Providing workflow function is one of the most important research issues in the next generation Internet services such as Web Service and Grid Computing. Scalability for Internet scale services, reliability for unstable Internet resources, and management functions of workflow systems are the essential requirements in these environments. However, existing workflow enactment models for enterprises could not meet these requirements. This paper proposes the PeerFlow that is a P2P based workflow enactment model, to provide workflow functions for the next generation Internet services. To apply P2P model to the workflow enactment model, we introduce the concept of the instance buddy and the index data of workflow instances, then propose the principle architecture of the PeerFlow. The instance buddy enables the autonomous processing of peers, and it is used for recovery and monitoring functions. This paper also presents the recovery capabilities of PeerFlow with formal proofs for the reliability issues and a performance evaluation with SimPy, the Python simulation package.

This letter proposes an output driver which reduces simultaneous switching noise without degradation of rise/fall time. At the start of transition period, the driver optimally uses both VDD and VSS current by switching of on-chip bypass capacitors. The proposed driver achieves 27-percent reduction in peak current with faster transition time.

Evaluation of cyclic transitions in the discrete-time neural networks with antisymmetric and circular interconnection weights has been derived in an asymptotic mathematical form. The type and the number of limit cycles generated by circular networks, in which each neuron is connected only to its nearest neurons, have been investigated through analytical method. The results show that the estimated numbers of state vectors generating n- or 2n-periodic limit cycles are an exponential function of (1.6)n for a large number of neuron, n. The sufficient conditions for state vectors to generate limit cycles of period n or 2n are also given.

In this study, an improved heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) active mixer is designed and fabricated. The HBT MMIC active mixer that is integrated with a low-noise amplifier (LNA) and active power adder can not only achieve high isolation, but can also dispense with one active component and reduce power consumption at the same time. Measurement results show that the conversion gain, LO-RF isolation, and double sideband noise figure (DSB-NF) of the proposed mixer are 22 dB, 40 dB, and 7 dB, respectively.

There have been many researches on indexing and querying XML data. One of the important themes is how to efficiently process XML query represented by path expression. The most straightforward approach to process these queries is to traverse the hierarchy of XML document by top-down or bottom-up manner. However it may be fairly inefficient because the overhead of traversing the XML data can be high. In addition, most of the proposed indexing and retrieval schemes assume static environment where there are no updates on the parts of XML data. In this paper we propose a novel indexing and query processing scheme that can process both XML query represented by path expression efficiently and dynamic updates on XML data promptly. Experimental results show that our proposed scheme achieves better performance than that of the previous ones.

In this paper, we consider QoS-guaranteed wavelength allocation for WDM networks with limited-range wavelength conversion. In the wavelength allocation, the pre-determined number of wavelengths are allocated to each QoS class depending on the required loss probability. Moreover, we consider two wavelength selection rules and three combinations of the rules. We analyze the connection loss probability of each QoS class for a single link using continuous-time Markov chain. We also investigate the connection loss probability for a uni-directional ring network by simulation. In numerical examples, we compare connection loss probabilities for three combinations of selection rules and show how each combination of selection rules affects the connection loss probability of each QoS class. Furthermore, we show how wavelength conversion capability affects the connection loss probability. It is shown that the proposed allocation with appropriate wavelength selection rule is effective for QoS provisioning when the number of wavelengths is large. We also show the effective combination of wavelength selection rules for the case with small wavelength conversion capability.

DNA Sequence Design Problem is a crucial problem in information-based biotechnology such as DNA computing. In this paper, we introduce a powerful design strategy for DNA sequences by refining Random Generator. Random Generator is one of the design strategies and offers great advantages, but it is not a good algorithm for generating a large set of DNA sequences. We propose a Two-Step Search algorithm, then show that TSS can generate a larger set of DNA sequences than Random Generator by computer simulation.

Sequential estimation of arrival angles allows us to resolve closely located sources that the standard MUSIC fails to do so. A new sequential estimation method is proposed which utilizes only the signal subspace components of the steering vectors for some estimates of the arrival angles. It is theoretically shown that the asymptotic performance of the proposed method is better than that of the conventional sequential method which exploits both the signal and the noise subspace components. Simulation results show that the former outperforms the latter in correlated sources as well as in uncorrelated sources.

