A decision-based framework for comparing hardware compilers

This paper argues that “hardware compilers” (broadly construed as systems that automate any part of the VLSI design process) should be classified not simply by their input and output languages, but by how they treat the various kinds of decisions made in the design process. It examines several aspects of decision making and attempts to classify some hardware compiler efforts with respect to this framework.     

Reusing knowledge in embedded systems modelling

Model‐based design is a promising technique to improve the quality of software and the efficiency of the software development process. We are investigating how to efficiently model embedded software and its environment to verify the requirements for the system controlled by the software. The software environment consists of mechanical, electrical and other parts; modelling it involves learning how these parts work, deciding what is relevant to model and how to model it. It is not possible to fully automate these steps. There are general guidelines, but given that every modelling problem differs, much is left to the modeller's own preference, background and experience. Still, when the next generation of a system is designed, the new system will have common elements with its previous version. Therefore, lessons learned from the current model could inform future models. We propose a framework for identifying the non‐formal elements of knowledge, insights and a model itself, which can support modelling of the next system generation. We will present the application of our framework on an action research case – modelling mechanical parts of a paper‐inserting machine.     

Integrating model-based optimization and program transformation to generate efficient parallel programs

The paper gives an overview on the DSPL programming environment, an integrated approach to automate system design and implementation of applications run on dedicated parallel systems. The programming environment consists of a data-flow language and an integrated set of tools. The tools automatically derive a software model from the given application program. Based on the model, the design decisions as the network topology, the task mapping and schedule as well as the optimal use of buffers are computed. Finally, the design decisions are automatically implemented by transforming the application program in executable code for the chosen processor network. The DSPL programming environment integrates model-based optimization techniques and program transformation techniques. The integration allows to include new aspects in the optimization process. Especially optimizations crucial to the semantics of the program can be included. The most important examples of such optimizations are the enforcement of the schedule in case of data-dependent execution of tasks and the transformation of buffered communication to unbuffered communication. Both aspects are crucial to the generation of efficient parallel implementations. The integration of the two aspects is supported by a formal framework. This allows to formally prove the correctness of the program optimizations performed by the programming environment.     

V-Market: A framework for agent e-commerce systems

Software agent technology is still an emerging technology, and as such, agent based software design is still in its infancy. Software agents have just started to be used in the e-commerce domain, and they are already beginning to create a series of new possibilities for this arena. Agents can be used to automate, as well as to enhance many stages of the traditional consumer-buying behavior process. This paper proposes a software engineering approach to the design of agent mediated e-commerce systems, through the definition of an object-oriented framework. The paper presents the underlying concepts, and the architecture of the environment, showing how it allows developers to customize virtual marketplaces, and to define transaction categories on demand, incorporating many possible products and services that can be traded online. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Enhancing general-purpose tools with multi-state previewing capabilities

General-purpose design tools can be applied to a wide variety of design problems, but the large number of unique states they are able to produce makes it difficult to find results most relevant to a specific design problem. Current interfaces exacerbate this problem by offering only a single preview of one potential future state. We introduce multi-state previewing tools to facilitate the process of generating, displaying, navigating, and evaluating multiple, potential future states simultaneously. Multi-state previewing tools specifically encode and automate higher-level design practices, such as exploring multiple alternatives, better aligning computer-based tools with design. In this paper, we synthesize a framework for this class of tools by combining and generalizing existing instantiations, then show how this framework can be used to guide the design, implementation, and further research of these tools.     

