Hand waving in command spaces: a framework for operating home appliances

In this paper, hand waving in a ‘command space’ is proposed as a new framework for operating home appliances. A command space is associated with the operation of a home appliance; an operation is retrieved by waving a hand in the command space. A home appliance operation system with the function of multiplexing command space modules and integrating multiple commands is constructed. With the proposed framework and system, home appliance operation is possible only by hand waving, an intuitive gesture for a human. Experiments were conducted that verified that complex operations, such as scheduling the recording of a TV program, can be performed with the system. The usability of the constructed system is evaluated using Brooke's System Usability Scale (SUS). The average SUS score was 66.8, which indicates that the subjects had relatively positive impression on the system in spite of long operation time.     

Data metastructures

When implementing large programs, it sometimes happens that the sheer size of the problem makes it difficult to apply recommended techniques for program designs. One example of this occurs when the size and complexity of a single data structure become great. It is naturally desirable that the details of the structure remain hidden from those modules which access it. For simple data structures this poses no problem since the data structure can be maintained by a separate data structure executive (effectively a cluster or class) which is the only module concerned with the physical details of the structure. However, for data structures which require very large executive procedures for maintenance and complex data declarations, it is necessary to partition the structure into substructures, each maintained by a separate module. If this is done in a straightforward manner, it will not be possible for other program modules to access properly parts of the structure unless that module can ‘see’ the various relationships of the substructures. Data metastructures are devices which, when properly employed, allow access to all parts of a partitioned data structure without the accessing module being aware of the partition.     

Visual Tools for Natural Language Processing

We describe GATE, the General Architecture for Text Engineering, an integrated visual development environment to support the visual assembly, execution and analysis of modular natural language processing systems. The visual model is an executable data flow program graph, automatically synthesised from data dependency declarations of language processing modules. The graph is then directly executable: modules are run interactively in the graph, and results are accessible via generic text visualisation tools linked to the modules. These tools lighten the ‘cognitive load’ of viewing and comparing module results by relating data produced by modules back to the underlying text, by reducing the amount of search in examining results, and by displaying results in context. Overall, the GATE integrated visual development environment leads to rapid understanding of system behaviour and hence to rapid system refinement, therefore demonstrating the utility of visual programming and visualisation techniques for the development of natural language processing systems.     

基于电话网实现上位机与三菱PLC的远程通信

研究了基于电话网实现了上位机与FX2N系列PLC远距离通信的方法。罗列了该系列PLC的通信模式，详细介绍了该系列PLC编程器的通信协议。具体阐述了在Visual C＋＋环境下，用MSComm控件实现串口通信的方法，并给出了串口初始化代码、Modem拨号及程序代码、数据帧生成及发送的程序代码等的实现程序。为进一步实现上位机对PLC的远距离监控提供了参考。     

Talk—an interactive system for a small computer

TALK is an interactive file creation and editing system implemented on a very small computer. It provides facilities for FORTRAN syntax checking and an interactive ‘desk-calculator’. Major computing tasks are sent over a high speed link to CDC 6600/6400 computers A number of teleprinters can be controlled by TALK in the usual way, but also the card reader/line printer pair may be used as a terminal. This is useful for creating or printing large files When a user has logged in he can work in one of several modes. These include INPUT, EDIT and CALCULATE modes. It is possible to nest modes, for example, by entering CALCULATE mode while in INPUT mode without losing one's place in the input file An unusual feature of TALK is the ‘inclusion’ facility. This enables a user to specify previously filed text to be included within another file, either as the file is being created or dynamically whenever the file is used. It also gives users the ability to build up macros of commonly used commands. Many system commands are in fact macros with only simple primitives provided as executable code.     

