The present paper focuses on the application of the base station cooperation (BSC) technique in fractional frequency reuse (FFR) networks. Fractional frequency reuse is considered to be a promising scheme for avoiding the inter-cell interference problem in OFDMA cellular systems, such as WiMAX, in which the edge mobile stations (MSs) of adjacent cells use different subchannels for separate transmission. However, the problem of FFR is that the cell edge spectral efficiency (SE) is much lower than that of the cell center. The BSC technique, in which adjacent BSs perform cooperative transmission for one cell edge MS with the same channel, may improve the cell edge SE. However, since more BSs transmit signals for one cell edge MS, the use of BSC can also increase the inter-cell interference, which might degrade the network performance. In this paper, with a focus on this tradeoff, we propose an adaptive BSC scheme in which BSC is only performed for the cell edge MSs that can achieve a significant capacity increase with only a slight increase in inter-cell interference. Moreover, a channel reallocation scheme is proposed in order to further improve the performance of the adaptive BSC scheme. The simulation results reveal that, compared to the conventional FFR scheme, the proposed schemes are effective for improving the performance of FFR networks.

This paper compares some popular character recognition techniques which have been proposed until today. 17 feature extraction methods and 4 neural network based recognition processes were used in handwritten numerals (postal codes) recognition. It was found that Weighted Direction Index Histogram, Peripheral Direction Contributivity Function and Expansion Cell feature extractions gave good results. As for the neural network recognition process, CombNET- and multi layer neural network showed good performances.

Densification of mmWave smallcells overlaid on the conventional macro cell is considered to be an essential technology for enhanced mobile broadband services and future IoT applications requiring high data rate e.g. automated driving in 5G communication networks. Taking into account actual measurement mobile traffic data which reveal dynamicity in both time and space, this paper proposes a joint optimization of user association and smallcell base station (BS)'s ON/OFF status. The target is to improve the system's energy efficiency while guaranteeing user's satisfaction measured through e.g. delay tolerance. Numerical analyses are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm against dynamic traffic variation.

This paper presents comprehensive comparisons based on the block error rate (BLER) of open-loop (OL) transmit diversity schemes considering a cubic metric (CM) for single-carrier (SC)-Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) using discrete Fourier transform (DFT)-precoded OFDMA in uplink frequency-selective fading channels. The OL transmit diversity schemes assumed in the paper are space-time block code (STBC), space-frequency block code (SFBC), single-carrier (SC) - SFBC, cyclic delay diversity (CDD), and frequency switched transmit diversity (FSTD) for two antennas and a combination of STBC, SFBC, SC-SFBC and selection transmit diversity including time switched transmit diversity (TSTD) or FSTD for four antennas. We derive the most appropriate OL transmit diversity scheme for SC-FDMA using a frequency domain equalizer (FDE) with QPSK and 16QAM modulations and with various channel coding rates employing turbo coding. We investigate the best OL transmit diversity scheme under various propagation channel conditions including the fading maximum Doppler frequency and root mean square (r.m.s.) delay spread, and the fading correlation between transmitter/receiver antennas.

We developed two types of practical maximum-likelihood detectors (MLD) for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device. For implementations, we introduced two simplified metrics called a Manhattan metric and a correlation metric. Using the Manhattan metric, the detector needs no multiplication operations, at the cost of a slight performance degradation within 1 dB. Using the correlation metric, the MIMO-MLD can significantly reduce the complexity in both multiplications and additions without any performance degradation. This paper demonstrates the bit-error-rate performance of these MLD prototypes at a 1 Gbps-order real-time processing speed, through the use of an all-digital baseband 44 MIMO testbed integrated on the same FPGA chip.

This paper deals with formal verification of high-level designs, in particular, symbolic comparison of register-transfer-level descriptions and behavioral descriptions. We use state machines extended by quantifier-free first-order logic with equality, as models of those descriptions. We cannot adopt the classical notion of equivalence for state machines, because the signals in the corresponding outputs of such two descriptions do not change in the same way. This paper defines a new notion of consistency based on signal-transitions of the corresponding outputs, and proposes an algorithm for checking consistency of those descriptions, up to a limited number of steps from initial states. As an example of high-level designs, we take a simple hardware/software codesign. A C program for digital signal processing called PARCOR filter was compared with its corresponding design given as a register-transfer-level description, which is composed of a VLIW architecture and assembly code. Since this example terminates within approximately 4500 steps, symbolic exploration of a finite number of steps is sufficient to verify the descriptions. Our prototype verifier succeeded in the verification of this example in 31 minutes.

