Clique coloring $B_1$-EPG graphs

Abstract

We consider the problem of clique coloring, that is, coloring the vertices of a given graph such that no (maximal) clique of size at least two is monocolored. It is known that interval graphs are $2$-clique colorable. In this paper we prove that $B_1$-EPG graphs (edge intersection graphs of paths on a grid, where each path has at most one bend) are $4$-clique colorable. Moreover, given a $B_1$-EPG representation of a graph, we provide a linear time algorithm that constructs a $4$-clique coloring of it.