Direction finding receiver for UWB impulse radio signal in multipath environment

In this paper, we propose a direction finding (DF) receiver for ultra wideband impulse radio (UWB‐IR) signal in a realistic multipath environment. The receiver uses an array of antenna, where each antenna is connected to a proposed propagation‐delay estimation structure. The advantage of the proposed structure is that it outputs a trapezoidal signal whose amplitude reflects the propagation delay and thus relaxes the sampling rate requirement of the analog‐to‐digital‐converter (ADC). The angle‐of‐arrival (AOA) is estimated from the vector of propagation delays measured with respect to reference antenna. Because these estimated delays contain outliers, we propose a simple AOA estimation algorithm based on minimum fractional‐distance search. Experimental results based on simulation show that the proposed DF receiver achieves better performance compared with the minimum ?₁‐ and ?₂‐based (least‐squares based) distance search. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Design and Construction of a Movable Image-Based Rendering System and Its Application to Multiview Conferencing

Image-based rendering (IBR) is an promising technology for rendering photo-realistic views of scenes from a collection of densely sampled images or videos. It provides a framework for developing revolutionary virtual reality and immersive viewing systems. While there has been considerable progress recently in the capturing, storage and transmission of image-based representations, most multiple camera systems are designed to be stationary and hence their ability to cope with moving objects and dynamic environment is somewhat limited. This paper studies the design and construction of a movable image-based rendering system based on a class of dynamic representations called plenoptic videos, its associated video processing algorithms and an application to multiview audio-visual conferencing. It is constructed by mounting a linear array of 8 video cameras on an electrically controllable wheel chair and its motion is controllable manually or remotely through wireless LAN by means of additional hardware circuitry. We also developed a real-time object tracking algorithm and utilize the motion information computed to adjust continuously the azimuth or rotation angle of the movable IBR system in order to cope with a given moving object in a large environment. Due to imperfection in tracking and mechanical vibration encountered in movable systems, the videos may appear very shaky and a new video stabilization technique is proposed to overcome this problem. The usefulness of the system is illustrated by means of a multiview conferencing application using a multiview TV display. Through this pilot study, we hope to disseminate useful experience for the design and construction of movable IBR systems with improved viewing freedom and ability to cope with moving object in a large environment.     

Optimization of Fiber Bragg Gratings Using a Hybrid Optimization Algorithm

A new hybrid optimization algorithm is proposed for the design of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with complex characteristics. The hybrid algorithm is a two-tier search that employs a global optimization algorithm (i.e., the staged continuous tabu search (SCTS) algorithm) and a local optimization method (i.e., the quasi-Newton method). First, the SCTS global optimization algorithm is used to find a "promising" FBG structure that has a spectral response as close as possible to the targeted spectral response. Then, a local optimization method, namely, the quasi- Newton method, is applied to further optimize the promising FBG structure obtained from the SCTS algorithm to arrive at a targeted spectral response. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, the design and fabrication of an optical bandpass filter are presented.     

Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanotips Grown on GaN Using Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

ZnO nanotips are grown on epitaxial GaN/c-sapphire templates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies indicate that the epitaxial relationship between ZnO nanotips and the GaN layer is (0002)ZnO||(0002)GaN and (101̄0)ZnO||(101̄0)GaN. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra have been measured. Sharp free exciton and donor-bound exciton peaks are observed at 4.4 K with photon energies of 3.380 eV, 3.369 eV, and 3.364 eV, confirming high optical quality of ZnO nanotips. Free exciton emission dominates at temperatures above 50 K. The thermal dissociation of these bound excitons forms free excitons and neutral donors. The thermal activation energies of the bound excitons at 3.369 eV and 3.364 eV are 11 meV and 16 meV, respectively. Temperature-dependent free A exciton peak emission is fitted to the Varshni’s equation to study the variation of energy bandgap versus temperature.     

T-Ray Sensing and Imaging

T-ray wavelengths are long enough to pass through dry, nonpolar objects opaque at visible wavelengths, but short enough to be manipulated by optical components to form an image. Sensing in this band potentially provides advantages in a number of areas of interest to security and defense such as screening of personnel for hidden objects and the retection of chemical and biological agents. Several private companies are developing smaller, reliable cheaper systems allowing for commercialization and this motivates us to review a number of promising applications within this paper. While there are a number of challenges to be overcome there is little doubt that T-ray technology will play a significant role in the near future for advancement of security, public health, and defense.     

