We consider a problem of global asymptotic stabilization of a class of feedforward nonlinear systems that have the unknown linear growth rate and unknown input delay. The proposed output feedback controller employs a dynamic gain which is tuned adaptively by monitoring the output value. As a result, a priori knowledge on the linear growth rate and delay size are not required in controller design, which is a clear benefit over the existing results.

This paper proposes a framework for modular verification of evolving component-based software. This framework includes two stages: modular conformance testing for updating inaccurate models of the evolved components and modular verification for evolving component-based software. When a component is evolved after adapting some refinements, the proposed framework focuses on this component and its model in order to update the model and recheck the whole evolved system. The framework also reuses the previous verification results and the previous models of the evolved components to reduce the number of steps required in the model update and modular verification processes. An implementation and some experimental results are presented.

While the problem of multicast routing and wavelength assignment (MC-RWA) in optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks has been investigated, relatively few researchers have considered network survivability for multicasting. This paper provides an optimization framework to solve the MC-RWA problem in a multi-fiber WDM network that can recover from a single-link failure with shared protection. Using the light-tree (LT) concept to support multicast sessions, we consider two protection strategies that try to reduce service disruptions after a link failure. The first strategy, called light-tree reconfiguration (LTR) protection, computes a new multicast LT for each session affected by the failure. The second strategy, called optical branch reconfiguration (OBR) protection, tries to restore a logical connection between two adjacent multicast members disconnected by the failure. To solve the MC-RWA problem optimally, we propose an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation that minimizes the total number of fibers required for both working and backup traffic. The ILP formulation takes into account joint routing of working and backup traffic, the wavelength continuity constraint, and the limited splitting degree of multicast-capable optical cross-connects (MC-OXCs). After showing some numerical results for optimal solutions, we propose heuristic algorithms that reduce the computational complexity and make the problem solvable for large networks. Numerical results suggest that the proposed heuristic yields efficient solutions compared to optimal solutions obtained from exact optimization.

With the increase of communication demand and the emergence of new services, various innovative wireless technologies have been deployed recently. Free Space Optics (FSO) links combined with Radio over Fiber (RoF) technology can realize a cost-effective heterogeneous wireless access system for both urban and rural areas. In this paper, we introduce a newly developed advanced DWDM Radio-on-FSO (RoFSO) system capable of simultaneously transmitting multiple Radio Frequency (RF) signals carrying various wireless services including W-CDMA, WLAN IEEE802.11g and ISDB-T signals over FSO link. We present an experimental performance evaluation of transmitting RF signals using the RoFSO system over a 1 km link under different deployment environment conditions. This work represents a pioneering attempt, based on a realistic operational scenario, aiming at demonstrating the RoFSO system can be conveniently used as a reliable alternative broadband wireless technology for complementing optical fiber networks in areas where the deployment of optical fiber is not feasible.

This research proposes efficient calculation methods for the transition matrices in discrete event systems, where the adjacency matrices are represented by directed acyclic graphs. The essence of the research focuses on obtaining the Kleene Star of an adjacency matrix. Previous studies have proposed methods for calculating the longest paths focusing on destination nodes. However, in these methods the chosen algorithm depends on whether the adjacency matrix is sparse or dense. In contrast, this research calculates the longest paths focusing on source nodes. The proposed methods are more efficient than the previous ones, and are attractive in that the efficiency is not affected by the density of the adjacency matrix.

This paper presents a reconfigurable SAD Tree (RSADT) architecture based on adaptive sub-sampling algorithm for HDTV application. Firstly, to obtain the the feature of HDTV picture, pixel difference analysis is applied on each macroblock (MB). Three hardware friendly sub-sampling patterns are selected adaptively to release complexity of homogeneous MB and keep video quality for texture MB. Secondly, since two pipeline stages are inserted, the whole clock speed of RSADT structure is enhanced. Thirdly, to solve data reuse and hardware utilization problem of adaptive algorithm, the RSADT structure adopts pixel data organization in both memory and architecture level, which leads to full data reuse and hardware utilization. Additionally, a cross reuse structure is proposed to efficiently generate 16 pixel scaled configurable SAD (sum of absolute difference). Experimental results show that, our RSADT architecture can averagely save 61.71% processing cycles for integer motion estimation engine and accomplish twice or four times processing capability for homogeneous MBs. The maximum clock frequency of our design is 208 MHz under TSMC 0.18 µm technology in worst work conditions(1.62 V, 125C). Furthermore, the proposed algorithm and reconfigurable structure are favorable to power aware real-time encoding system.

