In this letter, we propose a novel three-dimensional conceptual model for an emerging service-oriented simulation paradigm. The model can be used as a guideline or an analytic means to find the potential and possible future directions of the current simulation frameworks. In particular, the model inspects the crossover between the disciplines of modeling and simulation, service-orientation, and software/systems engineering. Finally, two specific simulation frameworks are studied as examples.

The specification of authorization policies in access control models proposed so far cannot satisfy the requirements in workflow management systems (WFMSs). Furthermore, existing approaches have not provided effective conflict detection and resolution methods to maintain the consistency of authorization polices in WFMSs. To address these concerns, we propose the definition of authorization policies in which context constraints are considered and the complicated requirements in WFMSs can be satisfied. Based on the definition, we put forward static and dynamic conflict detection methods for authorization policies. By defining two new concepts, the precedence establishment rule and the conflict resolution policy, we provide a flexible approach to resolving conflicts.

Graph transformation systems have become a general formal modeling language to describe many models in software development process. Behavioral modeling of dynamic systems and model-to-model transformations are only a few examples in which graphs have been used to software development. But even the perfect graph transformation system must be equipped with automated analysis capabilities to let users understand whether such a formal specification fulfills their requirements. In this paper, we present a new solution to verify graph transformation systems using the Bogor model checker. The attributed graph grammars (AGG)-like graph transformation systems are translated to Bandera intermediate representation (BIR), the input language of Bogor, and Bogor verifies the model against some interesting properties defined by combining linear temporal logic (LTL) and special-purpose graph rules. Experimental results are encouraging, showing that in most cases our solution improves existing approaches in terms of both performance and expressiveness.

In an object-based storage system, a novel scheme named EAP (extending attributes page) is presented to enhance the metadata reliability of the system by adding the user object file information attributes page for each user object and storing the file-related attributes of each user object in object-based storage devices. The EAP scheme requires no additional hardware equipments compared to a general method which uses backup metadata servers to improve the metadata reliability. Leveraging a Markov chain, this paper compares the metadata reliability of the system using the EAP scheme with that using only metadata servers to offer the file metadata service. Our results demonstrate that the EAP scheme can dramatically enhance the reliability of storage system metadata.

Focused crawling is an important technique for topical resource discovery on the Web. The key issue in focused crawling is to prioritize uncrawled uniform resource locators (URLs) in the frontier to focus the crawling on relevant pages. Traditional focused crawlers mainly rely on content analysis. Link-based techniques are not effectively exploited despite their usefulness. In this paper, we propose a new frontier prioritizing algorithm, namely the on-line topical importance estimation (OTIE) algorithm. OTIE combines link- and content-based analysis to evaluate the priority of an uncrawled URL in the frontier. We performed real crawling experiments over 30 topics selected from the Open Directory Project (ODP) and compared harvest rate and target recall of the four crawling algorithms: breadth-first, link-context-prediction, on-line page importance computation (OPIC) and our OTIE. Experimental results showed that OTIE significantly outperforms the other three algorithms on the average target recall while maintaining an acceptable harvest rate. Moreover, OTIE is much faster than the traditional focused crawling algorithm.

Omnidirectional imaging sensors have been used in more and more applications when a very large field of view is required. In this paper, we investigate the unwrapping, epipolar geometry and stereo rectification issues for omnidirectional vision when the particular mirror model and the camera parameters are unknown in priori. First, the omnidirectional camera is calibrated under the Taylor model, and the parameters related to this model are obtained. In order to make the classical computer vision algorithms of conventional perspective cameras applicable, the ring omnidirectional image is unwrapped into two kinds of panoramas: cylinder and cuboid. Then the epipolar geometry of arbitrary camera configuration is analyzed and the essential matrix is deduced with its properties being indicated for ring images. After that, a simple stereo rectification method based on the essential matrix and the conformal mapping is proposed. Simulations and real data experimental results illustrate that our methods are effective for the omnidirectional camera under the constraint of a single view point.