A new approach to optical clock distribution utilizing optical waveguide interconnect technology is introduced. In this paper, we develop a new algorithm for design and optimization of embedded optical clock distribution networks for printed wiring boards. The optimization approach takes into account bending and propagation losses of optical waveguides. Less than 26.1 psec in signal timing skew is obtained for a signal flight time of 614.38 psec. About 15% reduction in optical power consumption is also obtained over clock nets routed with existing (optical) methods.

An automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) scheme for improving the system throughput efficiency is evaluated in coded multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmissions. Supplementary trellis-coded modulation (TCM) code has been proposed for hybrid ARQ schemes. The free distance of the TCM after code combining can be increased by employing different TCM codes for retransmissions. The MIMO scheme offers additional flexibility in preventing successive frame errors by changing the connections between transmitters and transmit antennas upon retransmission. In this paper, an ARQ strategy employing both TCM reassignment and antenna permutation technique is investigated. It is shown through computer simulations that this ARQ scheme achieves high throughput even in severe conditions of low signal-to-noise ratio and high Rician factor over spatially and temporally correlated Nakagami-Rice fading MIMO channels.

This paper presents a newly developed noise post-processing (NPP) algorithm and the results of several tests demonstrating its subjective performance. This NPP algorithm is designed to improve the subjective performance of low bit-rate code excited linear prediction (CELP) decoding under background noise conditions. The NPP algorithm is based on a stationary noise generator and improves the subjective quality of noisy signal input. A backward adaptive detector defines noisy input signal frames from decoded LSF, energy, and pitch parameters. The noise generator estimates and produces stationary noise signals using past line spectral frequency (LSF) and energy parameters. The stationary noise generator has a frame erasure concealment (FEC) scheme designed for stationary noise signals and therefore improves the speech decoder's robustness for frame erasure under background noise conditions. The algorithm has been applied to the following CELP decoders: 1) a candidate algorithm of the ITU-T 4-kbit/s speech coding standard and 2) existing ITU-T standards, the G.729 and G.723.1 series. In both cases, NPP improved the subjective performance of the baseline decoders. Improvements of approximately 0.25 CMOS (CCR MOS: comparison category rating mean opinion score) and around 0.2-0.8 DMOS (DCR MOS: degradation category rating mean opinion score) were demonstrated in the results of our subjective tests when applied to the 4-kbit/s decoder and G.729/G.723.1 decoders respectively. Other test results show that NPP improves the subjective performance of a G.729 decoder by around 0.45 in DMOS under both error-free and frame-erasure conditions, and a further improvement of around 0.2 DMOS is achieved by the FEC scheme in the noise generator.

This paper presents the architecture and design of the video CODEC circuit that can compress and reconstruct 4:2:2 color VGA video images in real time. Our circuit is based on two-dimensional DWT and inter-frame compression technique. For low-power real-time operation, we modified the traditional Mallat's sub-band coding method to reduce the amount of computation and memory access required in two-dimensional DWT. We also incorporated inter-frame compression technique into our CODEC circuit to enhance the compression capability. To avoid an intensive computation required in motion detection, we encoded only the macro blocks in the current frame which are different from those in the same location of the previous frame to exploit the fact that the background image does not change much in DVR system. We fabricated the CODEC chip using 0.35 µm 3.3 V CMOS standard cell process and applied it to the 16-channel DVR security system.

We numerically and experimentally investigated the upgradability of the longest and the typical segments of the JIH system. Through these studies, we confirmed that a 100 GHz-spaced 25 42.7 Gbit/s transmission with the total capacity of 1 Tbit/s can be attainable even by using NRZ signal and standard FEC for the typical segments. We also found that RZ signal format was desirable for the longest segment and a further wide system margin could be expected by using adjacent channel polarization control and advanced FEC technologies.

We propose a new method to recover scene points from a single calibrated view using a subset of distances among the points. This paper first introduces the problem and its relationship with the perspective n point problem. Then the number of distances required to uniquely recover scene points are explored. The result is then developed into a practical vision algorithm to calculate the initial points' coordinates using distance constraints. Finally SQP (Sequential Quadratic Programming) is used to optimize the initial estimations. It can minimize a cost function defined as the sum of squared reprojection errors while keeping the specified distance constraints strictly satisfied. Both simulation data and real scene images have been used to test the proposed method, and good results have been obtained.