This paper describes a blind watermarking scheme through cyclic signal processing. Due to various rapid networks, there is a growing demand of copyright protection for multimedia data. As efficient watermarking of images, there exist two major approaches: a quantization-based method and a correlation-based method. In this paper, we proposes a correlation-based watermarking technique of three-dimensional (3-D) polygonal models using the fast Fourier transforms (FFTs). For generating a watermark with desirable properties, similar to a pseudonoise signal, an impulse signal on a two-dimensional (2-D) space is spread through the FFT, the multiplication of a complex sinusoid signal, and the inverse FFT. This watermark, i.e., spread impulse signal, in a transform domain is converted to a spatial domain by an inverse wavelet transform, and embedded into 3-D data aligned by the principle component analysis (PCA). In the detection procedure, after realigning the watermarked mesh model through the PCA, we map the 3-D data on the 2-D space via block segmentation and averaging operation. The 2-D data are processed by the inverse system, i.e., the FFT, the division of the complex sinusoid signal, and the inverse FFT. From the resulting 2-D signal, we detect the position of the maximum value as a signature. For 3-D bunny models, detection rates and information capacity are shown to evaluate the performance of the proposed method.

A new blind identification method of transfer functions between variables in feedback systems is introduced for single sweep type of MEG data. The method is based on the viewpoint of stochastic/statistical inverse problems. The required conditions of the model are stationary and linear Gaussian processes. Raw MEG data of the brain activities are heavily contaminated with several noises and artifacts. The elimination of them is a crucial problem especially for the method. Usually, these noises and artifacts are removed by notch and high-pass filters which are preset automatically. In the present paper, we will try two types of more careful preprocessing procedures for the identification method to obtain impulse functions. One is a careful notch filtering and the other is a blind source separation method based on temporal structure. As results, identifiably of transfer functions and their impulse responses are improved in both cases. Transfer functions and impulse responses identified between MEG sensors are obtained by using the method in Appendix A, when eyes are closed with rest state. Some advantages of the blind source separation method are discussed.

Co-channel interference is a major deteriorating factor limiting the capacity of mobile communication systems. To mitigate the effect of the interference, a kind of nonlinear interference canceller named trellis-coded co-channel interference canceller (TCC) has been proposed. In TCC the trellis-coded modulation (TCM) is introduced to both the desired signal and the interference signal in order to enhance the cancelling performance. In this paper, the bit error rate (BER) performance of TCC in static channel is theoretically evaluated for the first time. An equivalent TCM (E-TCM) model is firstly established, and a BER asymptotic estimate (AE) and a BER upper bound (UB) of TCC are then evaluated respectively by analyzing E-TCM. In the evaluation of AE, the BER performance is calculated as a function of phase difference between the desired signal and the interference signal (φ), subsequently the average BER performance over φ can be evaluated. The UB of BER is calculated using a transfer function based on the matrix representation. This paper also demonstrates that AE gives higher accuracy and less calculation complexity than UB. Performance comparisons reveal the consistency of these theoretical results with that of computer simulations.

Multihop network is an approach utilizing distributed wireless stations for relaying. In this system, area size, coverage and total transmit power efficiency can be improved. It is shown by computer simulations that the cooperative relaying scheme provides transmit diversity effect, and can offer much better performance compared with that of non-cooperation case. To confirm this superior performance in actual environments, field trials using real time communication equipments are now being planned. This paper reports the design and the performance of wireless equipments for field trials.

The mesoporous materials from the self-assembled organic-inorganic compound materials have great possibilities for a variety of applications. However, to make use of these kinds of materials effectively, they must be controlled. In this paper, we are succeeded in powder state pore size control and in significantly fabrication film state for device application use.