The eigenface method that uses principal component analysis (PCA) has been the standard and popular method used in face recognition. This paper presents a PCA - memetic algorithm (PCA-MA) approach for feature selection. PCA has been extended by MAs where the former was used for feature extraction/dimensionality reduction and the latter exploited for feature selection. Simulations were performed over ORL and YaleB face databases using Euclidean norm as the classifier. It was found that as far as the recognition rate is concerned, PCA-MA completely outperforms the eigenface method. We compared the performance of PCA extended with genetic algorithm (PCA-GA) with our proposed PCA-MA method. The results also clearly established the supremacy of the PCA-MA method over the PCA-GA method. We further extended linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) approaches with the MA and observed significant improvement in recognition rate with fewer features. This paper also compares the performance of PCA-MA, LDA-MA and KPCA-MA approaches.

Parameterizations that use mesh simplification to build the base domain always adopt the vertex removal scheme. This paper applies edge collapse to constructing the base domain instead. After inducing the parameterization of the original mesh over the base domain, new algorithms map the new vertices in the simplified mesh back to the original one according to the edge transition sequence to integrate the parameterization. We present a direct way, namely edge classification, to deduce the sequence. Experimental results show that the new parameterization features considerable saving in computing complexity and maintains smoothness.

In H.264, computational complexity and memory access of deblocking filters are variable, dependent on video contents. This paper proposes a VLSI architecture of deblocking filters with adaptive dynamic power, which avoids redundant computations and memory accesses by precluding the blocks that can be skipped. The vertical and horizontal edges are simultaneously processed in an advanced scan order to speed up the decoder. As a result, dynamic power of the proposed architecture can be reduced adaptively (up to about 89%) for different videos, and the off-chip memory access is improved when compared to previous designs. Moreover, the processing capability of the proposed architecture is in particular appropriate for real-time deblocking of high-definition television (HDTV, 1920×1080 pixels/frame, 60 frames/s video signals) video operation at 62 MHz. Using the proposed architecture, power can be reduced by up to about 89% and processing time by from 25% to 81% compared with previous designs.

We propose a novel prioritized intra refresh method for the wireless video communication. The proposed method considers the characteristics of the human visual system, the error-sensitivity of the bitstream, and the state of the time-varying wireless channel jointly. An expected perceptual distortion model was used to adjust the intra refresh rate adaptively. This model consists of the perceptual weight map based on an attention model, the bit error probability map based on bitstream size, and the dynamic channel state information (CSI). Experimental results indicate that, compared with other intra refresh methods that consider only the content of the video or the CSI, the proposed method improves the average peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the whole frame by about 0.5 dB, and improves the average PSNR of the attention-area by about 0.8 dB.

We study the subspace identification for the continuous-time errors-in-variables model from sampled data. First, the filtering approach is applied to handle the time-derivative problem inherent in continuous-time identification. The generalized Poisson moment functional is focused. A total least squares equation based on this filtering approach is derived. Inspired by the idea of discrete-time subspace identification based on principal component analysis, we develop two algorithms to deliver consistent estimates for the continuous-time errors-in-variables model by introducing two different instrumental variables. Order determination and other instrumental variables are discussed. The usefulness of the proposed algorithms is illustrated through numerical simulation.

A cymbal transducer is made up of a piezoceramic disk sandwiched between two dome-shaped metal endcaps. High circumferential stresses caused by flexural motion of the metal endcaps can induce the loss of mechanical input energy. Finite element analysis shows that the radial slots fabricated in metal endcaps can release the circumferential stresses, and reduce the loss of mechanical input energy that could be converted into electrical energy. In this letter, the performance of a slotted-cymbal transducer in energy harvesting was tested. The results show that the output voltage and power of the cymbal are improved. A maximum output power of around 16 mW could be harvested from a cymbal with 18 cone radial slots across a 500 kΩ resistive load, which is approximately 0.6 times more than that of the original cymbal transducer.

One of the factors that affect the parameters of an underground cable is earth return path impedance. Pollaczek developed a formula for the case of one-layer (homogenous) earth. But in practice the earth is composed of several layers. In this study we develop a new formula for earth return path impedance in the case of a three-layer earth. To check the accuracy of the obtained results, a comparison has been made with the finite element method (FEM). A comparison between the results of the Pollaczek formula and results of the obtained formula for a three-layer earth has been made, showing that the use of the Pollaczek formula instead of the actual formula can cause serious errors.

