Counting pairs of lattice paths by intersections (Q1914007)

This paper is concerned with the problem of enumerating pairs of planar lattice paths, both paths starting at the same point, having a prescribed number of touchings. For the case that both paths also end in the same point, generating function techniques are used to provide a solution in form of a binomial sum. For the case that the paths terminate at different points, it is shown inductively that the corresponding count can be given in terms of a certain double sum. A better formula for this count was subsequently found by \textit{I. Gessel} and \textit{W. Shur} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 75, No. 2, 243-253 (1996)]. It was generalized and given a bijective proof by \textit{M. Fulmek} [``On pairs of lattice paths with a given number of intersections'', J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A, to appear]. The paper under review also discusses special cases, related existing work, and variations of the problem.