This paper describes a novel Recessed Stacked Capacitor (RSTC) structure for 256 Mbit DRAMs, which can realize the requirements for both fine-pattern delineation with limited depth of focus and high cell capacitance. New technologies involved are the RSTC process, 0.25 µm phase-shift lithography and CVD-tungsten plate technology. An experimental memory array has been fabricated with the above technologies and 25 fF/cell capacitance is obtained for the first time in a 0.61.2 µm2 (0.72 µm2) cell.

This paper proposes a receiver antenna weight-updating algorithm using I/Q-code multiplexed pilot and decision feedback data symbols after channel decoding for both reference signal generation of the mean squared error (MSE) calculation and channel estimation (also for Rake combining) in the coherent adaptive antenna array diversity (CAAAD) receiver and investigates its performance, in order to decrease further the transmit power of a mobie station, thereby increasing system capacity in the wideband direct sequence code division multiple access (W-CDMA) reverse link. Experimental results show that the required transmit Eb/N0 for the average BER of 10-3 with the CAAAD receiver using pilot and decision feedback data symbols after channel decoding both for reference signal generation and for channel estimation can be decreased by approximately 0.8 dB compared to when using only pilot symbols with convolutional coding or turbo coding, when the ratio of the target Eb/I0 for fast transmit power control of the desired to interfering users is Δ Eb/I0 = -12 dB. The results also elucidate that the required transmit Eb/N0 at the average BER of 10-6 with turbo coding using the proposed decision feedback antenna weight-updating and channel estimation is smaller by approximately 0.5 dB than that using convolutional coding when the channel interleaving length is 20 msec for Δ Eb/I0 = -12 dB.

This paper investigates a precoding method in downlink multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission with multiple base station (BS) cooperation, where each user device basically feeds back the instantaneous channel state information (CSI) to only the nearest BS, but the users near the cell edge additionally feedback the instantaneous CSI to the second nearest BS among the cooperating BSs. Our precoding method is categorized as a form of multi-cell processing (MCP) [5], in which the transmission information to a user is shared by the cooperating BSs in order to utilize fully the degrees of freedom of the spatial channel, and is based on block diagonalization of the channel matrix. However, since some elements of the channel matrix are unknown, we allow partially non-orthogonal transmission. More specifically, we allow inter-user interference to users with limited instantaneous CSI feedback from the channel where the instantaneous CSIs of those users are not obtained at the BSs. The other sources of inter-user interference are set to zero based on the block diagonalization of the channel matrix. The proposed method more efficiently utilizes the degrees of freedom of the spatial channel compared to the case with full orthogonal transmission at the cost of increased inter-user interference. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method compared to the conventional approaches, which can accommodate the partial CSI feedback scenario, from the viewpoints of the required transmission power and achievable throughput.

Advanced Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (Advanced E-UTRA), called LTE-Advanced, has been standardized in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a candidate for IMT-Advanced. LTE-Advanced supports spatial orthogonal-resource transmit diversity (SORTD) [1],[2] for ACK/NACK signals and scheduling requests (SRs), which are used to control downlink hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQs) and manage uplink radio resources based on uplink data traffic, respectively. Both ACK/NACK signals and SRs are carried via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) [3], and a common PUCCH format is used for both ACK/NACK signals and SRs. If SORTD is used, the base station assigns mutually orthogonal resources to each antenna included in the user equipment (UE) for ACK/NACK signals and SRs; hence, the number of required resources increases with the number of transmitting antennas in the UE. In this paper, we study the resource reduction method for ACK/NACK signal and SR in case of SORTD using the concept of common resource. In addition, we investigate a phase rotation scheme for common resources to improve the SR detection performance.

This paper proposes applying the Layered Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) radio access scheme and its radio access techniques to LTE (Long-Term Evolution)-Advanced to satisfy its system requirements, which are much stricter than those of the Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) and UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). Layered OFDMA comprises layered transmission bandwidth assignment (bandwidth is assigned to match the required data rate), a layered control signaling structure, and support for layered environments for both the downlink and uplink. Especially in the uplink, an adaptive multi-access scheme with hybrid single-carrier and multicarrier based radio access is applied. Layered OFDMA radio access will support all the functionalities specified in Release 8 LTE and later enhancements. Key radio access techniques such as fast inter-cell radio resource management that takes advantage of remote radio equipment (RRE) so as to realize inter-cell orthogonality, multi-antenna transmission with more antennas, and coverage enhancing techniques are used to achieve a high level of capacity and cell-edge spectrum efficiency.

