Adaptive Hashing for Model Counting

Randomized hashing algorithms have seen recent success in providing bounds on the model count of a propositional formula. These methods repeatedly check the satisfiability of a formula subject to increasingly stringent random constraints. Key to these approaches is the choice of a fixed family of hash functions that strikes a good balance between computational efficiency and statistical guarantees for a hypothetical worst case formula. In this paper we propose a scheme where the family of hash functions is chosen adaptively, based on properties of the specific input formula. Akin to adaptive importance sampling, we use solutions to the formula (found during the bounding procedure of current methods) to estimate properties of the solution set, which guides the construction of random constraints. Additionally, we introduce an orthogonal variance reduction technique that is broadly applicable to hashing based methods. We empirically show that, when combined, these approaches lead to better lower bounds on existing benchmarks, with a median improvement factor of 2¹³ over 1,198 propositional formulas.