If a general Petri net N = (S, T, F, Mo) is transition-live under Mo, it is evident that each maximal structural deadlock SDL(D) in N as well as each minimal structural deadlock MSDL (ND) in each D is also transition-live under Mo. However, since the converse of the latter of the above is not always true, it is important to obtain the conditions for this converse to be true if we want to have a useful necessary and sufficient "initial-marking-based" or "structural" liveness condition for N. Up to now, usefull and well-known structural or initial-marking-based necessary and sufficient liveness conditions of Petri nets have only been those of an asymmetric choice (AC) net and its subclasses such as an EFC net, an FC net, an FCF net, MG, and SM. However, all the above subclasses are activated only by real or virtual deadlock-trap properties which are local liveness for each minimal deadlocks; in other words, the above topics of this paper are unconditionally satisfied in those subclasses because of their special structure of nets. In this paper, a necessary and sufficient structural liveness condition for a general Petri net N with globally structural live minimal structural deadlocks is presented as follows: The next () or () is satisfied. () N has no SDL D. () If N has at least one SDL D, () or () is satisfied under the condition that each MSDL ND in N is transition-live under Mo. () N has no singular MSDL (α) (i.e., (α-) and (α-)). () If N has at least one singular MSDL (α-)((α-), resp.), every semi-MDSL ()((), resp.) NDS = (SDS, TDS, FDS, MoDS with respect to each singular MSDL (α-)((α-), resp.), is transition-live under the MoDS under the condition of "the condition (**)", where the locally structural liveness for this NDS means (1) or (2)((3), resp.) of Lemma 4-4 and "the condition (**)" is defined in Lemma 4-7 of this paper. The relationship between the above results and the liveness problem for N is also shown.

Due to the large and complex information processing systems, formal description methods are needed for specification of systems and their efficient and reliable designs. During the early stage of system design, it is often necessary to modify or change system requirements which may influence the whole system design. We have proposed a new flexible description methodology, which copes with the modifications or changes in the system requirements, in order to obtain the formal specification of the system. We have also shown that function requirements can be modeled by a Logical Petri Net (LPN), which is a kind of extended Petri Nets, in order to derive the formal specification. In this paper, we propose a verification method of system requirements that contain some kinds of logical errors. Further, we show a method to decompose and refine a requirement description hierarchically, and discuss how to derive a formal specification from a requirement description flexibly along our refinement method against the changes of the requirement description in the system.

In general, multimedia files are much larger than ordinary text files because they consist of multiple monomedia. In order to process large multimedia files in real time, the file system must be able to store and access files efficiently. In th UNIX s5 file system, a multimedia file may be scattered into many disk blocks over the entire disk space, and accessing a multimedia file requires a considerable amount of time for random disk head movement. This paper proposes the internal structure of a multimedia file and its inode which is modified from UNIX s5 file system's. Also, we propose a mechanism for allocating and deallocating contiguous disk blocks for large multimedia files using the bitmap tree and compares its performance with that of the UNIX s5 file system. Our results show that the proposed mechanism reduces considerably the number of disk I/Os required to allocate and deallocate contiguous disk blocks. It also reduces the total access time for large multimedia files by approximately 95% due to the contiguous allocation of disk spaces.

The symbolic model checking algorithm was proposed for the efficient verification of sequential circuits. In this paper, we show that this algorithm is applicable to the verification of concurrent systems described by finite capacity Petri nets. In this algorithm, specifications of the system are given in the form of temporal logic formulas, and the algorithm checks whether these formulas hold in the state space. All logical operations are performed on Binary Decision Diagrams. Since the algorithm does not enumerating each state, the problem of state space explosion can be avoided in many cases.

In this paper, we discuss an abstraction method for Petri nets based on an equivalence of firing sequences of a specified subnet or a specified subset of transitions. Specifically, a method is presented to generate an equivalent net which preserves firing sequences of a specified subnet or a specified subset of transitions. The abstraction can be applied to an efficient behavioral analysis of concurrent systems constructed by composition of modules such as communication networks and Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS).