In recent years, heterogeneous cellular network (HetNet) topology has been attracting much attention. HetNet, which is a network topology with low power base stations installed inside the cell range of conventional macrocells, can realize network capacity enhancement through the effects of macrocell offloading and cell shrinkage. Due to the heterogeneity nature of HetNet, network designers should carefully consider about the interference management, resource allocation, user association and cell range expansion. These issues have been well studied in recent literatures. However, one of the important problems which has not been well investigated in conventional works is the base station (BS) deployment problem in HetNet. This paper investigates the optimal pico base station deployment in heterogeneous cellular networks especially with the existence of hotspots. In this paper, pico BS locations are optimized together with other network parameters including spectrum splitting ratio and signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR) bias for cell range expansion to maximize the total system rate, by considering two spectrum allocation strategies, i.e. spectrum overlapping and spectrum splitting. Numerical results show that the optimized pico BS locations can improve the system rate, the average user rate and outage user rate in HetNet with hotspots.

We have developed an amperometric sensor employing a photoconductive organic thin film that enables the measurement of the two-dimensional distribution of redox current on a sensor surface. The sensor simply consists of photoconductive film and transparent electrode. A focused light beam through the transparent electrode excites the photoconductive film that leads to detect local redox current at the beam position. Intensity of the redox current depends on local concentration of redox species of solution on the sensor. We investigated several materials for the photoconductive film and found a suitable structure is Cu-phthalocyanine doped polyvinylcarbazole film/indium tin oxide/glass substrate. Compared with a conventional two-dimensional chemical sensor, our newly developed sensor can be prepared by lower cost fabrication methods without complex semiconductor processes. The sensor showed a good signal dependence on the concentration of K3Fe(CN)6/K4Fe(CN)6 in an aqueous solution at 15.4 nA/dec at a constant bias voltage of 0.8 V. We measured the two-dimensional distribution of ions in an agarose gel of 2 mm thickness. The result showed a photograph of the diffusion process of redox species. We also discuss the discrimination of redox species like voltammetry.

The end-to-end packet error rate (PER) performance of a multi-hop cooperative relaying system is discussed in this paper. In this system, the end-to-end PER performance improves with the number of hops under certain conditions. The PER performance of multi-hop cooperative networks is analyzed with the state transition technique. The theoretical analysis reveals that the PER performance can be kept almost constant, or even improved, as the number of hops is increased. Computer simulation results agree closely with the analysis results. Moreover, to confirm this performance characteristic in an actual setup, an in-lab experiment using a fading emulator was conducted. The experimental results confirm the theoretical end-to-end PER performance of this system.

Cooperative relaying (CR) is a promising technique to provide spatial diversity by combining multiple signals from source and relay stations. In the present paper, the impact and use of the asymmetric property in bi-directional CR under asymmetric traffic conditions are discussed assuming that CR involves one communication pair and one relay station in a time division duplex (TDD) system. The asymmetric property means that the average communication quality differs for each transmission direction because of the difference in signal power between the combined signals for each direction. First, numerical results show the asymmetric property of bi-directional CR. Next, in order to evaluate the impact of the asymmetric property, the optimal relay position and resource allocation are compared to those in simple multi-hop relaying, which does not have the asymmetric property. Numerical results show that, in order to maximize the overall quality of bi-directional communication, the optimal relay position in CR depends on the offered traffic ratio, which is defined as the traffic ratio of each transmission direction, while the offered traffic ratio does not affect the optimal relay position in multi-hop relaying. Finally, the asymmetric property is used to enhance the overall quality. Specifically, a high overall quality can be achieved by, for example, opportunistically switching to the transmission direction with higher quality. Under asymmetric traffic conditions, weighted proportionally fair scheduling (WPFS), which is proposed in the context of downlink scheduling in a cellular network, is applied to transmission direction switching. Numerical results reveal that WPFS provides a high overall quality and that the quality ratio is similar to the offered traffic ratio.