Header Detection to Improve Multimedia Quality Over Wireless Networks

Wireless multimedia studies have revealed that forward error correction (FEC) on corrupted packets yields better bandwidth utilization and lower delay than retransmissions. To facilitate FEC-based recovery, corrupted packets should not be dropped so that maximum number of packets is relayed to a wireless receiver's FEC decoder. Previous studies proposed to mitigate wireless packet drops by a partial checksum that ignored payload errors. Such schemes require modifications to both transmitters and receivers, and incur packet-losses due to header errors. In this paper, we introduce a receiver-based scheme which uses the history of active multimedia sessions to detect transmitted values of corrupted packet headers, thereby improving wireless multimedia throughput. Header detection is posed as the decision-theoretic problem of multihypothesis detection of known parameters in noise. Performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated using trace-driven video simulations on an 802.11b local area network. We show that header detection with application layer FEC provides significant throughput and video quality improvements over the conventional UDP/IP/802.11 protocol stack     

Tuning of Dielectric Parameters of (NiFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>/CuTl-1223 Nano-superconductor Composites by Temperature and Frequency

Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanoparticles and Cu_0.5Tl_0.5Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O_10?δ (CuTl-1223) superconductor were prepared separately and then mixed in an appropriate ratios at the final stage to obtain (NiFe₂O₄) _x /CuTl-1223 (x = 0, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%) nano-superconductor composites. There was no significant change observed in crystal structure of the host CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix after the addition of NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. The value of zero-resistivity critical temperature { T _{c(R = 0)} (K)} was decreased with increasing content of these nanoparticles in these composites. Maximum values of dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) at lowest possible frequency of 40 Hz were increased with the increase of operating temperature, while its values were decreased and become almost zero at higher frequencies for all these samples at all operating temperatures. A peak in dielectric loss tangent was shifted towards lower frequency values with the addition of these nanoparticles in CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix. The dielectric loss tangent peak was also shifted towards lower frequency values in all these samples with increasing operating temperature, which shows the relaxator-like behavior in these samples. The dielectric parameters of these composites can be tuned by frequency, operating temperatures, and nature and content of these nanoparticles.     

6D direct-drive technology for planar motion stages

Achieving 6D direct drive motion control over long planar strokes on a single mover can greatly improve machine performance. Existing solutions are either limited to small-stroke applications (a fraction of the stage size) or require a large number of coils with enormous control complexity. This paper presents a novel 6D direct drive technology for planar stages with many advantages: (1) stroke can be on the order of several meters; (2) the number of coils increases linearly with motion range; (3) no end effects or force coupling between axes; and (4) ease of control and superior force linearity.     

Study of trajectories and combustion of fuel-oil droplets in the combustion chamber of a power-plant boiler with the use of a mathematical model

A mathematical model is developed to permit study of the behavior of fuel-oil droplets in a combustion chamber, and results are presented from a computer calculation performed for the 300-MW model TGMP-314P boiler of a power plant.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 450–458, September, 1987.     

An Effective Model for Indirect Trust Computation in Pervasive Computing Environment

The performance of indirect trust computation models (based on recommendations) can be easily compromised due to the subjective and social-based prejudice of the provided recommendations. Eradicating the influence of such recommendation remains an important and challenging issue in indirect trust computation models. An effective model for indirect trust computation is proposed which is capable of identifying dishonest recommendations. Dishonest recommendations are identified by using deviation based detecting technique. The concept of measuring the credibility of recommendation (rather than credibility of recommender) using fuzzy inference engine is also proposed to determine the influence of each honest recommendation. The proposed model has been compared with other existing evolutionary recommendation models in this field, and it is shown that the model is more accurate in measuring the trustworthiness of unknown entity.     