This paper proposed a practical method of program validation for state-based reactive concurrent systems. The proposed method is of particular relevance to plant control systems. Plant control systems can be represented by extended state transition systems (e.g., communicating asynchronous transition systems). Our validation method is based on state space analysis. Since naive state space analysis causes the state explosion problem, techniques to ease state explosion are necessary. One of the most promising techniques is the partial order method. However, these techniques usually require some structural assumptions and they are not always effective for actual control systems. Therefore, we claim integration and harmonization of verification (i.e., state space analysis based on the partial order method) and simulation (i.e., conventional validation technique). In the proposed method, verification is modeled as exhaustive simulation over the state space, and two types of simulation management techniques are introduced. One is logical selection (pruning) based on the partial order method. The other is heuristic selection based on priority (a priori precedence) specified by the user. In order to harmonize verification (logical selection) and conventional simulation (heuristic selection), we propose a new logical selection mechanism (the default priority method). The default priority method which prunes redundant state generation based on default priority is in harmony with heuristic selection based on the user's priority. We have implemented a practical validation tool, Simulation And Verification Environment for Reactive Concurrent Systems (SAVE/RCS), and applied it to chemical plant control systems.

This paper addresses approaches to enhancement of performance of the CMA (Constant Modulus Algorithm) adaptive array antenna in multipath environments that characterize the mobile radio communications. The cost function of the CMA reveals that it has an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) procedure of holding the array output voltage at a constant value. Therefore, if the output voltage by the initial weights is different from the object value, then the CMA may suffer from slow convergence because suppression of the multipath waves is delayed by the AGC behavior. Our objective is to improve the convergence characteristics by adopting the differential CMA for the adaptive array algorithm. First, the basic performance of the differential CMA is clarified via computer simulation. Next, the differential CMA is incorporated into the eigen-beamspace system in which the eigenvectors of the correlation matrix of array inputs are used in the BFN (Beam Forming Network). This BFN creates the optimum orthogonal multibeams for radio environments and works helpfully as a preprocessor of the differential CMA. The computer simulation results have demonstrated that the differential CMA with the eigen-beamspace system has much better convergence characteristics than the conventional CMA with the element space system. Furthermore, a modified algorithm is introduced which gives the stable array output voltages after convergence, and it is confirmed that the algorithm can carry out more successful adaptation even if the radio environments are changed abruptly.

Simplification of the Viterbi algorithm and the error rate performance are presented for a partial response maximum-likelihood (PRML) system employing the PR(1, 1) system as a PR system for (1, 7) run-length limited (RLL) code. The minimum run-length of 1's or O's in the output sequence of the precoder for (1, 7) RLL code is limited to 2. Two kinds of simplified Viterbi algorithms using this run-length constraint are proposed. One algorithm requires the path memory length of only two in the Viterbi detector. The Viterbi detector based on the other algorithm is equivalent to the simple PR(1, 1) system followed by a threshold detector. The bit-error rates of PRML systems with Viterbi detectors based on these algorithms are obtained by computer simulation and their performance is compared with that of conventional PRML systems for (1, 7) RLL code. It is shown that the proposed PRML system exhibits better performance than conventional PRML systems at high recording density.

Our objective is to resolve three types of heterogeneity - data model,database system, and semantic - in heterogeneous databases. The basic framework which we propose for this objective is realized in an autonomous decentralized database system (i.e., an interoperable database system), called Jasmine/M. Users describe their relational or object-oriented data models and schemas locally using the model primitives which Jasmine/M provides as a scripting language. Description using such primitives or scripts constitutes viewports, which have a role to resolve heterogeneity in data models and database systems at local sites. At relational viewports, both relational and object-oriented schemas defined at other sites are translated via scripts and are viewed as relational schemas. Similarly at object-oriented viewports, any schema defined at other sites is viewed object-oriented schemas. Relational and object-oriented views are used to resolve semantic heterogeneity within viewports. This paper describes a step wise approach to resolving the three types of heterogeneity, using scripts, viewports, and views, and its implementation using active objects.