DIALOG: A scheme for the quick and effective production of interactive applications software

DIALOG is a collection of routines, including a main ‘driver’ program, which is used by an applications programmer as the user interface to interactive applications programs. The routines handle command analysis, data input and editing, as well as processing standard commands such as HELP. DIALOG offers, with no extra effort from the applications programmer, not only a simple interface for first-time users which gives complete instruction in using the program, but also a ‘command driven’ interface for more experienced users. DIALOG permits the quick and effective production of interactive applications software by programmers with no previous experience of writing such programs. User reaction to the programs so far produced and offered as part of a university computing service has been extremely favourable.     

Static virtualization of C source code

Many existing systems are written in C and are not re‐entrant or thread safe. Sometimes these systems are required in a context for which they were not first designed, possibly meaning they now need to be re‐entrant. This article introduces a program that filters C source code, modifying shared resources (the global variables) to make the code re‐entrant: ‘virtualizing’ the code. The code is then compiled as normal. This approach allows programmatic virtualization with little cost at runtime. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A planar graph drawing program

This paper describes a program, written in FORTRAN, for a 64K I.C.L. 4130 which will accept data describing the ordering of nodes and branches within the regions of a planar graph, and generate a two-dimensional representation, without crossovers, from these data. The program was written to provide one of the basic ‘tools’ required in the development of a printed wiring board layout program for the electronics industry The program generates display code which is sent to a satellite PDP-7 computer driving a 340 display. On completion of the automatic drawing phase an interactive phase is entered in which the user can ‘tidy’ and label the drawing, by means of keyboard and light-pen commands Brief notes are included on the hardware, the data structures package (MINIJASP, derived from ASP) and the graphics package, employed.     

Dynamic compilation in the unix environment

A system for dynamic compilation under the Unix operating system is described. The basis of the system is an incremental assembler that can be used statically or during program execution to insert or replace a module in an executable image. All cross-module references are via offets into a run-time symbol table. All generated code is independent of its location or the location of the symbol table. The symbol table and all modules reside in memory segments compatible with the memory allocator malloc() . The symbol table origin is maintained in a processor register. Library procedures allow the assembler (or C compiler) to be called to alter the currently executing program, or to place a stub function which acts as a trap, so that when the stub is invoked it caues a file to be dynamically compiled into the executing program to replace the stub with a bona fide procedure. This facilitates the construction of advanced interactive environments using native code. Some example applications, to Prolog and to incremental compilation, are considered.     

Achieving Incremental Compilation through Fine-grained Builds

Traditional programming environments represent program source code as a set of source files. These files have various ‘dependencies’ on each other, such that a file needs recompilation if it depends on a file which has changed. A ‘build tool’ is used to process these dependencies and bring the application ‘up-to-date’. An example of a build tool is the UNIX ‘make’. This paper examines what happens when the dependencies used by the build tool are expressed between functions (or objects) rather than between files. Qualitative differences arise from the difference in granularity. The result is an effective incremental compilation programming environment, based on the C++ language. It is called ‘Barbados’, and is fully implemented. The environment resembles an interpreter in that changes to source code appear to be immediately reflected in all object code, except that errors are reported early as in compiled systems. Incremental compilation is not a well-used technology, possibly because the ‘fine-grain build’ problem is not well understood. Nevertheless, incremental compilation systems do exist. The advantages of the system described here are that it works with relatively standard compilation technology, it works for the C++ language including the preprocessor, it is an elegant solution and it is more efficient than competing algorithms. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

OPM/Web – Object-Process Methodology for Developing Web Applications

Web applications can be classified as hybrids between hypermedia and information systems. They have a relatively simple distributed architecture from the user viewpoint, but a complex dynamic architecture from the designer viewpoint. They need to respond to operation by an unlimited number of heterogeneously skilled users, address security and privacy concerns, access heterogeneous, up-to-date information sources, and exhibit dynamic behaviors that involve such processes as code transferring. Common system development methods can model some of these aspects, but none of them is sufficient to specify the large spectrum of Web application concepts and requirements. This paper introduces OPM/Web, an extension to the Object-Process Methodology (OPM) that satisfies the functional, structural and behavioral Web-based information system requirements. The main extensions of OPM/Web are adding properties of links to express requirements, such as those related to encryption; extending the zooming and unfolding facilities to increase modularity; cleanly separating declarations and instances of code to model code transferring; and adding global data integrity and control constraints to express dependence or temporal relations among (physically) separate modules. We present a case study that helps evaluate OPM/Web and compare it to an extension of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) for the Web application domain.     

