Recently, torque-transmission one-way tip articulated fiberscopes with a working channel have been developed. With this type of scopes, force is transmitted from the operator's hands to the tip of the fiberscope to obtain an adequate field of view. Micro actuators are expected to increasingly replace the operator's hands. Shape memory alloy (SMA) coil spring actuators are well suited to this purpose because of their large displacement compared with conventional actuators. In the fabrication of SMA coil springs, we examined fabrication conditions such as the tension and pitch of the SMA wire. As a result, we have successfully fabricated coil springs with a minimum outer diameter of 76 µm. SMA wire 25 µm in diameter and stainless steel wire 30 µm in diameter were used. As an application using SMA actuators, an active fiberscope (using an image guide fiber with 4200 pixels and light guide fibers) 2 mm in outer diameter with SMA actuators was designed and fabricated. We investigated the mechanical properties of the bending part in designing the SMA actuators. The specifications of the SMA coil springs are determined by the displacement and the force required of the pull wire. The relationship between the displacement of the pull wire and the number of windings of the SMA coil spring was calculated. The effective number of windings of SMA coil spring was found to be seventeen when using wire of 0.3 mm in diameter. The tip of the fiberscope was bent approximately 60 degrees and returned to the straight position when a current was applied to each of the SMA coil springs. A clear picture of the fiberscope which followed the tip bending operation could be received on the monitor. This SMA actuator can be easily extended for bending in many directions by configuring several of these mechanisms.

This paper presents an analog 2-dimensional discrete cosine transform (2-D DCT) processor for focal-plane image compression. The on-chip analog 2-D DCT processor can process directly the analog signal of the CMOS image sensor. The analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) is preformed after the 2-D DCT, and this leads to efficient AD conversion of video signals. Most of the 2-D DCT coefficients can be digitized by a relatively low-resolution ADC or a zero detector. The quantization process after the 2-D DCT can be realized by the ADC at the same time. The 88-point analog 2-D DCT processor is designed by switched-capacitor (SC) coefficient multipliers and an SC analog memory based on 0.35µm CMOS technology. The 2-D DCT processor has sufficient precision, high processing speed, low power dissipation, and small silicon area. The resulting smart image sensor chips with data compression and digital transmission functions are useful for the high-speed image acquisition devices and portable digital video camera systems.

In the information engineering learning environment, there may be more than one solution to any given problem. We have developed CAMELOT using the Nominal Group Technique for group problem solving. This paper describes the collaborative learning system on the Internet using discussion model, the effectiveness of collaborative learning in modeling the entity-relationship diagram within the field of information engineering, and how to apply AI technologies such as rule-based reasoning and case-based reasoning to the pedagogical strategy. By using CAMELOT, each learner learns how to analyze through case studies and how to collaborate with his or her group in problem solving. As a result. We have found evidence for the effectiveness of collaborative learning, such as getting a deeper understanding by using CAMELOT than by individual learning, because they can reach better solutions through discussion, tips from other learners, examination of one another's individual solutions, and understanding alternative solutions using case-based reasoning.

A sequence of nonnegative integers s=(S1, s2, , sn) is a score sequence of an r-tournament if, for some positive integer r, ther is a directed graph with vertices v1, v2, , vn such that deg+(vj)=sj and deg-(vj)=r(n-1) -sj for each j=1, 2, , n. The score sequence problem of an r-tournament is: Given some positive integer r and a sequence of nonnegative integers, determine whether it is a score sequence of an r-tournament or not. In this paper, we consider several variations of the score sequence problem of an r-tournament, and give efficient algorithms.

A new GSM data protocol called high speed circuit switched data (HSCSD) have been developed by European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for high speed file transfer and mobile video applications. HSCSD increases data rate by using multiple TDMA time slots (up to 8) instead of one time slot in the current GSM implementation. The problem of multiple time slot assignment is that blocking rate of the system will increase. This problem can be solved by flexible resource assignment where the service specifies the maximum and the minimum capacity. Based on the current available capacity of a base station, a user will be assigned any rate between the maximum and the minimum capacities. This article describes HSCSD protocol and presents four radio resource allocation strategies for HSCSD: always allocates maximum, always allocates minimum, allocates maximum unless available resources are not enough, and allocates resources according to the current blocking statistics of the base station. A simulation model is proposed to investigate the performance of these algorithms. The blocking probability, the call completion probability, and the quality of service are used to evaluate the effects of algorithms in different system behaviors.