This paper describes a new intelligent computer assisted instruction (ICAI) system for Japanese beginners to learn Korean composition. This system is supported by speech synthesis which is generated by a new method for arbitrary sentences of Japanese and Korean using the natural speech data-base.

In order to make the hyperling generation mechanism not only dynamic but also systematic, we will mainly describe the use of the querying and abstraction facilities in hypertext database systems. Our work focuses on a dynamic, abstract and systematic link generation mechanism. The prototype system named TextLink/Gem is implemented by taking an object-oriented approach, and the notions of anchor objects, query-pair links, polymorphic links and inheritable links, on which the system is based, and their implementations are described in detail.

The integration of both real-time systems and fault-tolerant systems has been emerged as one of the greatest challenges of this decade. It is called a responsive system, which has the objective to optimeze both timeliness and reliability. The performance measure in responsive systems is responsiveness that tells how probable a system executes correctly on time with faults occurred. While there have been some achievements in communication protocols and specification, we believe that scheduling problems in responsive systems are not understood deeply and sufficiently, yet. In this paper, we discuss the scheduling problem in responsive systems. At first, we investigate the issues in the scheduling and propose the precise definition of the responsiveness. We also suggest a scheduling algorithm called Responsive Earliest Deadline First (REDF) for preemptive aperiodic tasks in a uniprocessor system. We show that REDF is optimal to obtain the maximum responsiveness, and the time complexity is analyzed to be (N 2N). By illustrating a contradictory example, it is shown that REDF can be enhanced if a constraint on tasks is released.

The rapid progress in semiconductor technology and chip mounting technology has made it possible to produce portable computes with high performance, such as notebook computers and PDAs. Portable computes can be used anytime and anywhere. By using the features of mobility, some cooperative works anywhere with multiple portable computers have been realized. However, present networks such as a wireless LAN or a public wireless network are too limited to permit portable computers to cooperate with each other. As the result, a new networking technology for portable computers has been highly requested. In this paper, we propose a novel network technology suitable for face-to-face communication, which we call "Wireless DAN" (Desk Area Network). Here, face-to-face communication is a communication between people who can directly see faces and hear voices with each other. In Wireless DAN, computers independently recognize the network configuration around them. Although present computer networks assume permanence and all computers must be registered before the system can be used, Wireless DAN enables a computer to communicate with computers nearby at any place the user goes without any complicated procedures or dedicated network equipment such as a base station. We also present a new support system for face-to-face cooperative work, which makes it possible to join or leave a meeting while it is in progress. We have developed an experimental system of Wireless DAN and the support system, which is comprised of notebook personal computers with an existing peer-to-peer infrared LAN card. The support system has been implemented using the functions provided by Wireless DAN and thus the system has been simplified. With the experimental system, we confirmed that Wireless DAN operates effectively for face-to-face communication.

We present that event-transition diagrams are useful to analyze event concurrent response visually. Event-transition diagrams are dual for state-transition diagrams in graph theory. As an example of an usage of an event-transition diagram, a simple model of a railroad crossing is presented.

Secure communications via chaotic synchronization is experimentally demonstrated using 3-pieces of commercial integrated circuit phase-locked loops, MC14046. Different from the conventional chaotic synchronization secure communication systems where one channel is used, our system uses two channels to send one signal to be concealed. Namely, one channel is used to send a synchronizing chaotic signal. The other channel is used to send the informational signal superimposed on the chaotic masking signal at transmitter side. The synchronizing chaotic signal is applied as a common input to two identical PLL's located at both transmitter and receiver sides. It has been shown previously by us that the VCO inputs of almost identical two PLL's driven by a common chaotic signal become chaotic, and synchronized with each other. This synchronization is only possible for those who knows exact internal configuration and exact parameter values of the PLL at transmitter side. Therefore, we can use the synchronized VCO input signal as a masking signal which can be used as a key for secure communications. The advantage of this method compared to the previous one channel method is that informational signal frequency range does not affect the quality of recovered signal. Our experiments demonstrate good masking and recovery characteristics for sinusoidal, triangular, and square waves.