The design of an interactive graphics system for the display of meteorological fields

We describe a computer graphics system for the display of meteorological fields (such as plots of temperature and pressure). Much of the design effort has gone into the command processor which uses the usual command format of VERB PARAMETER = VALUE … The parameter and values are defined in terms of a tree sructure and the program searches as much of the tree as is necessary to make an unambiguous indentification of a token (where such an identification is possible). Because of this, commands can generally be abbreviated to the format VERB VALUE. This shortened form is possible even when the value of the command parameter is numerical. This is achieved by always specifying the units of numerical values (such as 5 days, 24 hours, 1000 millibars, etc.). The command format allows the user to manipulate a number of fields to form derived fields such as the difference of two pressure forecasts. The use of defaults for all parameters (which change as the user requests plots), reduces the amount of typing required to a minimum. A ‘Help’ facility aids the user in his choice of commands.     

面向方面软件开发研究

系统的某些关注点横切整个系统,无法很好地封装在单个模块里,造成代码混乱和弥散,用面向方面编程AOP可以解决这些问题。首先介绍了现代软件开发方法及其产生的问题;其次,阐述了AOP的基本概念,并结合AspectC++演示了如何进行面向方面的编程;再次,描述了如何对UML扩展以支持对方面建模;然后介绍了面向方面软件开发在实时系统中的应用;最后给出了结论和未来的主要工作。     

基于GSM短消息的编码方法及其编程实现

介绍了GSM短消息的AT指令格式和基于PDU模式下的编码方法。对AT指令控制GSM无线模块的核心技术用VB代码加以了实现。这种技术对于正在建立短消息服务系统的部门将提供很大的帮助。     

基于网页平台的移动文本编辑器的设计

超文本标识语言（HTML）是设计网页软件的基础工具,配合使用内嵌JavaScript语言实现多应用模块功能的设计。文本编辑器的框架结构主要应用CSS语言格式进行外观模块组合设计,四个功能模块构成软件整体框架外形,它们具有网页应用特点和标准的国际语言文本字符编辑操作应用功能。第三个模块部分是软件的最大容器空间,使用它盛装和处理文本字符,科学符号,数字等数据,包含网页文本工具集的第二模块部分和文本编辑操作命令的第四模块部分是网页应用服务的核心设计,这些模块的功能设计是HTML5和JS的组合程序设计。软件测试是以浏览器为平台,发布对应应用功能设计屏幕截图,以助描述网页应用和文本编辑的命令操作效果。     

Throw-away compiling

A method of compiling called ‘throw-away compiling’ is presented. This combines the merits of compilation and interpretation. If enough storage is available for a program, it can be compiled in the normal way; if not, the program is stored in a concise intermediate form and compiled dynamically at run-time, making use of whatever storage is available. When this storage runs out, the previously compiled code is thrown away and the storage is re-used. The technique is specially suitable for small machines, especially those without virtual memory. The paper explains the advantages and disadvantages of throw-away compiling, and describes a project where a throw-away compiler was implemented and tested for performance.     

A simple technique for converting from a pascal shop to a C shop

We discuss a simple technique that we used for quickly converting a group of Pascal programmers into a group of C programmers. Our basic approach was to use the literal definition facility of C to make C programs ‘resemble’ Pascal programs. The approach is of interest to programmers because of its utter simplicity, and to management level personnel, familiar with Pascal but not with C, because it allows them to engage in productive code reading.