  A model, called the linear transform network (LTN), is proposed to analyze
the compression and estimation of correlated signals transmitted over directed
acyclic graphs (DAGs). An LTN is a DAG network with multiple source and
receiver nodes. Source nodes transmit subspace projections of random correlated
signals by applying reduced-dimension linear transforms. The subspace
projections are linearly processed by multiple relays and routed to intended
receivers. Each receiver applies a linear estimator to approximate a subset of
the sources with minimum mean squared error (MSE) distortion. The model is
extended to include noisy networks with power constraints on transmitters. A
key task is to compute all local compression matrices and linear estimators in
the network to minimize end-to-end distortion. The non-convex problem is solved
iteratively within an optimization framework using constrained quadratic
programs (QPs). The proposed algorithm recovers as special cases the regular
and distributed Karhunen-Loeve transforms (KLTs). Cut-set lower bounds on the
distortion region of multi-source, multi-receiver networks are given for linear
coding based on convex relaxations. Cut-set lower bounds are also given for any
coding strategy based on information theory. The distortion region and
compression-estimation tradeoffs are illustrated for different communication
demands (e.g. multiple unicast), and graph structures.