We propose an equivalent circuit model described by the Rössler equation. Then we can consider a coupled Rössler system with a physical meaning on the connection. We consider an oscillatory circuit such that two identical Rössler circuits are coupled by a resistor. We have studied three routes to entirely and almost synchronized chaotic attractors from phase-locked periodic oscillations. Moreover, to simplify understanding of synchronization phenomena in the coupled Rössler system, we investigate a mutually coupled map that shows analogous locking properties to the coupled Rössler System.

In this paper a priori estimation method is presented for calculating solution of convex optimization problems (COP) with some equality and/or inequality constraints by so-called Newton type homotopy method. The homotopy method is known as an efficient algorithm which can always calculate solution of nonlinear equations under a certain mild condition. Although, in general, it is difficult to estimate a priori computational complexity of calculating solution by the homotopy method. In the presented papers, a sufficient condition is considered for linear homotopy, under which an upper bound of the complexity can be estimated a priori. For the condition it is seen that Urabe type convergence theorem plays an important role. In this paper, by introducing the results, it is shown that under a certain condition a global minimum of COP can be always calculated, and that computational complexity of the calculation can be a priori estimated. Suitability of the estimation for analysing COP is also discussed.

The main purpose of this paper is to give a new representation method of the convergence characteristics of the LMS algorithm using tap-input vectors. The described representation method is an extended version of the interpretation method based on the orthogonal projection. Using this new representation, we can express the convergence characteristics in terms of tap-input vectors instead of the eigenvalues of the input signal. From this representation, we consider a general method for improving the convergence speed.

The use of existing metallic local line facilities is being studied for providing "video on demand (VOD)" services to residential subscribers across asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL). ADSL carries a high-rate channel in the downstream direction from a central office (CO) to the subscriber, and a low-rate channel in both directions on an existing 2-wire pair. Audio and video signals are compressed by the moving picture experts group's standardized algorithms (MPEG 1 and MPEG 2), and delivered to the subscriber in the high-rate channel. Control (demand and response) signals are transceived in the low-rate channel. This paper presents the line length coverage of ADSL systems given the environment of NTT's local networks. The bit rates in the downstream and upstream directions are assumed to be 1.6-9.2Mbit/s and 24kbit/s, respectively. Two types of ADSL systems are considered: transceiving ADSL signals using the plain old telephone service (POTS) line or the basic rate access (BRA; 320 kbaud ping-pong transmission system) line on the same 2-wire pair. 16-QAM, 32-QAM and 64-QAM are compared as transmission schemes. Intra-system crosstalk interference (interference between identical transmission systems) and inter-system crosstalk interference (interference between different transmission systems) with the existing digital subscriber lines (DSL) are estimated. It is shown that the inter-system crosstalk interference with BRA is most stringent, and ADSL with 16-QAM yields the best performance in NTT's local networks. This paper concludes that realizing ADSL with 16-QAM can achieve channel capacities of up to 9.2Mbit/s for fiber-in-the-feeder (FITF) access systems, but the possibility of applying ADSL to direct access systems is remote except for a restricted short haul use. Some comparisons regarding American local networks are also described.

The influence of cochannel, adjacent channel and intermodulation constraints on the capacity of the frequency band in the dynamic channel allocation problem is estimated. Algorithms including a backtracking phase with partial reassignment of currently assigned requirements are proposed. Numerical examples show a strong possibility of a 20% capacity improvement compared to the conventional strategies.