This paper presents a compromising strategy based on constraint relaxation for automated negotiating agents in the nonlinear utility domain. Automated negotiating agents have been studied widely and are one of the key technologies for a future society in which multiple heterogeneous agents act collaboratively and competitively in order to help humans perform daily activities. A pressing issue is that most of the proposed negotiating agents utilize an ad-hoc compromising process, in which they basically just adjust/reduce a threshold to forcibly accept their opponents' offers. Because the threshold is just reduced and the agent just accepts the offer since the value is more than the threshold, it is very difficult to show how and what the agent conceded even after an agreement has been reached. To address this issue, we describe an explainable concession process using a constraint relaxation process. In this process, an agent changes its belief by relaxing constraints, i.e., removing constraints, so that it can accept it is the opponent's offer. We also propose three types of compromising strategies. Experimental results demonstrate that these strategies are efficient.

Objective interestingness measures play a vital role in association rule mining of a large-scaled database because they are used for extracting, filtering, and ranking the patterns. In the past, several measures have been proposed but their similarities or relations are not sufficiently explored. This work investigates sixty-one objective interestingness measures on the pattern of A → B, to analyze their similarity and dissimilarity as well as their relationship. Three-probability patterns, P(A), P(B), and P(AB), are enumerated in both linear and exponential scales and each measure's values of those conditions are calculated, forming synthesis data for investigation. The behavior of each measure is explored by pairwise comparison based on these three-probability patterns. The relationship among the sixty-one interestingness measures has been characterized with correlation analysis and association rule mining. In the experiment, relationships are summarized using heat-map and association rule mined. As the result, selection of an appropriate interestingness measure can be realized using the generated heat-map and association rules.

To prevent proxy-test taking among examinees in unsynchronized e-Testing, a previous work proposed an online handwriting authentication. That method was limited to applied for end of each answer. For free response tests that needed to authenticate throughout the answer, we used the Bayesian prior information to examine a sequential handwriting authentication procedure. The evaluation results indicate that the accuracy of this procedure is higher than the previous method in examinees authentication during mathematics exam with referring the Chinese character.

This paper proposes a defragmentation scheme using reroutable backup paths in toggled-based quasi 1+1 path protected elastic optical networks (EONs) to improve the efficiency of defragmentation and suppress the fragmentation effect. The proposed scheme can reallocate spectrum slots of backup paths and reroute of backup paths. The path exchange function of the proposed scheme makes the primary paths become the backup state while the backup paths become the primary. This allows utilization of the advantages of defragmentation in both primary and backup paths. We formulate a static spectrum reallocation problem with rerouting (SSRR) in the toggled-based quasi 1+1 path protected EON as an integer linear programming (ILP) problem. The decision version of SSRR is proven to be an NP-complete problem. A heuristic algorithm is introduced to solve the problem for large networks networks where the ILP problem is not tractable. For a dynamic traffic scenario, an approach that suppresses the fragmentation considering rerouting and path exchanging operations is presented. We evaluate the performances of the proposed scheme by comparing it to the conventional scheme in terms of dependencies on node degree, processing time of network operations and interval time between scheduled defragmentations. The numerical results obtained from the performance evaluation indicate that the proposed scheme increases the traffic admissibility compared to the conventional scheme.

Distributing codes to specific target sensors in order to fix bugs and/or install a new application is an important management task in WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks). For the energy efficient dissemination of such codes to specific target sensors, it is required to select the minimum required number of forwarders with the fewest control messages. In this paper, we propose a novel RPL (Routing Protocol for Low-power and lossy networks)-based tree construction scheme for target-specific code dissemination, which is called R-TCS. The main idea of R-TCS is that by leveraging the data collection tree created by a standard routing protocol RPL, it is possible to construct the code dissemination tree with the minimum numbers of non-target sensors and control messages. Since by creating a data collection tree each sensor exchanges RPL messages with the root of the tree, every sensor knows which sensors compose its upwards route, i.e. the route towards the root, and downwards route, i.e. the route towards the leaves. Because of these properties, a target sensor can select the upward route that contains the minimum number of non-target sensors. In addition, a sensor whose downward routes do not contain a target sensor is not required to transmit redundant control messages which are related to the code dissemination operation. In this way, R-TCS can reduce the energy consumption which typically happens in other target-specific code dissemination schemes by the transmission of control messages. In fact, various performance evaluation results obtained by means of computer simulations show that R-TCS reduces by at least 50% energy consumption as compared to the other previous known target-specific code dissemination scheme under the condition where ratio of target sensors is 10% of all sensors.

