Three results on frequency assignment in linear cellular networks

In the frequency assignment problem we are given a graph representing a wireless network and a sequence of requests, where each request is associated with a vertex. Each request has two more attributes: its arrival and departure times, and it is considered active from the time of arrival to the time of departure. We want to assign frequencies to all requests so that at each time step any two active requests associated with the same or adjacent vertices use different frequencies. The objective is to minimize the number of frequencies used.We focus exclusively on the special case of the problem when the underlying graph is a linear network (path). For this case, we consider both the offline and online versions of the problem, and we present three results. First, in the incremental online case, where the requests arrive over time, but never depart, we give an algorithm with an optimal (asymptotic) competitive ratio . Second, in the general online case, where the requests arrive and depart over time, we improve the current lower bound on the (asymptotic) competitive ratio to . Third, we prove that the offline version of this problem is NP-complete.     

State feedback control of continuous-time T-S fuzzy systems via switched fuzzy controllers

This paper studies the problem of state feedback control of continuous-time T-S fuzzy systems. Switched fuzzy controllers are exploited in the control design, which are switched based on the values of membership functions, and the control scheme is an extension of the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) scheme. Sufficient conditions for designing switched state feedback controllers are obtained with meeting an H_∞ norm bound requirement and quadratic D stability constraints. It is shown that the new control design method provides less conservative results than the corresponding ones via the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) scheme. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Makespan minimization on single batch-processing machine via ant colony optimization

This paper investigates the problem of minimizing makespan on a single batch-processing machine, and the machine can process multiple jobs simultaneously. Each job is characterized by release time, processing time, and job size. We established a mixed integer programming model and proposed a valid lower bound for this problem. By introducing a definition of waste and idle space (WIS), this problem is proven to be equivalent to minimizing the WIS for the schedule. Since the problem is NP-hard, we proposed a heuristic and an ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm based on the theorems presented. A candidate list strategy and a new method to construct heuristic information were introduced for the ACO approach to achieve a satisfactory solution in a reasonable computational time. Through extensive computational experiments, appropriate ACO parameter values were chosen and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms was evaluated by solution quality and run time. The results showed that the ACO algorithm combined with the candidate list was more robust and consistently outperformed genetic algorithm (GA), CPLEX, and the other two heuristics, especially for large job instances.     

Super restricted edge connected Cartesian product graphs

An edge-cut F of a connected graph G is called a restricted edge-cut if G−F contains no isolated vertices. The minimum cardinality of all restricted edge-cuts is called the restricted edge-connectivity λ^′(G) of G. A graph G is said to be λ^′-optimal if λ^′(G)=ξ(G), where ξ(G) is the minimum edge-degree of G. A graph is said to be super-λ^′ if every minimum restricted edge-cut isolates an edge. This article gives a sufficient condition for Cartesian product graphs to be super-λ^′. Using this result, certain classes of networks which are recursively defined by the Cartesian product can be simply shown to be super-λ^′.     

Verification of reactive systems via instantiation of Parameterised Boolean Equation Systems

Verification problems for finite- and infinite-state processes, like model checking and equivalence checking, can effectively be encoded in Parameterised Boolean Equation Systems (PBESs). Solving the PBES then solves the encoded problem. The decidability of solving a PBES depends on the data sorts that occur in the PBES. We describe a pragmatic methodology for solving PBESs, viz., by attempting to instantiate them to the sub-fragment of Boolean Equation Systems (BESs). Unlike solving PBESs, solving BESs is a decidable problem. Based on instantiation, verification using PBESs can effectively be done fully automatically in most practical cases. We demonstrate this by solving several complex verification problems using a prototype implementation of our instantiation technique. In addition, practical issues concerning this implementation are addressed. Furthermore, we illustrate the effectiveness of instantiation as a transformation on PBESs when solving verification problems involving systems of infinite size.     

Super connectivity of line graphs

The super connectivity κ^′ and the super edge-connectivity λ^′ are more refined network reliability indices than connectivity κ and edge-connectivity λ. This paper shows that for a connected graph G with order at least four rather than a star and its line graph L(G), κ^′(L(G))=λ^′(G) if and only if G is not super-λ^′. As a consequence, we obtain the result of Hellwig et al. [Note on the connectivity of line graphs, Inform. Process. Lett. 91 (2004) 7] that κ(L(G))=λ^′(G). Furthermore, the authors show that the line graph of a super-λ^′ graph is super-λ if the minimum degree is at least three.     