In this paper, we analyze the multiple access interference of a variable processing gain DS/CDMA system and define discrete partial crosscorrelation functions. We also evaluate the bit error rate of the system using Gaussian approximation and bounding technique. Three kinds of spreading codes (long, short, and random codes) are considered in the analysis of the system. It is shown that the bit error rate of a user is not relevant to the processing gain of interfering users: it is relevant only to the processing gain of the user, transmitted powers, PN sequences, and spreading codes. The performance of short codes turns out to be better than that of long and random codes as in other systems.

In this paper, two new signature schemes whose security is based on both discrete logarithms and factorization are proposed to enhance the security of the OSS signature scheme. The major benefit of these new signature schemes is that the signer dose not need to know how to factor p-1, thus it is possible for every user to employ the same modulus p, where p is the modulus commonly used in the system. Furthermore, two identification schemes based on this advantage are also developed in this paper.

When N oscillators are coupled by one resistor, we can see N-phase oscillation, because the system tends to minimize the current through the coupling resistor. Moreover, when the hard oscillators are coupled, we can see N, N - 1, , 3, 2-phase oscillation and get much more phase states. In this study, the two types of coupled oscillators networks with third and fifth-power nonlinear characteristics are proposed. One network has two-dimensional hexagonal structure and the other has two-dimensional lattice structure. In the hexagonal circuit, adjacent three oscillators are coupled by one coupling resistor. On the other hand, in the lattice circuit, four oscillators are coupled by one coupling resistor. In this paper we confirm the phenomena seen in the proposed networks by circuit experiments and numerical calculations. In the system with third-power nonlinear characteristics, we can see the phase patterns based on 3-phase oscillation in the hexagonal circuit, and based on anti-phase oscillation in lattice circuit. In the system with fifth-power nonlinear characteristics, we can see the phase patterns based on 3-phase and anti-phase oscillation in both hexagonal and lattice circuits. In particular, in these networks, we can see not only the synchronization based on 3-phase and anti-phase oscillation but the synchronization which is not based on 3-phase and anti-phase oscillation.

The status of the plastic optical fiber (POF) for high-speed data communication is described. Very recently, the low-loss and high-bandwidth perfluorinated GI POF which has no serious absorption loss from visible to 1.3-µm wavelength was successfully prepared at Keio University. Since the core diameter (300-1000 µm) of the GI POF is much larger than that of the multimode silica fiber (62.5 µm), the serious modal noise in the conventional multimode silica fiber was virtually eliminated, resulting in stable giga bit order data transmission with inexpensive couplers and connectors.

To realize a low-cost WDM transceiver module based on a PLC-platform, simple, assembly techniques have been successfully developed. The formation of index marks with an accuracy of below 0.1 µm has made it possible to mount Opto-electronic devices on the silicon terrace of the PLC-platform by a passive alignment. A newly developed trench formation technique for inserting a 1.3/1.5 µm WDM dielectric filter enabled us not only to ensure a stable WDM function but also to prevent excess loss associated with the dielectric filter scheme. It is found that these two technologies are practically useful to achieve high-performance WDM transceiver module.

In-line transceiver chip emitting at 1.3 µm and receiving at 1.55 µm is described regarding the crosstalk occurring between the 1.3-µm laser and the 1.55-µm integrated photodiode. Contribution of optical and electrical crosstalk to the overall crosstalk is measured and discussed. Techniques to overcome the crosstalk are proposed and demonstrated by showing the feasibility of system compatible diplex sensitivities.

A simple extension to treat evanescent modal excitation at the aperture of a parallel plane waveguide is shown here by GTD diffracted rays with complex propagation angles. Numerical comparison with other solution confirmed that our simple solution can be used for modal excitation estimation below the cut-off frequency.