On the basis of the current sheet model, a new analytical solution for permanent magnet (PM) bearings is developed. Compared with analytical methods based on the coupling energy model and the magnetic dipole model, the proposed one is more physically intuitive and convenient for engineering designers. According to the analytical model, the thrust characteristics of a novel PM thrust bearing is studied and verified by finite element analysis (FEA). In the proposed thrust bearing configuration, the rotor is composed of stacked PM rings with alternative axial magnetization directions, and the stator with alternative radial magnetization directions while copper rings are used to separate adjacent PM rings. A prototype PM thrust bearing with the proposed configuration is designed and fabricated. The performances of the PM thrust bearing are experimentally validated. It is shown that the calculation accuracy of the presented analytical solution is satisfying.

A grating eddy current displacement sensor (GECDS) can be used in a watertight electronic transducer to realize long range displacement or position measurement with high accuracy in difficult industry conditions. The parameters optimization of the sensor is essential for economic and efficient production. This paper proposes a method to combine an artificial neural network (ANN) and a genetic algorithm (GA) for the sensor parameters optimization. A neural network model is developed to map the complex relationship between design parameters and the nonlinearity error of the GECDS, and then a GA is used in the optimization process to determine the design parameter values, resulting in a desired minimal nonlinearity error of about 0.11%. The calculated nonlinearity error is 0.25%. These results show that the proposed method performs well for the parameters optimization of the GECDS.

The increase of frame rate, though with the potential in a coded ultrasound system, is generally concomitant with the simultaneous transmission of a number of apertures, and in consequence leads to increased cross-talks between different apertures. In view of this, a new coding scheme using staggering repetition interval was proposed. The transmitting signals were constructed by repeating the two (or more) modulated codes using staggering repetition interval, and then allocated to and transmitted simultaneously among different apertures. The decoding process was based on the subsection-matched filter under the assistance of different matched filters for different apertures. At last the outputs of subsection-matched filtering were added together. Staggering changed the positions of cross-correlation (CC) peaks from coinciding, which resulted in an effective reduction of CC. Our theoretical analysis and simulations showed that, the coding scheme can be used to reduce cross-talk, and a good cross-talk reduction will be achieved if the staggering delay is kept in an appropriate range.

It is a challenge for passive RFID tags to be mounted on the surface of metal because the parameters of tag antennas, such as the impedance matching, the radiation efficiency and the radiation pattern, are seriously affected by the metallic surface. This paper presents the characteristics of the dipole-like antennas of ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that are placed close to metallic surfaces. The finite element method (FEM) and method of moment (MoM) were used to simulate the changes of the antenna parameters near the metallic surface. Two typical dipole-like antennas close to the metallic surface, a closed loop antenna and a loaded meander antenna, were modeled, and the performance was evaluated. Experiment was carried out and the results were in good agreement with the simulation, showing that a distance of 0.05λ~0.1λ (λ is the free space wavelength) from the metallic surface could make the dipole-like UHF RFID tag performance be acceptable.

The boost type power supplies are widely used in portable consumer electronics to step up the input voltage to adapt for the high voltage applications like light-emitting diode (LED) driving and liquid crystal display (LCD) biasing. In these applications, a regulator with small volume, fewer external components and high efficiency is highly desired. This paper proposes a projected off- and on-time boost control scheme, based on which a monolithic IC with an on-chip VDMOS with 0.2 Ω on-state resistance R_DS-ON was implemented in 1.5 μm bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process. A 12 V, 0.3 A boost regulator prototype is presented as well. With projected off-time and modulated on-time in continuous conduction mode (CCM), a quasi fixed frequency, which is preferred for ripple control, is realized. With projected on-time and modulated off-time in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), pulse frequency modulation (PFM) operation, which is beneficial to light load efficiency improvement, is achieved without extra control circuitry. Measurement results show that an efficiency of 3% higher than that of a conventional method under 0.5 W output is achieved while a step load transient response comparable to that of current mode control is maintained as well.