The dynamic clusters method in nonhierarchical clustering

Given a finite setE R ⁿ, the problem is to find clusters (or subsets of similar points inE) and at the same time to find the most typical elements of this set. An original mathematical formulation is given to the problem. The proposed algorithm operates on groups of points, called samplings (samplings may be called multiple centers or cores); these samplings adapt and evolve into interesting clusters. Compared with other clustering algorithms, this algorithm requires less machine time and storage. We provide some propositions about nonprobabilistic convergence and a sufficient condition which ensures the decrease of the criterion. Some computational experiments are presented.     

A Delay-Averaged Logistic Model

For the equation x(t) = x(t) (1-(1/) _t-- ^t- x(u)du), > 0, > 0, > 0, conditions for the stability of a nonzero stationary solution under small perturbations are determined.     

Separating complexity classes related to bounded alternating ω-branching programs

We develop a theory of communication within branching programs that provides exponential lower bounds on the size of branching programs that are bounded alternating. Our theory is based on the algebraic concept of -branching programs, : , a semiring homomorphism, that generalizes ordinary branching programs, -branching programs [M2] andMOD _p-branching programs [DKMW].Due to certain exponential lower and polynomial upper bounds on the size of bounded alternating -branching programs we are able to separate the corresponding complexity classesN _ba ,co-N _{ba ba} , andMOD _p - _ba ,p prime, from each other, and from that classes corresponding to oblivious linear length-bounded branching programs investigated in the past.     

Mesh Selection for a Nearly Singular Boundary Value Problem

In this paper, we investigate the numerical solution of a model equation u _xx = exp(– ) (and several slightly more general problems) when 1 using the standard central difference scheme on nonuniform grids. In particular, we are interested in the error behaviour in two limiting cases: (i) the total mesh point number N is fixed when the regularization parameter 0, and (ii) is fixed when N. Using a formal analysis, we show that a generalized version of a special piecewise uniform mesh 12 and an adaptive grid based on the equidistribution principle share some common features. And the optimal meshes give rates of convergence bounded by |log()| as 0 and N is given, which are shown to be sharp by numerical tests.     

Adding a temporal dimension to a logic system

We introduce a methodology whereby an arbitrary logic system L can be enriched with temporal features to create a new system T(L). The new system is constructed by combining L with a pure propositional temporal logic T (such as linear temporal logic with Since and Until) in a special way. We refer to this method as adding a temporal dimension to L or just temporalising L. We show that the logic system T(L) preserves several properties of the original temporal logic like soundness, completeness, decidability, conservativeness and separation over linear flows of time. We then focus on the temporalisation of first-order logic, and a comparison is make with other first-order approaches to the handling of time.     

Context-free text grammars

A text is a triple=(, ₁, ₂) such that is a labeling function, and ₁ and ₂ are linear orders on the domain of ; hence may be seen as a word (, ₁) together with an additional linear order ₂ on the domain of . The order ₂ is used to give to the word (, ₁) itsindividual hierarchical representation (syntactic structure) which may be a tree but it may be also more general than a tree. In this paper we introducecontext-free grammars for texts and investigate their basic properties. Since each text has its own individual structure, the role of such a grammar should be that of a definition of a pattern common to all individual texts. This leads to the notion of ashapely context-free text grammar also investigated in this paper.     

Sound and Complete Qualitative Simulation Needs “Quantitative” Filtering

The AI methodology of qualitative reasoning furnishes useful tools to scientists and engineers who need to deal with incomplete system knowledge during design, analysis, or diagnosis tasks. Qualitative simulators have a theoretical soundness guarantee; they cannot overlook any concrete equation implied by their input. On the other hand, the basic qualitative simulation algorithms have been shown to suffer from the incompleteness problem; they may allow non-solutions of the input equation to appear in their output. The question of whether a simulator with purely qualitative input which never predicts spurious behaviors can ever be achieved by adding new filters to the existing algorithm has remained unanswered. In this paper, we show that, if such a sound and complete simulator exists, it will have to be able to handle numerical distinctions with such a high precision that it must contain a component that would better be called a quantitative, rather than qualitative reasoner. This is due to the ability of the pure qualitative format to allow the exact representation of the members of a rich set of numbers.     