This paper offers an initial analysis of economic and market issues in the development and deployment of mobile remote physiological monitoring services for medical patients through wireless wearable sensors and actuators. Examining the characteristics of the service technologies and related industries, this study focuses on the structure, participants and roles of standardisation of the layers within the emerging mobile remote physiological monitoring industry. The study concludes that the structure of the emerging mobile remote physiological monitoring industry will be oriented about service provision, be integrated with other personal / patient data storage services and be heavily influenced by the interplay of technological developments, the health market structure, existing players and regulation. Additionally, the keys players are likely to be the system integrators and service providers concentrating on large institutional customers. A focus of the paper is analysing both the causes and implications of a modular, horizontally layered industry structure likely to result from the mix of technologies, suppliers and customers as this market develops. The paper discusses why, although horizontal specialisation is the most likely outcome, there is little risk of key layers becoming commoditised. The paper also discusses the appropriate types and levels of standardisation and equipment certification activities that should be encouraged, along with from which groups and industries the pressure for these will come.

Uplink synchronous transmission has been proposed to improve the uplink capacity of DS-CDMA systems by means of canceling interference from the main paths of other intra-cell users. A significant capacity gain has been reported in a single cell environment. This Letter further investigates the uplink capacity in a multiple cell environment, where two crucial factors are taken into account, namely code shortage problem and soft handover. The impacts of the target Eb/Io and the other-to-own cell interference ratio, together with the number of channelisation codes, are discussed mathematically and then, confirmed through system level simulations with more realistic parameters.

Any utterances of dialogue, spoken language or sign language, have functions that enable recipients to achieve real-time and easy understanding and to control conversation smoothly in spite of its volatile characteristics. In this paper, we present evidence of these functions obtained experimentally. Prosody plays a very important role not only in spoken language (aural language) but also in sign language (visual language) and finger braille (tactile language). Skilled users of a language may detect word boundaries in utterances and estimate sentence structure immediately using prosody. The gestures and glances of a recipient may influence the utterances of the sender, leading to amendments of the contents of utterances and smooth exchanges in turn. Individuality and emotion in utterances are also very important aspects of effective communication support systems for persons with disabilities even more so than for those non-disabled persons. The trials described herein are universal in design. Some trials carried out to develop these systems are also reported.

In this paper we give the necessary and sufficient conditions for 2-dimensional discrete-time systems described by the signum function to be stable.

An RF CMOS active inductor with a novel loss compensation circuit network is proposed. Performance of this active inductor can be improved by adding a novel network, which simultaneously reduces parallel and series losses. Consequently, this technique not only increases Q value, inductance, and operating frequency, but also reduces power consumption and circuit complexity. Simulation results show that better performance indices can be achieved, such as minimum total equivalent loss of 1 mΩ, maximum Q value about 3E5, and inductance value from 20 nH to 45 nH in the RF range of 0.6 GHz to 1.6 GHz. Power dissipation is around 1.76 mW under 2.5 V dc supply voltage.

It is generally believed that one major function of the immune system is helping to protect multicellular organisms from foreign pathogens, especially replicating pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites. The relevant events in the immune system are not only the molecules, but also their interactions. The immune cells can respond either positively or negatively to the recognition signal. A positive response would result in cell proliferation, activation and antibody secretion, while a negative response would lead to tolerance and suppression. Depending upon these immune mechanisms, an immune network model (here, we call it the binary immune network) based on the biological immune response network was proposed in our previous work. However, there are some problems like that input and memory were all binary and it did not consider the antigen diversity of immune system. To improve these problems, in this paper we propose a fuzzy immune network model by considering the antigen diversity of immune system that is the most important property to be exhibited in the immune system. As an application, the proposed fuzzy immune network is applied to pattern recognition problem. Computer simulations illustrate that the proposed fuzzy immune network model not only can improve the problems existing in the binary immune network but also is capable of clustering arbitrary sequences of large-scale analog input patterns into stable recognition categories.