Improved bounds for separating hash families

An (N ;n,m, {w1, . . . , wt})-separating hash family is a set H of N functions h : X −→ Y with |X| = n, |Y | = m, t ≥ 2 having the following property. For any pairwise disjoint subsets C1, . . . , Ct ⊆ X with |Ci| = wi, i = 1, . . . , t, there exists at least one function h ∈ H such that h(C1), h(C2), . . . , h(Ct) are pairwise disjoint. Separating hash families generalize many known combinatorial structures such as perfect hash families, frameproof codes, secure frameproof codes, identifiable parent property codes. In this paper we present new upper bounds on n which improve many previously known bounds. Further we include constructions showing that some of these bounds are optimal.