On characterizing the “knee” of the Pareto curve based on Normal-Boundary Intersection

This paper deals with the issue of generating one Pareto optimal point that is guaranteed to be in a desirable part of the Pareto set in a given multicriteria optimization problem. A parameterization of the Pareto set based on the recently developed normal-boundary intersection technique is used to formulate a subproblem, the solution of which yields the point of maximum bulge, often referred to as the knee of the Pareto curve. This enables the identification of the good region of the Pareto set by solving one nonlinear programming problem, thereby bypassing the need to generate many Pareto points. Further, this representation extends the concept of the knee for problems with more than two objectives. It is further proved that this knee is invariant with respect to the scales of the multiple objective functions.The generation of this knee however requires the value of each objective function at the minimizer of every objective function (the pay-off matrix). The paper characterizes situations when approximations to the function values comprising the pay-off matrix would suffice in generating a good approximation to the knee. Numerical results are provided to illustrate this point. Further, a weighted sum minimization problem is developed based on the information in the pay-off matrix, by solving which the knee can be obtained.     

Recognition of handwritten musical notes by a modified Neocognitron

A neural network for recognition of handwritten musical notes, based on the well-known Neocognitron model, is described. The Neocognitron has been used for the what pathway (symbol recognition), while contextual knowledge has been applied for the where (symbol placement). This way, we benefit from dividing the process for dealing with this complicated recognition task. Also, different degrees of intrusiveness in learning have been incorporated in the same network: More intrusive supervised learning has been implemented in the lower neuron layers and less intrusive in the upper one. This way, the network adapts itself to the handwriting of the user. The network consists of a 13×49 input layer and three pairs of simple and complex neuron layers. It has been trained to recognize 20 symbols of unconnected notes on a musical staff and was tested with a set of unlearned input notes. Its recognition rate for the individual unseen notes was up to 93%, averaging 80% for all categories. These preliminary results indicate that a modified Neocognitron could be a good candidate for identification of handwritten musical notes.     

Deep X-ray lithography using mask with integrated electrothermal actuator

We present a deep X-ray mask with integrated bent-beam electrothermal actuator for the fabrication of 3D microstructures with curved surface. The mask absorber is electroplated on the shuttle mass, which is supported by a pair of 20-m-thick single crystal silicon bent-beam electrothermal actuators and oscillated in a rectilinear direction due to the thermal expansion of the bent-beams. The width of each bent-beam is 10 m or 20 m and the length and bending angle are 1 mm and 0.1 rad, respectively, and the shuttle mass size is 1 mm × 1 mm. For 10-m-wide bent-beams, the shuttle mass displacement is around 15 m at 180 mW (3.6 V) dc input power. For 20-m-wide bent-beams, the shuttle mass displacement is around 19 m at 336 mW (4.2 V) dc input power. Sinusoidal cross-sectional PMMA microstructures with a pitch of 40 m and a height of 20 m are fabricated by 0.5 Hz, 20-m-amplitude sinusoidal shuttle mass oscillation.This research, under the contract project code MS-02-338-01, has been supported by the Intelligent Microsystem Center, which carries out one of the 21st centurys Frontier R & D Projects sponsored by the Korea Ministry of Science & Technology. Experiments at PLS were supported in part by MOST and POSCO.     

Multi-queue scheduling of two tasks

Summary Scheduling in the central server queueing model, consisting of a CPU server and m I/O servers, is considered for the case of two customers. Optimal (maximal CPU utilization) CPU and I/O schedules are obtained. The best CPU schedule depends on the I/O schedule in effect; and is either Longest or Shortest-Expected-Remaining-Processing-Time-First. However, for certain I/O schedules the CPU schedule is immaterial. The best I/O schedule is always to process the longer CPU customer first.     

Type inference with non-structural subtyping

We present an O(n³) time type inference algorithm for a type system with a largest type, a smallest type , and the usual ordering between function types. The algorithm infers type annotations of least shape, and it works equally well for recursive types. For the problem of typability, our algorithm is simpler than the one of Kozen, Palsberg, and Schwartzbach for type inferencewithout . This may be surprising, especially because the system with is strictly more powerful.     

Conditions for the Light-Traffic Insensitivity to Loss Probability in a GI/G/m/0 Queueing System

A loss queueing system GI/G/m/0 is considered. Let a(x) be a p.d.f. of interarrival intervals. Assume that this function behaves like cx^-1 for small x. Further let B(x) be a d.f. of service time; (1/) be the mean service time. Conditions are derived for the light-traffic insensitivity of the loss probability to the form of B(x) as (/ ) 0. In particular, the condition = 1 is necessary. Estimates for the loss probability are obtained.     

Stable adaptive control for a plant with randomly varying parameters

Adaptive control is considered for a two-dimensional linear discrete-time plant with randomly drifting parameters. The certainty equivalent minimum variance control law along with the projection-like identification algorithm are used. The stability of the parameter estimates and exponential stability of the closed-loop system are proved in the absence of any persistent excitation assumption.     

