In this paper, we present new stability conditions for a class of large-scale hybrid dynamical systems composed of a number of interconnected hybrid subsystems. The stability conditions are given in terms of discontinuous Lyapunov functions of the stable hybrid subsystems. Furthermore, the stability conditions are represented by LMIs (Linear Matrix Inequalities) which are computationally tractable.

Caching of frequently accessed data has been shown to be a useful technique for reducing congestion on the narrow bandwidth of wireless channels. However, traditional client/server strategies for supporting transactional cache consistency, which require extensive communications between a client and a server, are not appropriate in a wireless mobile database. This paper proposes two, simple but effective, transactional cache consistency protocols for mobile read-only transactions by utilizing the broadcast-based solutions for the problem of invalidating caches. The novelty of our approach is that the consistency check on accessed data and the commitment protocol are implemented in a truly distributed fashion as an integral part of cache invalidation process. The applicability of proposed techniques is also examined by an analytical study.

We describe a method of compensating temperature fluctuation by a linear-time-warping processing in a sound reproduction system. This technique is applied to impulse responses of room transfer functions, to achieve a high-quality sound reproduction system, particularly one that treats high-frequency components. First, the impulse responses are measured before and after temperature fluctuation, and the former are converted to the latter by the proposed process. Next, we design inverse filters for the system, and evaluate the improvement of the reproduction accuracy and spectrum distortion. By the compensation method, we can improve the reproduction accuracy at any frequency. Moreover, we propose an adaptive algorithm for the estimation of a suitable warping ratio, using the observed signal of reproduced sound obtained at only one control point. Using the proposed algorithm, we can improve the reproduction accuracy at each control point by about 14 dB, in which a difference in temperature is 1.4.

It is widely known that the family of projection filters includes the generalized inverse filter, and that the family of parametric projection filters includes parametric generalized projection filters. However, relations between the family of parametric projection filters and constrained least squares filters are not sufficiently clarified. In this paper, we consider relations between parameter estimation and image restoration by these families. As a result, we show that the restored image by the family of parametric projection filters is a maximum penalized likelihood estimator, and that it agrees with the restored image by constrained least squares filter under some suitable conditions.

A novel common emitter common collector transistor pair (CECCTP) mixer is presented. A LO pumped CECCTP enables even harmonic mixing operation, and a balanced CECCTP mixer configuration enables the suppression of both 2fLO and fIM2 which are undesirable component for direct conversion mixer. A 2 GHz-band balanced CECCTP mixer is fabricated in SiGe HBT process, and the direct conversion characteristics are measured. It performs conversion gain of 8.8 dB, NF of 14.9 dB and IIP2 of 42.3 dBm when LO power is -6 dBm, supplied voltage is 3 V and current is 5 mA.

In this paper, we propose a new coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex (COFDM)-based ubiquitous antenna system, which is composed of multiple radio base stations (RBSs) deployed over the service area and Radio-on-Fiber (RoF) link that connects RBSs to the central control station (CCS). The proposed system is capable of receiving multiple mobile terminals simultaneously operating at the same frequency by making effective use of joint detection. However, the propagation delay due to the RoF link could be a major problem for realizing the ubiquitous antenna system. In order to overcome this delay problem, we assume that the guard interval of COFDM is longer than the delay difference. Furthermore, in order to improve BER performance in a multipath Rayleigh fading channel, we also propose the MSE normalization scheme followed by the use of an MMSE-based joint detector. Computer simulation results show that the proposed system can improve the frequency utilization efficiency of the broadband wireless access system.

Detection loss due to phase error in a carrier tracking loop is analyzed and simulated for a code division multiple access system with BPSK and QPSK modulations in a Rayleigh fading channel. For a specific BER, the detection loss due to phase error is defined as an increase of required SNR to maintain the same BER without phase error. A nonlinear Fokker-Planck method is employed to analyze first-order PLL (phase locked loop) performance. From the simulation results, it is confirmed that the phase noise induces significant detection loss, which eventually leads to degradation of the BER performance.

A method is described for improving cooperation in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems that uses multi-agent (MA) intelligent field terminals (IFTs). The MA function of each IFT evaluates the control conditions of the overall system and the conditions of the other IFTs. To shorten the turn-around time for data transfer among IFTs, the conflicts that occur when the data processed by different IFTs is inconsistent or irregular are cooperatively and autonomously resolved by predictive agents incorporated into each IFT. Experimental results showed that this method not only provides adequate control but also reduces the load on the network and the turn-around time when the number of IFTs is less than 30.

