DEDI: A framework for analyzing rank evolution of random network coding in a wireless network

We develop a framework called DEDI based on differential equations (DE) and differential inclusions (DI) to describe the rank evolution of random network coding (RNC). The DEDI serves as a powerful numerical and analytical tool to study RNC and we demonstrate this via numerical examples as well as an alternate proof of a well known result on RNC - a multicast at rate R exists if and only if a unicast at rate R exists separately for each destination.