A geometric view of parametric linear programming

We present a new definition of optimality intervals for the parametric right-hand side linear programming (parametric RHS LP) Problem () = min{c ^t x¦Ax =b + ¯b,x 0}. We then show that an optimality interval consists either of a breakpoint or the open interval between two consecutive breakpoints of the continuous piecewise linear convex function (). As a consequence, the optimality intervals form a partition of the closed interval {; ¦()¦ < }. Based on these optimality intervals, we also introduce an algorithm for solving the parametric RHS LP problem which requires an LP solver as a subroutine. If a polynomial-time LP solver is used to implement this subroutine, we obtain a substantial improvement on the complexity of those parametric RHS LP instances which exhibit degeneracy. When the number of breakpoints of () is polynomial in terms of the size of the parametric problem, we show that the latter can be solved in polynomial time.This research was partially funded by the United States Navy-Office of Naval Research under Contract N00014-87-K-0202. Its financial support is gratefully acknowledged.     

Building Quality-of-Service Monitoring Systems for Traffic Engineering and Service Management

Deployment of quality-of-service (QoS) based value-added services in IP networks necessitates the use of traffic engineering. Traffic engineering allows service providers to use the network resources efficiently, according to the different quality levels associated with the range of services they offer. Traffic engineering relies typically on monitoring data for both offline proactive and dynamic reactive approaches. Monitoring data may be used for network provisioning, dynamic resource allocation, route management, and in-service performance verification for value-added IP services. A monitoring system should scale with the network size, the network speed, and the number of customers subscribed to use value-added IP services. This paper investigates the requirements of scalable monitoring system architectures, proposes principles for designing such systems and validates these principles through the design and implementation of a scalable monitoring system for traffic engineering and QoS delivery in IP Differentiated Services networks. Methods for assessing the relative merits of such monitoring systems are proposed. Experimental assessment results prove the scalability, accuracy, and also demonstrate the benefits of the proposed monitoring system.     

Systems of Strings with High Mutual Complexity

Consider a binary string x ₀ of Kolmogorov complexity K(x ₀) n. The question is whether there exist two strings x ₁ and x ₂ such that the approximate equalities K(x _i x _j ) n and K(x _i x _j , x _k ) n hold for all 0 i, j, k 2, i j k, i k. We prove that the answer is positive if we require the equalities to hold up to an additive term O(log K(x ₀)). It becomes negative in the case of better accuracy, namely, O(log n).     

Interval routing schemes

In this paper the problem of routing messages along shortest paths in a distributed network without using complete routing tables is considered. In particular, the complexity of deriving minimum (in terms of number of intervals) interval routing schemes is analyzed under different requirements. For all the cases considered NP-hardness proofs are given, while some approximability results are provided. Moreover, relations among the different cases considered are studied.This work was supported by the EEC ESPRIT II Basic Research Action Program under Contract No. 7141 Algorithms and Complexity II, by the EEC Human Capital and Mobility MAP project, and by the Italian MURST 40% project Algoritmi, Modelli di Calcolo e Strutture Informative.     

Complexity and computability of solutions to linear programming systems

Through key examples and constructs, exact and approximate, complexity, computability, and solution of linear programming systems are reexamined in the light of Khachian's new notion of (approximate) solution. Algorithms, basic theorems, and alternate representations are reviewed. It is shown that the Klee-Minty example hasnever been exponential for (exact) adjacent extreme point algorithms and that the Balinski-Gomory (exact) algorithm continues to be polynomial in cases where (approximate) ellipsoidal centered-cutoff algorithms (Levin, Shor, Khachian, Gacs-Lovasz) are exponential. By model approximation, both the Klee-Minty and the new J. Clausen examples are shown to be trivial (explicitly solvable) interval programming problems. A new notion of computable (approximate) solution is proposed together with ana priori regularization for linear programming systems. New polyhedral constraint contraction algorithms are proposed for approximate solution and the relevance of interval programming for good starts or exact solution is brought forth. It is concluded from all this that the imposed problem ignorance of past complexity research is deleterious to research progress on computability or efficiency of computation.This research was partly supported by Project NR047-071, ONR Contract N00014-80-C-0242, and Project NR047-021, ONR Contract N00014-75-C-0569, with the Center for Cybernetic Studies, The University of Texas at Austin.     

Interpretations of open default theories in non-monotonic logics

It is shown that the translation of an open default into a modal formula x(L(x)LM ₁ (x)...LM _m (x)w(x)) gives rise to an embedding of open default systems into non-monotonic logics.