Common-mode (CM) radiation from a cable attached to a conducting enclosure has a typical dipole-type antenna structure, in which an equivalent noise voltage source located at the connector excites the attached cable against the enclosure to produce radiated emissions. Based on this mechanism, a simple method for predicting the CM radiation from the cable/enclosure structure was proposed. The method combines an equivalent dipole approximation with sinusoidal current distribution and CM current measurement at a specified location on the cable. Its validity was examined in comparison with the far-field measurement and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling. The predicted resonance frequencies and CM radiation levels were validated with engineering accuracy, i.e., within 30 MHz and 6 dB, respectively, from the measured and FDTD-modeled results in the frequencies above 150 MHz.

A study on improving the performance of the real-coded genetic algorithm for electromagnetic inverse scattering of two-dimensional perfectly conducting cylinders is presented. Three schemes, namely, the penalty function approach, the closed cubic B-splines local shape function approach and the adaptive hybrid algorithm approach are proposed to deal with the problem. These schemes can be used separately or be combined to improve the performance. Numerical examples validate the schemes.

In this paper, we propose topic extraction models based on statistical relevance scores between topic words and words in articles, and report results obtained in topic extraction experiments using continuous speech recognition for Japanese broadcast news utterances. We attempt to represent a topic of news speech using a combination of multiple topic words, which are important words in the news article or words relevant to the news. We assume a topic of news is represented by a combination of words. We statistically model mapping from words in an article to topic words. Using the mapping, the topic extraction model can extract topic words even if they do not appear in the article. We train a topic extraction model capable of computing the degree of relevance between a topic word and a word in an article by using newspaper text covering a five-year period. The degree of relevance between those words is calculated based on measures such as mutual information or the χ2-method. In experiments extracting five topic words using a χ2-based model, we achieve 72% precision and 12% recall for speech recognition results. Speech recognition results generally include a number of recognition errors, which degrades topic extraction performance. To avoid this, we employ N-best candidates and likelihood given by acoustic and language models. In experiments, we find that extracting five topic words using N-best candidate and likelihood values achieves significantly improved precision.

An L-band low quiescent current and low distortion SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) driver amplifier having a self base bias control circuit is described. Since the size of this bias circuit is small and it does not need an external control circuit, it is easy to be integrated with the driver amplifier on a single chip. According to the output power level, the self base bias control circuit, which is the combination of a constant base voltage circuit and p-metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) FET current mirror with a constant current source, automatically controls the base voltage, and allows low quiescent current at low output power level and low distortion at high output power level. The simulated results show that the driver amplifier having the self base bias control circuit achieves 1 dB power compression point (P1 dB) improvement of 2.4 dB compared with the driver amplifier having a conventional constant base voltage under the same quiescent current condition. The fabricated driver amplifier with the proposed bias circuit shows high P1 dB of 15.0 dBm with low quiescent current of 15.3 mA.

This paper attempts to establish a theory for a general auto-associative memory model. We start by defining a new concept called supporting function to replace the concept of energy function. As known, the energy function relies on the assumption of symmetric interconnection weights, which is used in the conventional Hopfield auto-associative memory, but not evidenced in any biological memories. We then formulate the information retrieving process as a dynamic system by making use of the supporting function and derive the attraction or asymptotic stability condition and the condition for convergence of an arbitrary state to a desired state. The latter represents a key condition for associative memory to have a capability of learning from variant samples. Finally, we develop an algorithm to learn the asymptotic stability condition and an algorithm to train the system to recover desired states from their variant samples. The latter called sample learning algorithm is the first of its kind ever been discovered for associative memories. Both recalling and learning processes are of finite convergence, a must-have feature for associative memories by analogy to normal human memory. The effectiveness of the recalling and learning algorithms is experimentally demonstrated.

Reactive near field reflection characteristics of commercial RF absorbers are investigated to determine the minimum size of a reactive-field anechoic box necessary for measuring the reactive near field of an ESPAR antenna. The reflectivity of the absorber placed in close proximity to an antenna is inversely proportional to the distance between the antenna and the absorber. For carbon filled urethane foam tapered absorbers, we find that the backscattered reflection characteristics mainly depend on their tapered height rather than the thickness of absorber base. As a result, we show that carbon filled urethane foam pyramidal and wave surface shaped absorbers can be used to make reactive-field anechoic boxes. A prototype of a reactive-field anechoic box is presented and the distance from the absorber to the antenna is reduced to a wavelength. The prototype is verified by comparing its performance with that obtained from a large anechoic chamber.