Recent top-performing object detectors usually depend on a two-stage approach, which benefits from its region proposal and refining practice but suffers low detection speed. By contrast, one-stage approaches have the advantage of high efficiency while sacrifice their accuracies to some extent. In this paper, we propose a novel single-shot object detection network which inherits the merits of both. Motivated by the idea of semantic enrichment to the convolutional features within a typical deep detector, we propose two novel modules: 1) by modeling the semantic interactions between channels and the long-range dependencies between spatial positions, the self-attending module generates both channel and position attention, and enhance the original convolutional features in a self-guided manner; 2) leveraging the class-discriminative localization ability of classification-trained CNN, the semantic activating module learns a semantic meaningful convolutional response which augments low-level convolutional features with strong class-specific semantic information. The so called self-attending and semantic activating network (ASAN) achieves better accuracy than two-stage methods and is able to fulfil real-time processing. Comprehensive experiments on PASCAL VOC indicates that ASAN achieves state-of-the-art detection performance with high efficiency.

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and scene depth estimation from 2-dimensional (2D) images are major tasks in computer vision. However, using conventional 3D reconstruction techniques gets challenging in participating media such as murky water, fog, or smoke. We have developed a method that uses a continuous-wave time-of-flight (ToF) camera to estimate an object region and depth in participating media simultaneously. The scattered light observed by the camera is saturated, so it does not depend on the scene depth. In addition, received signals bouncing off distant points are negligible due to light attenuation, and thus the observation of such a point contains only a scattering component. These phenomena enable us to estimate the scattering component in an object region from a background that only contains the scattering component. The problem is formulated as robust estimation where the object region is regarded as outliers, and it enables the simultaneous estimation of an object region and depth on the basis of an iteratively reweighted least squares (IRLS) optimization scheme. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method using captured images from a ToF camera in real foggy scenes and evaluate the applicability with synthesized data.

This paper presents new encoding and decoding methods for Berlekamp-Preparata convolutional codes (BPCCs) based on tail-biting technique. The proposed scheme can correct a single block of n bit errors relative to a guard space of m error-free blocks while no fractional rate loss is incurred. The proposed tail-biting BPCCs (TBBPCCs) can attain optimal complete burst error correction bound. Therefore, they have the optimal phased-burst-error-correcting capability for convolutional codes. Compared with the previous scheme, the proposed scheme can also improve error correcting capability.

Addition is a key fundamental function for many error-tolerant applications. Approximate addition is considered to be an efficient technique for trading off energy against performance and accuracy. This paper proposes a carry-maskable adder whose accuracy can be configured at runtime. The proposed scheme can dynamically select the length of the carry propagation to satisfy the quality requirements flexibly. Compared with a conventional ripple carry adder and a conventional carry look-ahead adder, the proposed 16-bit adder reduced the power consumption by 54.1% and 57.5%, respectively, and the critical path delay by 72.5% and 54.2%, respectively. In addition, results from an image processing application indicate that the quality of processed images can be controlled by the proposed adder. Good scalability of the proposed adder is demonstrated from the evaluation results using a 32-bit length.

Skip Graph is a promising distributed data structure for large scale systems and known for its capability of range queries. Although several methods of routing range queries in Skip Graph have been proposed, they have inefficiencies such as a long path length or a large number of messages. In this paper, we propose a novel routing method for range queries named Split-Forward Broadcasting (SFB). SFB introduces a divide-and-conquer approach, enabling nodes to make full use of their routing tables to forward a range query. It brings about a shorter average path length than existing methods, as well as a smaller number of messages by avoiding duplicate transmission. We clarify the characteristics and effectiveness of SFB through both analytical and experimental comparisons. The results show that SFB can reduce the average path length roughly 30% or more compared with a state-of-the-art method.

