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De Bruijn Sequence




In Mathematics , especially Combinatorics , a ''k''-ary de Bruijn sequence ''B''(''k'', ''n'') of order ''n'', named after Nicolaas Govert De Bruijn , is a Cyclic Sequence from a given Alphabet ''A'' of size ''k'' for which every possible Subsequence of length ''n'' in ''A'' is present exactly once.

Such a sequence has the following properties:

  • Each ''B''(''k'', ''n'') has length ''k''''n''

  • There are k!^{k^{(n - 1)}}/k^n distinct de Bruijn sequences ''B''(''k'', ''n'').



EXAMPLES

Taking A = \{0, 1\}, there are two distinct B(2, 3): 00010111 and 00011101, one being the reverse of the other.

Two of the 2048 possible B(2, 5) in the same alphabet are
00000100011001010011101011011111 and 00000101001000111110111001101011.

A digital door lock with a 4 digits code would have B(10,4) solutions with length 10000. Therefore, only 10000 + 3 = 10003 (as the solutions are cyclic) presses are needed to open the lock. Trying all codes separately would require 4 imes 10000 = 40000 presses.


CONSTRUCTION

The de Bruijn sequences can be constructed by taking an Eulerian Cycle of a De Bruijn Graph , or via Finite Field s.


USAGE

The sequence can be used to shorten a brute-force attack on a PIN -like code lock that does not have an Enter key and accepts the last n digits entered.

The symbols of a de Bruijn sequence written around a circular object (possibly a wheel of a Robot ) can be used to identify its Angle by examining the n consecutive symbols facing a fixed point.


SEE ALSO




REFERENCES


  • de Bruijn, N. G. "A Combinatorial Problem." Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie v. Wetenschappen 49, 758–764, 1946.



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