English

Set Parameterized Matching via Multi-Layer Hashing

Data Structures and Algorithms 2026-05-04 v1

Abstract

We study the "set parameterized matching" problem, a generalization of the classical parameterized matching problem introduced by Baker. In set parameterized matching, both the pattern and text are sequences where each position contains a set of characters rather than a single character. Two set-strings parameterized match if there exists a bijection between their alphabets that maps one to the other set-wise. Boussidan introduced this problem for the case of equal-length set-strings. We present a randomized algorithm running in O(N+M)O(N + M) time with high probability, where NN is the text size and MM is the pattern size. Our approach employs a novel three-layer hashing scheme based on Karp-Rabin fingerprinting that addresses the challenges of (1) the size blowup in representations of the problem, (2) set-to-set matching, and (3) the dynamic nature of encodings of text substrings during pattern scanning.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2605.00566,
  title  = {Set Parameterized Matching via Multi-Layer Hashing},
  author = {Moshe Lewenstein and Ely Porat},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2605.00566},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

19 pages

R2 v1 2026-07-01T12:45:04.653Z