizations related to the control plane, the considerable research related to data plane optimization, and topics that have significant potential for research and advances to the state-of-the-art in SDN. Over the past ten years, network programmability has transitioned from research concepts to more mainstream technology through the advent of technologies amenable to programmability such as service chaining, virtual network functions, and programmability of the data plane. However, the rapid development in SDN technologies has been the key driver behind its evolution. The logically centralized abstraction of network states enabled by SDN facilitates programmability and use of sophisticated optimization and control algorithms for enhancing network performance, policy management, and security.Furthermore, the centralized aggregation of network telemetry facilitates use of data-driven machine learning-based methods. To fully unleash the power of this new SDN paradigm, though, various architectural design, deployment, and operations questions need to be addressed. Associated with these are various modeling, resource allocation, and optimization opportunities.The book covers these opportunities and associated challenges, which represent a ``call to arms'' for the SDN community to develop new modeling and optimization methods that will complement or improve on the current norms.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 303102382X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Book Description
This book provides a quick reference and insights into modeling and optimization of software-defined networks (SDNs). It covers various algorithms and approaches that have been developed for optimizations related to the control plane, the considerable research related to data plane optimization, and topics that have significant potential for research and advances to the state-of-the-art in SDN. Over the past ten years, network programmability has transitioned from research concepts to more mainstream technology through the advent of technologies amenable to programmability such as service chaining, virtual network functions, and programmability of the data plane. However, the rapid development in SDN technologies has been the key driver behind its evolution. The logically centralized abstraction of network states enabled by SDN facilitates programmability and use of sophisticated optimization and control algorithms for enhancing network performance, policy management, and security.Furthermore, the centralized aggregation of network telemetry facilitates use of data-driven machine learning-based methods. To fully unleash the power of this new SDN paradigm, though, various architectural design, deployment, and operations questions need to be addressed. Associated with these are various modeling, resource allocation, and optimization opportunities.The book covers these opportunities and associated challenges, which represent a ``call to arms'' for the SDN community to develop new modeling and optimization methods that will complement or improve on the current norms.
A Primer on Physical-Layer Network Coding
Author: Soung Liew
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792696
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
The concept of physical-layer network coding (PNC) was proposed in 2006 for application in wireless networks. Since then it has developed into a subfield of communications and networking with a wide following. This book is a primer on PNC. It is the outcome of a set of lecture notes for a course for beginning graduate students at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The target audience is expected to have some prior background knowledge in communication theory and wireless communications, but not working knowledge at the research level. Indeed, a goal of this book/course is to allow the reader to gain a deeper appreciation of the various nuances of wireless communications and networking by focusing on problems arising from the study of PNC. Specifically, we introduce the tools and techniques needed to solve problems in PNC, and many of these tools and techniques are drawn from the more general disciplines of signal processing, communications, and networking: PNC is used as a pivot to learn about the fundamentals of signal processing techniques and wireless communications in general. We feel that such a problem-centric approach will give the reader a more in-depth understanding of these disciplines and allow him/her to see first-hand how the techniques of these disciplines can be applied to solve real research problems. As a primer, this book does not cover many advanced materials related to PNC. PNC is an active research field and many new results will no doubt be forthcoming in the near future. We believe that this book will provide a good contextual framework for the interpretation of these advanced results should the reader decide to probe further into the field of PNC.
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031792696
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
The concept of physical-layer network coding (PNC) was proposed in 2006 for application in wireless networks. Since then it has developed into a subfield of communications and networking with a wide following. This book is a primer on PNC. It is the outcome of a set of lecture notes for a course for beginning graduate students at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The target audience is expected to have some prior background knowledge in communication theory and wireless communications, but not working knowledge at the research level. Indeed, a goal of this book/course is to allow the reader to gain a deeper appreciation of the various nuances of wireless communications and networking by focusing on problems arising from the study of PNC. Specifically, we introduce the tools and techniques needed to solve problems in PNC, and many of these tools and techniques are drawn from the more general disciplines of signal processing, communications, and networking: PNC is used as a pivot to learn about the fundamentals of signal processing techniques and wireless communications in general. We feel that such a problem-centric approach will give the reader a more in-depth understanding of these disciplines and allow him/her to see first-hand how the techniques of these disciplines can be applied to solve real research problems. As a primer, this book does not cover many advanced materials related to PNC. PNC is an active research field and many new results will no doubt be forthcoming in the near future. We believe that this book will provide a good contextual framework for the interpretation of these advanced results should the reader decide to probe further into the field of PNC.