A novel coarse and fine hybrid granular routing network architecture is proposed. Virtual direct links (VDLs) defined by the coarse granular routing to bridge distant node pairs, and routing via VDL mitigate the spectrum narrowing caused by optical filtering at wavelength-selective switches in ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexing) nodes. The impairment mitigation yields denser channel accommodation in the frequency domain, which substantially increases fiber spectral efficiency. The proposed network simultaneously utilizes fine granular optical path level routing so that optical paths can be effectively accommodated in VDLs. The newly developed network design algorithm presented in this paper effectively implements routing and spectrum assignment to paths in addition to optimizing VDL establishment and path accommodation to VDLs. The effectiveness of the proposed architecture is demonstrated through both numerical and experimental evaluations; the number of fibers necessary in a network, and the spectrum bandwidth and hop count product are, respectively, reduced by up to 18% and increased by up to 111%.

Possible functional roles of the phase resetting control during rhythmic movements have been attracting much attention in the field of robotics. The phase resetting control is a control mechanism in which the phase shift of periodic motion is induced depending on the timing of a given perturbation, leading to dynamical stability such as a rapid transition from an unstable state to a stable state in rhythmic movements. A phase response curve (PRC) is used to quantitatively evaluate the phase shift in the phase resetting control. It has been demonstrated that an optimal PRC for bipedal walking becomes bimodal. The PRCs acquired by reinforcement learning in simulated biped walking are qualitatively consistent with measured results obtained from experiments. In this study, we considered how such characteristics are obtained from a mathematical point of view. First, we assumed a symmetric Bonhoeffer-Van der Pol oscillator and phase excitable element known as an active rotator as a model of the central pattern generator for controlling rhythmic movements. Second, we constructed feedback control systems by combining them with manipulators. Next, we numerically computed the PRCs of such systems and compared the resulting PRCs. Furthermore, we approximately calculated analytical solutions of the PRCs. Based on the results, we systematically investigated the parameter dependence of the analytical PRCs. Finally, we investigated the requirements for realizing an optimal PRC for the phase resetting control during rhythmic movements.

Cloud computing is a unlimited computing resource and storing resource, which provides a lot of convenient services, for example, Internet and education, intelligent transportation system. With the rapid development of cloud computing, more and more people pay attention to reducing the cost of data management. Data sharing is a effective model to decrease the cost of individuals or companies in dealing with data. However, the existing data sharing scheme cannot reduce communication cost under ensuring the security of users. In this paper, an anonymous and traceable data sharing scheme is presented. The proposed scheme can protect the privacy of the user. In addition, the proposed scheme also can trace the user uploading irrelevant information. Security and performance analyses show that the data sharing scheme is secure and effective.

In Stochastic Computing (SC), we need to generate many stochastic numbers (SNs). If we generate one SN conventionally, we need a Stochastic Number Generator (SNG) which consists of a linear-feedback shift register (LFSR) and a comparator. When we calculate an arithmetic function by SC, we need to generate many SNs whose values are equal to constant values used in the arithmetic function. As a consequence, the hardware overhead becomes huge. Accordingly, there has been proposed a method called GMCS (Generating Many Constant SNs from Few SNs) to generate many constant SNs with low hardware overhead. However, if we use GMCS simply, generated constant SNs are correlated highly with each other. This would be a serious problem because the high correlation of SNs make a large error in computation. Therefore, in this paper, we propose efficient methods to generate constant SNs with reasonably low hardware overhead without increasing errors. To reduce the correlations of constant SNs which are generated by GMCS, we use Register based Re-arrangement circuit using a Random bit stream duplicator (RRRD). RRRDs have few influences on the hardware overhead because an RRRD consists of three multiplexers (MUXs) and two 1-bit FFs. We also use a technique to share random number generators with several SNGs to reduce the hardware overhead. We provide some experimental results by which we can confirm that our proposed methods are in general very useful to reduce the hardware overhead for generating constant SNs without increasing errors.

Sorting is one of the most fundamental problems in mathematics and computer science. Because high-throughput and flexible sorting is a key requirement in modern databases, this paper presents efficient techniques for designing a high-throughput sorting matrix that supports continuous data sequences. There have been numerous studies on the optimization of sorting circuits on FPGA (field-programmable gate array) platforms. These studies focused on attaining high throughput for a single command with fixed data width. However, the architectures proposed do not meet the requirement of diversity for database data types. A sorting matrix architecture is thus proposed to overcome this problem. Our design consists of a matrix of identical basic sorting cells. The sorting cells work in a pipeline and in parallel, and the matrix can simultaneously process multiple data streams, which can be combined into a high-width single-channel data stream or low-width multiple-channel data streams. It can handle continuous sequences and allows for sorting variable-length data sequences. Its maximum throughput is approximately 1.4 GB/s for 32-bit sequences and approximately 2.5 GB/s for 64-bit sequences on our platform.