A Generalized Symbol-rate-increased (GSRI) Pragmatic Adaptive Trellis Coded Modulation (ATCM) is applied to a Multi-carrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) system with bi-orthogonal keying is analyzed. The MC-CDMA considered in this paper is that the input sequence of a bi-orthogonal modulator has code selection bit sequence and sign bit sequence. In, an efficient error correction code using Reed-Solomon (RS) code for the code selection bit sequence has been proposed. However, since BPSK is employed for the sign bit modulation, no error correction code is applied to it. In order to realize a high speed wireless system, a multi-level modulation scheme (e.g. MPSK, MQAM, etc.) is desired. In this paper, we investigate the performance of the MC-CDMA with bi-orthogonal keying employing GSRI ATCM. GSRI TC-MPSK can arbitrarily set the bandwidth expansion ratio keeping higher coding gain than the conventional pragmatic TCM scheme. By changing the modulation scheme and the bandwidth expansion ratio (coding rate), this scheme can optimize the performance according to the channel conditions. The performance evaluations by simulations on an AWGN channel and multi-path fading channels are presented. It is shown that the proposed scheme has remarkable throughput performance than that of the conventional scheme.

This paper presents a new feature extraction method for robust speech recognition based on the autocorrelation mel frequency cepstral coefficients (AMFCCs) and a variable window. While the AMFCC feature extraction method uses the fixed double-dynamic-range (DDR) Hamming window for higher-lag autocorrelation coefficients, which are least affected by noise, the proposed method applies a variable window, depending on the frame energy and periodicity. The performance of the proposed method is verified using an Aurora-2 task, and the results confirm a significantly improved performance under noisy conditions.

The IEEE 802.16j mobile multi-hop relay (MMR) is studied to improve throughput, extend coverage, and increase capacity. Mobile relay stations attached to vehicles make arbitrary movements and have interference with other base stations or relay stations, thus lowering service functions. This study sets out to suggest an interference detection and avoidance method and evaluates its performance in order to help introduce a mobile relay station for vehicle mounting in a mobile multi-hop relay network. The proposed approach would be implemented by the addition of MAC management messages at a base or relay station instead of the change of mobile station.

This paper quantitatively analyzes the maximum UDP (User Datagram Protocol) throughput for two-way flows in wireless string multi-hop networks. The validity of the analysis is shown by the comparison with the simulation and the experiment results. The authors also clarify the difference fundamental characteristics between a one-way flow and a two-way flow in detail based on the simulation results. The result shows that collisions at both ends' nodes are decisive in determining the throughput for two-way flows. The analyses are applicable to the estimation of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) capacity for string multi-hop networks represented by WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) mesh networks.

Based on the theoretical analysis of literature, saturation in measured signal of active noise control (ANC) systems will degrade the convergence speed. However, the experiments show that the saturated input signal can speed up the convergence of the narrow-band ANC systems. This paper intends to remodel the saturation effects for feedforward and feedback ANC systems. Combining the action of analog-to-digital converters (ADC), the mathematical expression and block diagrams are proposed to model the saturation effects in the practical ANC systems. The derivation and simulation results show that since the saturation is able to amplify the principle component of signal, the convergence would be speeded up.

To explain the variation of the address discharge during an address period, the wall voltage variation during an address period was investigated as a function of the address-on-time by using the Vt closed curves. It was observed that the wall voltage between the scan and address electrodes was decreased with an increase in the address-on-time. It was also observed that the wall voltage variation during an address period strongly depended on the voltage difference between the scan and address electrodes. Based on this result, the modified driving waveform to raise the level of Vscanw, was proposed to minimize the voltage difference between the scan and address electrodes. However, the modified driving waveform resulted in the increase in the falling time of scan pulse. Finally, the overlapped double scan waveform was proposed to reduce a falling time of scan pulse under the raised voltage level of Vscanw, also.

We propose a 2D display and camera arrangement for video communication systems that supports both spatial information between distant sites and user mobility. The implementation of this arrangement is called the "surrounding back screen method." The method enables users to freely come from and go into other users' spaces and provides every user with the direct pointing capability, since there is no apparent spatial barrier separating users, unlike the case of conventional video communication systems. In this paper, we introduce two properties ("sharedness" and "exclusiveness") and three parameters (a distance and two angles) to represent the geometrical relationship between two users. These properties and parameters are used to classify the shared spaces created by a video communication system and to investigate the surrounding back screen method. Furthermore, to demonstrate and explore our surrounding back screen method, we have developed a prototype system, called t-Room. Taking into account practical situations, we studied a practical case where two t-Rooms with different layouts are connected.