Ozonation of Spent Reactive Dye-Baths: Effect of HCO3?/CO32? Alkalinity

The effect of carbonate and bicarbonate alkalinity (soda ash buffer as 5,180 mg/L HCO3? alkalinity at pH 7 and as 5,100 mg/L CO32? alkalinity at pH 12) on the ozonation of reactive vinylsulphone dyestuffs in a simulated spent dye-bath has been studied at varying pHs. Adsorbable organic halogen (AOX) formation due to the high chloride content of the effluent and detoxification, which was evaluated in terms of the relative toxicity index Itox determined from the ED50 values for the marine photobacteria Vibrio fischeri, were also evaluated. Highest total organic carbon (56%), chemical oxygen demand (44%), and UV254 (77%) removals were achieved at pH 7 in the presence of HCO3? alkalinity. The fastest decolorization was observed for the case pH 2, the first order decolorization rate constant found as k620 = 0.16?min?1, closely followed by the pH 12 case with soda ash (k620 = 0.12?min?1) case. No positive correlation was evident between AOX, whose maximum value (=1.3 mg/L) appeared after 40 min ozonation at pH 7 and decreased to 0.54 mg/L after 120 min treatment, and Itox, which decreased to 0.16 at t = 50?min and increased rapidly thereafter. The Itox values were more related to color abatement kinetics. The maximum relative toxicity index of Itox = 0.83 occurred after 120 min. It was also established that the presence of alkalinity in the spent reactive dye-bath had no negative impact on the oxidation rates. In contrast, its absence seriously inhibited treatment efficiency. It is speculated that, with added soda ash, the carbonate radicals HCO3? and CO3??, which are more stable and selective than OH?, were produced and promoted the oxidation process.     

Electrorheological properties of kaolinite,polyindole, and polyindole/kaolinite composite suspensions

In this study, polyindole (PIN) and polyindole/kaolinite (PIN/KAO) composite were synthesized by free radical polymerization using FeCl₃ as an initiator. Average particle sizes (d₅₀) of PIN and PIN/KAO composite were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) as 7.2 and 6.2 μm, respectively. The samples were characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, DSC/TGA and SEM measurements. Suspensions of KAO, PIN, and PIN/KAO composite were prepared in silicone oil (SO) and the sedimentation stabilities were determined. Electrorheological (ER) properties of these suspensions were studied as a function of dispersed phase concentration, shear rate, shear stress, and temperature; and yield stresses and excess shear stresses determined. Further, dielectric properties of KAO, PIN, and PIN/KAO composite were investigated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Effects of growth rate and temperature gradient on the microstructure parameters in the directionally solidified succinonitrile–7.5 wt.% carbon tetrabromide alloy

Succinonitrile (SCN)–7.5 wt.% carbon tetrabromide (CTB) alloy was unidirectionally solidified with a constant growth rate (V = 33 μm/s) at five different temperature gradients (G = 4.1–7.6 K/mm) and with a constant temperature gradient (G = 7.6 K/mm) at five different growth rates (V = 7.2–116.7 μm/s). The primary dendrite arm spacings, secondary dendrite arm spacings, dendrite tip radius and mushy zone depths were measured. Theoretical models for the microstructure parameters have been compared with the experimental observations, and a comparison of our results with the current theoretical models and previous experimental results have also been made.     

Equalization for discrete multitone transceivers to maximize bitrate

In a discrete multitone receiver, a time-domain equalizer (TEQ) reduces the intersymbol interference (ISI) by shortening the effective duration of the channel impulse response. Current TEQ design methods such as the minimum mean-squared error (MMSE), maximum shortening SNR (MSSNR), and maximum geometric SNR (MGSNR) do not directly maximize bit rate. We develop two TEQ design methods to maximize the bit rate. First, we partition an equalized multicarrier channel into its equivalent signal, noise, and ISI paths to develop a new subchannel SNR definition. Then, we derive a nonlinear function of TEQ taps that measures the bit rate, which the proposed maximum bit rate (MBR) method optimizes. We also propose a minimum-ISI method that generalizes the MSSNR method by weighting the ISI in the frequency domain to obtain higher performance. The minimum-ISI method is amenable to real-time implementation on a fixed-point digital signal processor. Based on simulations using eight different carrier-serving-area loop channels, (1) the proposed methods yield higher bit rates than MMSE, MGSNR, and MSSNR methods; (2) the proposed methods give three-tap TEQs with higher bit rates than 17-tap MMSE, MGSNR, and MSSNR TEQs; (3) the proposed MBR method achieves the channel capacity (as computed by the matched filter bound using the proposed subchannel SNR model) with a five-tap TEQ; and (4) the proposed minimum-ISI method achieves the bit rate of the optimal MBR method