In a wireless home network, shadowing is frequently caused by human bodies or furniture. Therefore, relay transmission function is considered for the hub station in Wireless Homelink when the direct communication of terminals is obstructed. However, in relaying high rate isochronous data such as video streams, the bandwidth resource of Wireless Homelink may be crammed with those data. In this paper, we propose an efficient relay scheme--"Pipeline Repeater" for Wireless Homelink. The proposed scheme spatially multiplexes the relay transfer of the isochronous data using antenna directivity. The Pipeline Repeater can relay the isochronous packets as an efficient use of the limited frequency band, and it can be achieved to repeat the high rate data with delay of only one frame. To verify the proposed scheme, we conduct measurements in some actual home environments, and perform the numerical analyses and computer simulations based on the measurements. Our results confirm the efficiency of the Pipeline Repeater scheme.

To estimate inner multi-layer tissue conductivity distribution in a cross section of the local tissue by using bioresistance data measured noninvasively on the surface of the tissue, a measurement method using divided electrodes is proposed, where a current electrode is divided into several parts. The method is evaluated by computer simulations using a three-dimension (3D) model and two two-dimension (2D) models. In this paper, conductivity distributions of the simplified (2D) model are analyzed based on a combination of a finite difference method (FDM) and a steepest descent method (SDM). Simulation results show that conductivity values for skin, fat and muscle layers can be estimated with an error less than 0.1%. Even though different strength random noise is added to measured resistance values, the conductivities are estimated with reasonable precise, e.g., the average error is about 4.25% for 10% noise. The configuration of the divided electrodes are examined in terms of dividing pattern and the size of surrounding guard electrodes to confine and control the input currents from the divided electrodes within a cross sectional area in the tissue.

This paper presents a child verb learning model mainly based on syntactic bootstrapping. The model automatically learns 4-5-year-old children's linguistic knowledge of verbs, including subcategorization frames and thematic roles, using a text in dialogue format. Subcategorization frame acquisition of verbs is guided by the assumption of the existence of nine verb prototypes. These verb prototypes are extracted based on syntactic bootstrapping and some psycholinguistic studies. Thematic roles are assigned by syntactic bootstrapping and other psycholinguistic hypotheses. The experiments are performed on the data from the CHILDES database. The results show that the learning model successfully acquires linguistic knowledge of verbs and also suggest that psycholinguistic studies of child verb learning may provide important hints for linguistic knowledge acquisition in natural language processing (NLP).

Photoirradiation effects on the polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs) with a semitransparent-Al cathode have been studied. A light-emitting polymers, a poly (p-phenylene vinylene) derivative MDOPPV has been used in this study. Upon photoirradiation, the emission intensity at a constant voltage was rapidly decreased. However, the quantum efficiency of electroluminescence remained constant, indicating the spatial separation between recombination zone and photooxidized defects. On the other hand, the quantum efficiency of photoluminescence rapidly dropped upon similar photoirradation. These can be understood by taking the difference in the spatial distribution and the origin of excitons between electro- and photo-luminescence processes. It was also found that the photooxidation rate of the polymer film whose thickness is ca. 100 nm does not have thickness dependence, suggesting that the photooxidation of the polymer proceeds uniformly throughout the device.

The current paper proposes a new method for reducing the computational overhead of fine-to-coarse multi-resolution motion estimation (MRME) on the finest resolution level based on limiting the search region used to consider the motion vectors from the coarsest resolution subband. Half-pel accuracy motion estimation (HPAME) is used in the baseband to achieve an exact motion vector, which has a significant influence on the reconstructed image. However, since this method involves a high computational overhead, the use of selective interpolation is suggested to reduce the computational overhead. The proposed method uses HPAME to estimate exact motion vectors in the baseband, then based on the characteristics of these motion vectors, the motion vectors in the higher frequency subbands are selectively estimated. That is, motion vectors in the higher frequency subbands are only estimated for those blocks with half-pixel accuracy motion vectors in the baseband. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can produce better image quality results than the conventional algorithms.

It have been one open and significant topic for real-time applications to enhance the processing-speed of Boltzmann machines for long time. One effective way of solution of this problem is the augmentation of probability of neurons' state move. In this paper, a novel method, called a rejectionless method, was proposed and introduced into the Boltzmann machines for this augmentation. This method has a feature of independence on the ratio of neurons' state move. The efficiency of this method for speed-up was confirmed with the experiments of TSP and graph problem.