基于网络的新型计算机考试系统

在概念计算机考试现状的基础上,介绍了一种基于网络的具有主观题自动出题自动阅卷功能的新型计算机考试系统,该系统实现了从出题到考试到判卷的整个过程均由计算机完成,对系统的结构,基本功能和实现方案作了介绍,论述了其自动出题和自动阅卷功能的实现策略,并以Windows95/98和MsOffice模块为例,说明了自动阅卷的具体实现。     

Design and implementation of an agent-based collaborative product design system

The evolution of computer science and technology has brought new opportunities for multidisciplinary designers and engineers to collaborate with each other in a concurrent and coordinated manner. The development of computational agents with unified data structures and software protocols contributes to the establishment of a new way of working in collaborative design, which is increasingly becoming an international practice. In this paper, based on the analysis of the dynamic nature of collaborative design process, a new framework for collaborative design is described. This framework adopts an agent-based approach and relocates designers, managers, systems, and the supporting agents in a unified knowledge representation scheme for product design. In order to model the constantly evolving design process and the rationales resulted from design collaboration, a Collaborative Product Data Model (CPDM) and a constraint-based Collaborative Design Process Model (CDPM) are proposed to facilitate the management and coordination of the collaborative design process as well as design knowledge management. A prototype system of the proposed framework is implemented and its feasibility is evaluated using a real design scenario whose objective is designing a set of dining table and chairs.     

Negotiation within a multi-agent system for the collaborative design of light industrial buildings

This paper is a review of intelligent agents with respect to their use within the Agent-Based Support for The Collaborative Design of Light Industrial Buildings (ADLIB) project. In the ADLIB project, the core objective is to develop a multi-agent system (MAS) framework for the representation of activities and processes involved in collaborative design of light industrial buildings. This includes the planning and fabrication of steel structural components. ADLIB intelligent agents are concerned with modelling action and knowledge in a collaborative environment. The design process that ADLIB's agents are trying to automate is the interaction and negotiation between specialist design team members. Each team member with a different area of expertise will be primarily concerned with his own area of interest. This paper starts with an introduction to intelligent agents. It then moves on to a discussion of agent classification systems and negotiation theories and their applications in MAS. The last section analyses the needs of agents within the ADLIB project. A negotiation protocol and strategy are then presented.     

Automated framework for classification and selection of software design patterns

Though, Unified Modeling Language (UML), Ontology, and Text categorization approaches have been used to automate the classification and selection of design pattern(s). However, there are certain issues such as time and effort for formal specification of new patterns, system context-awareness, and lack of knowledge which needs to be addressed. We propose a framework (i.e. Three-phase method) to discuss these issues, which can aid novice developers to organize and select the correct design pattern(s) for a given design problem in a systematic way. Subsequently, we propose an evaluation model to gauge the efficacy of the proposed framework via certain unsupervised learning techniques. We performed three case studies to describe the working procedure of the proposed framework in the context of three widely used design pattern catalogs and 103 design problems. We find the significant results of Fuzzy c-means and Partition Around Medoids (PAM) as compared to other unsupervised learning techniques. The promising results encourage the applicability of the proposed framework in terms of design patterns organization and selection with respect to a given design problem.     

基于组件式GIS的土地变更管理信息系统的设计与实现——以龙海市土地管理信息系统为例

采用组件式GIS进行二次开发是新一代的土地利用管理信息系统普遍采用开发模式。该文以福建省龙海市土地管理信息系统(LandGIS)为例,论述以土地变更管理为核心业务的组件式GIS业务系统的设计和应用,重点介绍系统功能和系统体系结构、系统的数据组织和结构,以及在统一建模语言(UML)支持下的重要功能模块的软件过程模型和内容。最后给出系统的实现结果和用户界面。     

Algebra of Systems: A Metalanguage for Model Synthesis and Evaluation

This paper represents system models as algebraic entities and formulates model transformation activities as algebraic operations. We call this modeling framework ldquoalgebra of systemsrdquo (AoS). To show that AoS can automate complex model reasoning tasks in system design projects, we implemented the abstract algebraic specification as an executable metalanguage named object-process network, which serves as a tool for automatic model transformation, enumeration, and evaluation. A case study of the Apollo lunar landing mission design is developed using this algebraic modeling approach.     