In this letter, a theoretical estimation of pick-up characteristics of the fiber probe of Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscopy based on the Wiener-Hopf technique taken account of the weakly guiding approximation are reported. As a result, it is found that diffracted waves by the extremity of the fiber probe mainly act on the mode excitation rather than transmitted waves, then the pick-up characteristics are well accordance with typical experiments quality and quantity.

The fault tolerant computer (FTC) is applied as a communication or database server in the information service and computer aided process control fields. User requires of the FTC are to provide the current level of performance and software transparency needing no additional dedicated program for fault tolerance. To meet these requirements, we propose quadprocessor redundancy (QPR) architecture that combines dualRISC based duplicated CPUs integrating main memories, and duplicated I/O subsystems by using some additional hardware. Duplicated CPUs run under the instruction level synchronization (lock step operation) , and the duplicated I/O subsystems are managed by an operating system. When a fault is detected, the faulty CPU is isolated by hardware. User program is continuously executed by the remaining CPU. We applied the QPR to our UNIX servers, and achieved satisfactory levels of performance.

In this paper, we propose a practical and secure electronic voting scheme which meets the requirements of large scale general elections. This scheme involves voters, the administrator or so called the government and some scrutineers. In our scheme, a voter only has to communicate with the administrator three times and it ensures independence among voters without the need of any global computation. This scheme uses the threshold cryptosystem to guarantee the fairness among the candidate's campaign and to provide mechanism for achieving the function that any voter can make an open objection to the tally if his vote has not been published. This scheme preserves the privacy of a voter against the administrator, scrutineers, and other voters. Completeness, robustness, and verifiability of the voting process are ensured and hence no one can produce a false tally, corrupt or disrupt the election.

In this paper we discuss the limiting behavior of the search direction of the steepest descent method in minimizing the Rayleigh quotient. This minimization problem is equivalent to finding the smallest eigenvalue of a matrix. It is shown that the search direction asymptotically alternates between two directions represented by linear combinations of two eigenvectors of the matrix. This is similar to the phenomenon in minimizing the quadratic form. We also show that these eigenvectors correspond to the largest and second-smallest eigenvalues, unlike in the case of the quadratic form.

This paper is concened with the design and implementation of a 2-channel, 2-dimensional filter bank using rectangular (analog/digital) and quincunx (digital/digital) sampling. The associated analog low-pass filters are separable where as the digital low-pass filters are non-separable for a minimum sampling density requirement. The digital low-pass filters are Butterworth type filters, N = 9, realized as LWDFs. They, when itterated, approximate a valid scaling function (raised-consine scaling function). The obtained system can be used to compute a discrete wavelet transform.

In this paper, new wavelet bases are presented. We address problems associated with the proposed matched filter in multirate systems, using an optimum receiver that maximises the SNR at the sampling instant. To satisfy the Nyquist (ISI-free transmission) and matched filter (maximum SNR at the sampling instant) criteria, the overall system filtering strategy requires to split the narrowest filter equally between transmitter and receiver. In data transmission systems a raised-cosine filter is therefore often used to bandlimit signals from which wavelet bases are derived. Sampling in multiresolution subspaces is also discussed.

This paper proposes a new AFC (automatic frequency control) circuit employing a double-product type frequency discriminator to enable fast acquisition in very-low CNR (carrier to noise power ratio) environments. The frequency step responses of the proposed AFC circuit are theoretically analyzed. In addition this paper evaluates the performance of the proposed AFC circuit by computer simulation in very-low CNR environments. The simulation results confirm that click noise at the frequency discriminator causes large frequency tracking error and that this error can be improved by increasing the delay time of the double-product type frequency discriminator. The frequency error can be also reduced by introducing the proposed frequency discriminator to modify the frequency error detection performance. The acquisition time of the proposed AFC circuit can be reduced by about 100 symbols compared to the conventional cross-product type AFC circuit.

This paper analyzed the connection points of Main Distribution Frames (MDF), which are installed between outside plants and inside plants (service nodes). This paper also proposes a connecting system for forthcoming FITL (Fiber In The Loop) networks. NTT has developed the Subscriber Line Cross-Connecting Module (LXM) for the FITL network and will continue to introduce LXMs and deploy optic subscriber networks in big cities throughout Japan.