The accuracy of simulation-based assessments of speech recognition systems under noisy conditions is investigated with a focus on the influence of the Lombard effect on the speech recognition performances. This investigation was carried out under various recognition conditions of different sound pressure levels of ambient noise, for different recognition tasks, such as continuous speech recognition and spoken word recognition, and using different recognition systems, i.e., systems with and without adaptation of the acoustic models to ambient noise. Experimental results showed that accurate simulation was not always achieved when dry sources with neutral talking style were used, but it could be achieved if the dry sources that include the influence of the Lombard effect were used; the simulation in the latter case is accurate, irrespective of the recognition conditions.

Being different from other networks, the load and direction of data traffic for wireless sensor networks are rather predictable. The relationships between nodes are cooperative rather than competitive. These features allow the design approach of a protocol stack to be able to use the cross-layer interactive way instead of a hierarchical structure. The proposed cross-layer protocol CLWSN optimizes the channel allocation in the MAC layer using the information from the routing tables, reduces the conflicting set, and improves the throughput. Simulations revealed that it outperforms SMAC and MINA in terms of delay and energy consumption.

Model-Driven Engineering and Domain-Specific Modeling Languages are encouraging an increased used of metamodels for the definition of languages and tools. Although the Meta Object Facility language is the standard for metamodeling, there are alternative metamodeling languages that are aimed at satisfying specific requirements. In this context, sharing information throughout different domains and tools requires not only being able to translate models between modeling languages defined with the same metamodeling language, but also between different metamodeling languages. This paper addresses this latter need describing a general technique to define transformations that perform this translation. In this work, two case studies illustrate the application of this process.

This letter proposes a new hybrid EM wave absorber with the crossed-wedge shape, which can be applied to 3 m semi anechoic chambers. In this study, we designed a new hybrid EM wave absorber with the crossed-wedge shape, which consisted of the inorganic and organic thin corrugated dielectric lossy sheet containing organic conductive fibers. Then the 3 m semi anechoic chamber is constructed in the size of 9.0 m6.0 m5.7 m (LWH) using these absorbers, and also the normalized site attenuation (NSA) is measured according to ANSI C63.4 in the frequency range of 30 MHz to 1 GHz. As a result, the measured NSA is obtained within 3 dB of the theoretical one.

Compared with traditional static anonymous communication networks, the P2P architecture can provide higher anonymity in communication. However, the P2P architecture also leads to more challenges, such as route, stability, trust and so on. In this paper, we present WindTalker, a P2P-based low-latency anonymous communication network. It is a pure decentralized mix network and can provide low-latency services which help users hide their real identity in communication. In order to ensure stability and reliability, WindTalker imports "seed nodes" to help a peer join in the P2P network and the peer nodes can use gossip-based protocol to exchange active information. Moreover, WindTalker uses layer encryption to ensure the information of relayed messages cannot be leaked. In addition, malicious nodes in the network are the major threat to anonymity of P2P anonymous communication, so WindTalker imports a trust mechanism which can help the P2P network exclude malicious nodes and optimize the strategy of peer discovery, tunnel construction, and relaying etc. in anonymous communications. We deploy peer nodes of WindTalker in our campus network to test reliability and analyze anonymity in theory. The network measurement and simulation analysis shows that WindTalker can provide low-latency and reliable anonymous communication services.

User Generated Content (UGC) VoD services such as YouTube are becoming more and more popular, and their maintenance costs are growing as well. Many P2P solutions have been proposed to reduce server load in such systems, but almost all of them focus on the single-video approach, which only has limited effect on the systems serving short videos such as UGC. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of an alternative approach, the multi-video approach, and we use a very simple method called collaborative caching to show that methods using the multi-video approach are generally more suitable for current UGC VoD systems. We also study the influence of the major design factors through simulations and provide guidelines for efficiently building systems with this method.

In this paper, an error correction scheme suitable for MC-DS-CDMA system with bi-orthogonal modulation is proposed. The input sequence of a bi-orthogonal modulator consists of n - 1 bit code selection bit sequence and 1 bit sign bit sequence. In order to apply an efficient error correction code, the following points should be considered; (1) if the code selection bits can be protected sufficiently, the sign bit error can also be reduced sufficiently, (2) since a code selection bit sequence consists of n - 1 bits, employing a symbol error correcting code is more effective for encoding code selection bits, (3) the complexity of the error correction encoder and decoder implementations should be minimum. Based on these conditions, we propose to employ Reed-Solomon (RS) code for encoding the code selection bits and no error correction code for the sign bit. Additionally, detection algorithm at the bi-orthogonal demodulator is modified for compensating degradations of the sign bit error rate performance. The performance in an Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel is evaluated by both theoretical analysis and computer simulations. The performance evaluations by simulations on multi-path fading channels are also shown. It is shown that the proposed scheme has remarkable improvement.