Fabrication of porous ZnO via electrochemical etching using 10 wt% potassium hydroxide solution

We described the fabrication of porous ZnO using the electrochemical etching method. ZnO thin films deposited by radiofrequency sputtering were etched electrochemically using 10 wt% KOH solution as an etching medium to obtain porous ZnO surface structure. A constant voltage of 15 V was applied to enhance the etching process. The etched samples were then characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to examine their structural and optical properties. XRD spectra showed that by performing the electrochemical etching process, porous ZnO could be obtained without severely deteriorating the crystallinity of the samples. Moreover, SEM characterization revealed that hillock-type porous ZnO was fabricated successfully. In addition, the cross-sectional SEM images revealed that there were only minimal changes in the layer thickness after the ZnO had been etched for various lengths of time. This finding shows the dominance of the vertical etching process. Notably, the intensity of PL spectra increased and the PL excitation peak exhibited a red shift trend as the etching time increased. These observations are due to the increase of the surface to volume ratio of the ZnO surface and the strain relaxation along the dislocation and grain boundary.     

An interference suppression scheme with joint channel-dataestimation

This paper describes an adaptive space-time receiver with joint channel-data estimation (JCDE) to combat time-varying (TV) multipath channels in the presence of undesired cochannel interference (CCI). The receiver uses a colored Gaussian metric for sequence detection in order to suppress the CCI. The proposed scheme also uses the knowledge of the transmit filter for improved channel estimation to enhance performance. The algorithm is derived as a quasi-Newton scheme on a chosen cost criterion and is also locally convergent. The performance of this class of interference cancellers is examined through the pairwise error probability (PEP). Through these expressions we gain insight into the properties of the canceller. The effect of channel dynamics and identification mismatch on the PEP is also examined. To reduce implementational complexity, a hybrid delayed-decision feedback and JCDE scheme is also proposed. The performance is illustrated using numerical results in realistic transmission environments     

A DS-CDMA system using despreading sequences weighted by adjustablechip waveforms

This paper evaluates the performance of a direct-sequence code-division multiple-access system using coherent receivers in which the despreading sequences are weighted by adjustable chip waveforms. The chip weighting waveforms under consideration are designed for multiple-access interference (MAI) rejection. Assuming that the received chip waveforms are rectangular, new expressions for the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the decision variable are derived when different weighted despreading sequences (WDSs) are used in the receiver. The novelty of the derived expressions is that each of the expressions, when the system parameters are given, is determined only by one parameter of the adjustable chip waveforms employed. As a result, we can simply tune the parameter to its optimal value in real-time for MAI rejection without knowing the other users' spreading codes, timing, and phase. The criterion for tuning the parameter is to maximize the SINR of the decision variable based on the relative strength between the additive Gaussian white noise and the MAI. Numerical results show that when the multiple-access interference is significant, the receivers using WDSs outperform significantly the conventional receiver using a rectangular despreading sequence. Brief analysis for bandlimited spreading signals is also provided to reveal the practical implications of the proposed technique     

Robust beamforming in cognitive radio

This letter considers the multi-antenna cognitive radio (CR) network, which has a single secondary user (SU) and coexists with a primary network of multiple users. Our objective is to maximize the service probability of the SU, subject to the interference constraints on the primary users (PUs) in the form of probability. Exploiting imperfect channel state information (CSI), with its error modeled by added Gaussian noise, we address the optimization for the beamforming weights at the secondary transmitter. In particular, this letter devises an iterative algorithm that can efficiently obtain the robust optimal beamforming solution. For the case with one PU, we show that a much simpler algorithm based on a closed-form solution for the antenna weights of a given power can be presented. Numerical results reveal that the optimal solution for the constructed problem provides an effective means to tradeoff the performance between the PUs and the SU, bridging the non-robust and worstcase based systems.     

Strange chaotic attractor crowding in boost converter model

A set of chaotic attractors is observed on a boost converter model. The union of their Poincare maps is strange. The attractors are densely packed such that they are sensitive to initial conditions. However every attractor in the set is stable with a finite (may be long) period