Information and communication technologies have improved the quality of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). By estimating from cellular floating vehicle data (CFVD) is more cost-effective, and easier to acquire than traditional ways. This study proposes a cell probe (CP)-based method to analyse the cellular network signals (e.g., call arrival, handoff, and location update), and regression models are trained for vehicle speed estimation. In experiments, this study compares the practical traffic information of vehicle detector (VD) with the estimated traffic information by the proposed methods. The experiment results show that the accuracy of vehicle speed estimation by CP-based method is 97.63%. Therefore, the CP-based method can be used to estimate vehicle speed from CFVD for ITS.

The success and scale of the Internet and its protocol IP has spurred emergent distributed technologies such as fog/edge computing and new application models based on distributed containerized microservices. The Internet of Things and Connected Communities are poised to build on these technologies and models and to benefit from the ability to communicate in a peer-to-peer (P2P) fashion. Ubiquitous sensing, actuating and computing implies a scale that breaks the centralized cloud computing model. Challenges stemming from limited IPv4 public addresses, the need for transport layer authentication, confidentiality and integrity become a burden on developing new middleware and applications designed for the network's edge. One approach - not reliant on the slow adoption of IPv6 - is the use of virtualized overlay networks, which abstract the complexities of the underlying heterogeneous networks that span the components of distributed fog applications and middleware. This paper describes the evolution of the design and implementation of IP-over-P2P (IPOP) - from its purist P2P inception, to a pragmatic hybrid model which is influenced by and incorporates standards. The hybrid client-server/P2P approach allows IPOP to leverage existing robust and mature cloud infrastructure, while still providing the characteristics needed at the edge. IPOP is networking cyber infrastructure that presents an overlay virtual private network which self-organizes with dynamic membership of peer nodes into a scalable structure. IPOP is resilient to partitioning, supports redundant paths within its fabric, and provides software defined programming of switching rules to utilize these properties of its topology.

Embedded software developers assume the behavior of the environment when specifications are not available. However, developers may assume the behavior incorrectly, which may result in critical faults in the system. Therefore, it is important to detect the faults caused by incorrect assumptions. In this letter, we propose a log-based testing approach to detect the faults. First, we create a UML behavioral model to represent the assumed behavior of the environment, which is then transformed into a state model. Next, we extract the actual behavior of the environment from a log, which is then incorporated in the state model, resulting in a state model that represents both assumed and actual behaviors. Existing testing techniques based on the state model can be used to generate test cases from our state model to detect faults.

In this article, we propose a data framework for edge computing that allows developers to easily attain efficient data transfer between mobile devices or users. We propose a distributed key-value storage platform for edge computing and its explicit data distribution management method that follows the publish/subscribe relationships specific to applications. In this platform, edge servers organize the distributed key-value storage in a uniform namespace. To enable fast data access to a record in edge computing, the allocation strategy of the record and its cache on the edge servers is important. Our platform offers distributed objects that can dynamically change their home server and allocate cache objects proactively following user-defined rules. A rule is defined in a declarative manner and specifies where to place cache objects depending on the status of the target record and its associated records. The system can reflect record modification to the cached records immediately. We also integrate a push notification system using WebSocket to notify events on a specified table. We introduce a messaging service application between mobile appliances and several other applications to show how cache rules apply to them. We evaluate the performance of our system using some sample applications.

Cloud computing enables computational resource-limited devices to economically outsource much computations to the cloud. Modular exponentiation is one of the most expensive operations in public key cryptographic protocols, and such operation may be a heavy burden for the resource-constraint devices. Previous works for secure outsourcing modular exponentiation which use one or two untrusted cloud server model or have a relatively large computational overhead, or do not support the 100% possibility for the checkability. In this letter, we propose a new efficient and verifiable algorithm for securely outsourcing modular exponentiation in the two untrusted cloud server model. The algorithm improves efficiency by generating random pairs based on EBPV generators, and the algorithm has 100% probability for the checkability while preserving the data privacy.