Bounds on the OBDD-size of integer multiplication via universal hashing

Bryant [On the complexity of VLSI implementations and graph representations of boolean functions with applications to integer multiplication, IEEE Trans. Comput. 40 (1991) 205-213] has shown that any OBDD for the function MUL_n-1,n, i.e. the middle bit of the n-bit multiplication, requires at least 2^n/8 nodes. In this paper a stronger lower bound of essentially 2^n/2/61 is proven by a new technique, using a universal family of hash functions. As a consequence, one cannot hope anymore to verify e.g. 128-bit multiplication circuits using OBDD-techniques because the representation of the middle bit of such a multiplier requires more than 3·10¹⁷OBDD-nodes. Further, a first non-trivial upper bound of 7/3·2^4n/3 for the OBDD-size of MUL_n-1,n is provided.     

Three-dimensional beta shapes

The Voronoi diagram of a point set has been extensively used in various disciplines ever since it was first proposed. Its application realms have been even further extended to estimate the shape of point clouds when Edelsbrunner and Mücke introduced the concept of α-shape based on the Delaunay triangulation of a point set.In this paper, we present the theory of β-shape for a set of three-dimensional spheres as the generalization of the well-known α-shape for a set of points. The proposed β-shape fully accounts for the size differences among spheres and therefore it is more appropriate for the efficient and correct solution for applications in biological systems such as proteins.Once the Voronoi diagram of spheres is given, the corresponding β-shape can be efficiently constructed and various geometric computations on the sphere complex can be efficiently and correctly performed. It turns out that many important problems in biological systems such as proteins can be easily solved via the Voronoi diagram of atoms in proteins and β-shapes transformed from the Voronoi diagram.     

A simple and efficient method for variable ranking according to their usefulness for learning

The selection of a subset of input variables is often based on the previous construction of a ranking to order the variables according to a given criterion of relevancy. The objective is then to linearize the search, estimating the quality of subsets containing the topmost ranked variables. An algorithm devised to rank input variables according to their usefulness in the context of a learning task is presented. This algorithm is the result of a combination of simple and classical techniques, like correlation and orthogonalization, which allow the construction of a fast algorithm that also deals explicitly with redundancy. Additionally, the proposed ranker is endowed with a simple polynomial expansion of the input variables to cope with nonlinear problems. The comparison with some state-of-the-art rankers showed that this combination of simple components is able to yield high-quality rankings of input variables. The experimental validation is made on a wide range of artificial data sets and the quality of the rankings is assessed using a ROC-inspired setting, to avoid biased estimations due to any particular learning algorithm.     

Group path covering and distance two labeling of graphs

For a positive integer d, an L(d,1)-labeling f of a graph G is an assignment of integers to the vertices of G such that |f(u)−f(v)|?d if uv∈E(G), and |f(u)−f(v)|?1 if u and u are at distance two. The span of an L(d,1)-labeling f of a graph is the absolute difference between the maximum and minimum integers used by f. The L(d,1)-labeling number of G, denoted by λd,1(G), is the minimum span over all L(d,1)-labelings of G. An L^′(d,1)-labeling of a graph G is an L(d,1)-labeling of G which assigns different labels to different vertices. Denote by the L^′(d,1)-labeling number of G. Georges et al. [Discrete Math. 135 (1994) 103-111] established relationship between the L(2,1)-labeling number of a graph G and the path covering number of Gc, the complement of G. In this paper we first generalize the concept of the path covering of a graph to the t-group path covering. Then we establish the relationship between the L^′(d,1)-labeling number of a graph G and the (d−1)-group path covering number of Gc. Using this result, we prove that and for bipartite graphs G can be computed in polynomial time.     

Application of a fault detection filter to structural health monitoring

A model-based fault detection filter is developed for structural health monitoring of a simply supported beam. The structural damage represented in the plant model is shown to decompose into a known fault direction vector maintaining a fixed direction, dependent on the damage location, and an arbitrary fault magnitude representing the extent of the damage. According to detection filter theory, if damage occurs, under certain circumstances the fault will be uniquely detected and identified through an associated invariance in the direction imposed on the fault detection filter residuals. The spectral algorithm used to design the detection filter is based on a left eigenstructure assignment approach which accommodates system sensitivities that are revealed as ill-conditioned matrices formed from the eigenvectors in the construction of the detection filter gains. The detection filter is applied to data from an aluminum simply supported beam with four piezoelectric sensors and one piezoelectric actuator. By exciting the structure at the first natural frequency, damage in the form of a 5 mm saw cut made to one side of the beam is detected and localized.     

A class of aggregation functions encompassing two-dimensional OWA operators

In this paper we prove that, under suitable conditions, Atanassov’s K_α operators, which act on intervals, provide the same numerical results as OWA operators of dimension two. On one hand, this allows us to recover OWA operators from K_α operators. On the other hand, by analyzing the properties of Atanassov’s operators, we can generalize them. In this way, we introduce a class of aggregation functions - the generalized Atanassov operators - that, in particular, include two-dimensional OWA operators. We investigate under which conditions these generalized Atanassov operators satisfy some properties usually required for aggregation functions, such as bisymmetry, strictness, monotonicity, etc. We also show that if we apply these aggregation functions to interval-valued fuzzy sets, we obtain an ordered family of fuzzy sets.     

