Publication 1996 Issue No. 1 - January Abstract - Multiway Merging in Parallel
Multiway Merging in Parallel
January 1996 (vol. 7 no. 1)
pp. 11-17
 ASCII Text x Zhaofang Wen, "Multiway Merging in Parallel," IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 11-17, January, 1996.
 BibTex x @article{ 10.1109/71.481593,author = {Zhaofang Wen},title = {Multiway Merging in Parallel},journal ={IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems},volume = {7},number = {1},issn = {1045-9219},year = {1996},pages = {11-17},doi = {http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/71.481593},publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},address = {Los Alamitos, CA, USA},}
 RefWorks Procite/RefMan/Endnote x TY - JOURJO - IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed SystemsTI - Multiway Merging in ParallelIS - 1SN - 1045-9219SP11EP17EPD - 11-17A1 - Zhaofang Wen, PY - 1996KW - Analysis of algorithmsKW - databasesKW - information retrievalKW - mergingKW - parallel computationKW - processors assignmentKW - sorting.VL - 7JA - IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed SystemsER -

Abstract—The problem of merging k (k≥ 2) sorted lists is considered. We give an optimal parallel algorithm which takes $O({\textstyle{{n\log k} \over p}}+\log n)$ time using p processors on a parallel random access machine that allows concurrent reads and exclusive writes, where n is the total size of the input lists. This algorithm achieves O(log n) time using $p={\textstyle{{n\log k} \over {\log n}}}$ processors. Most of the previous research for this problem has been focused on the case when k = 2. Very recently, parallel solutions for the case when k > 2 have been reported. Our solution is the first logarithmic time optimal parallel algorithm for the problem when k≥ 2. It can also be seen as a unified optimal parallel algorithm for sorting and merging. In order to support the algorithm, a new processor assignment strategy is also presented.

Index Terms:
Analysis of algorithms, databases, information retrieval, merging, parallel computation, processors assignment, sorting.
Citation:
Zhaofang Wen, "Multiway Merging in Parallel," IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 11-17, Jan. 1996, doi:10.1109/71.481593