QFD-based expert system for non-traditional machining processes selection

Selection of an optimal non-traditional machining (NTM) process for generating a desired feature on a given material requires the consideration of several factors among which the type of the workpiece material and shape to be machined are the most significant ones. This paper presents a quality function deployment (QFD) based methodology to ease out the optimal NTM process selection procedure. It includes the design of a QFD-based expert system that can automate the decision making process with the help of graphical user interfaces and visual aids. The developed expert system employs the use of a house of quality (HOQ) matrix for comparison of the relevant product and process characteristics. The weights obtained for various process characteristics are utilized to estimate an overall score for each of the NTM processes. Finally, if some of the NTM processes satisfy certain critical criteria, they are again compared with each other on the basis of their overall scores and the process having the maximum score is selected as the optimal choice.     

基于软件总线CAD软件体系结构研究

针对几种传统CAD软件体系结构模型存在的问题，在分析了软件总线的基本特点之后，将软件总线的概念引人到CAD软件体系结构中，提出了一种基于软件总线的CAD系统架构，并从系统设计和开发的角度，详细分析了各个组成部分及其功能．结合KerenCAD软件开发过程中的实际情况，利用KerenCAD中的视图、文档和主框架等基本组成元素进一步阐述了这种新型CAD软件的体系结构．     

An Information Theory framework for two-stage binary image operator design

The design of translation invariant and locally defined binary image operators over large windows is made difficult by decreased statistical precision and increased training time. We present a complete framework for the application of stacked design, a recently proposed technique to create two-stage operators that circumvents that difficulty. We propose a novel algorithm, based on Information Theory, to find groups of pixels that should be used together to predict the output value. We employ this algorithm to automate the process of creating a set of first-level operators that are later combined in a global operator. We also propose a principled way to guide this combination, by using feature selection and model comparison. Experimental results show that the proposed framework leads to better results than single stage design.     

An integrated NMT-based CAE environment — Part II: Applications to automated gating plan synthesis for injection molding

The focus of this paper is on the application of the integrated non-manifold-topology-based CAE environment described in the companion paper (Part I). The need for both a geometry-based and a feature-based environment is illustrated through the application of the features modeling utility to automate the procedure for injection mold design and, more specifically, gating design. The gating plan synthesis system described in this paper automatically determines an initial gating configuration based on a features representation of the part and a knowledge-base that captures some of the design rules used in practice. The Features Modeling Utility (FMU), a Topology And Geometry Utility System (TAGUS) and an automatic mesh generator, OCTREE, are used to identify and query features and to perform geometric reasoning about the part. The methodology used, implementation details and examples of test cases are presented.     

太阳能光伏电池测试系统硬件电路设计

设计了一种低成本、高可靠性和高灵活性的光伏电池测试系统的硬件测试电路,论述了硬件电路的设计方案、模块划分和相应电路的具体实现,为今后开发出能满足实际需要的光伏电池测试系统搭建了一个框架和系统平台。     

基于Silverlight的危废车辆实时监控系统

为了满足危险废物全过程管理的要求,提出了建设"危废车辆实时监控系统"的设计方案,详细阐述了基于Silver-light技术的原型系统的整体框架、功能设计以及关键功能模块的具体实现。试运行结果表明,系统实现了对危险废物运输车辆的实时监控和可视化管理,能够有效弥补危险废物全过程管理的薄弱环节,降低危险废物运输过程中安全事故的发生。采用Silverlight技术开发的系统,具有界面元素更加丰富、增强用户体验、更好的用户友好性和交互性的特点。     

Design of a fuzzy controller in mobile robotics using genetic algorithms

The design of fuzzy controllers for the implementation of behaviors in mobile robotics is a complex and highly time-consuming task. The use of machine learning techniques, such as evolutionary algorithms or artificial neural networks for the learning of these controllers allows to automate the design process. In this paper, the automated design of a fuzzy controller using genetic algorithms for the implementation of the wall-following behavior in a mobile robot is described. The algorithm is based on the Iterative Rule Learning (IRL) approach, and a parameter (δ) is defined with the aim of selecting the relation between the number of rules and the quality and accuracy of the controller. The designer has to define the universe of discourse and the precision of each variable, and also the scoring function. No restrictions are placed neither in the number of linguistic labels nor in the values that define the membership functions.