Multi-frequency disturbance rejection via blending control technique for hard disk drives

This paper is concerned with the rejection of multiple narrowband disturbances in hard disk drives (HDDs). Inspired by a control blending idea, the multi-frequency disturbance rejection is formulated as a blending control problem. Each disturbance rejection is accomplished by using the H₂ optimal control method. Based on all H₂ optimal controllers, the blending technique is applied to yield a single controller which is capable of achieving rejection of all disturbances. Rejections of two and three disturbances for a 1.8-inch HDD VCM actuator are taken as application examples in the paper. Simulation and experimental results show that the ultimate controller results in a simultaneous attenuation of disturbances with frequencies higher or lower than the closed-loop system bandwidth. Moreover, the method turns out to be able to lift phase and thus prevent phase margin loss when it is used to deal with disturbances near bandwidth.     

Model-free Q-learning designs for linear discrete-time zero-sum games with application to H-infinity control

In this paper, the optimal strategies for discrete-time linear system quadratic zero-sum games related to the H-infinity optimal control problem are solved in forward time without knowing the system dynamical matrices. The idea is to solve for an action dependent value function Q(x,u,w) of the zero-sum game instead of solving for the state dependent value function V(x) which satisfies a corresponding game algebraic Riccati equation (GARE). Since the state and actions spaces are continuous, two action networks and one critic network are used that are adaptively tuned in forward time using adaptive critic methods. The result is a Q-learning approximate dynamic programming (ADP) model-free approach that solves the zero-sum game forward in time. It is shown that the critic converges to the game value function and the action networks converge to the Nash equilibrium of the game. Proofs of convergence of the algorithm are shown. It is proven that the algorithm ends up to be a model-free iterative algorithm to solve the GARE of the linear quadratic discrete-time zero-sum game. The effectiveness of this method is shown by performing an H-infinity control autopilot design for an F-16 aircraft.     

Robust model selection with flexible trimming

The forward search provides data-driven flexible trimming of a C_p statistic for the choice of regression models that reveals the effect of outliers on model selection. An informed robust model choice follows. Even in small samples, the statistic has a null distribution indistinguishable from an F distribution. Limits on acceptable values of the C_p statistic follow. Two examples of widely differing size are discussed. A powerful graphical tool is the generalized candlestick plot, which summarizes the information on all forward searches and on the choice of models. A comparison is made with the use of M-estimation in robust model choice.     

Penalized cluster analysis with applications to family data

The goal of cluster analysis is to assign observations into clusters so that observations in the same cluster are similar in some sense. Many clustering methods have been developed in the statistical literature, but these methods are inappropriate for clustering family data, which possess intrinsic familial structure. To incorporate the familial structure, we propose a form of penalized cluster analysis with a tuning parameter controlling the tradeoff between the observation dissimilarity and the familial structure. The tuning parameter is selected based on the concept of clustering stability. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated via simulations and an application to a family study of asthma.     

Sharing secrets in stego images with authentication

Recently, Lin and Tsai and Yang et al. proposed secret image sharing schemes with steganography and authentication, which divide a secret image into the shadows and embed the produced shadows in the cover images to form the stego images so as to be transmitted to authorized recipients securely. In addition, these schemes also involve their authentication mechanisms to verify the integrity of the stego images such that the secret image can be restored correctly. Unfortunately, these schemes still have two shortcomings. One is that the weak authentication cannot well protect the integrity of the stego images, so the secret image cannot be recovered completely. The other shortcoming is that the visual quality of the stego images is not good enough. To overcome such drawbacks, in this paper, we propose a novel secret image sharing scheme combining steganography and authentication based on Chinese remainder theorem (CRT). The proposed scheme not only improves the authentication ability but also enhances the visual quality of the stego images. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme is superior to the previously existing methods.     

Improved deterministic algorithms for weighted matching and packing problems

Based on the method of (n,k)-universal sets, we present a deterministic parameterized algorithm for the weighted rd-matching problem with time complexity O^∗(4^{(r−1)k+o(k)}), improving the previous best upper bound O^∗(4^rk+o(k)). In particular, the algorithm applied to the unweighted 3d-matching problem results in a deterministic algorithm with time O^∗(16^k+o(k)), improving the previous best result O^∗(21.26^k). For the weighted r-set packing problem, we present a deterministic parameterized algorithm with time complexity O^∗(2^{(2r−1)k+o(k)}), improving the previous best result O^∗(2^2rk+o(k)). The algorithm, when applied to the unweighted 3-set packing problem, has running time O^∗(32^k+o(k)), improving the previous best result O^∗(43.62^k+o(k)). Moreover, for the weighted r-set packing and weighted rd-matching problems, we give a kernel of size O(k^r), which is the first kernelization algorithm for the problems on weighted versions.