An overview of scheduling algorithms in MIMO-based fourth-generation wireless systems

In this article an overview of the scheduling algorithms proposed for fourth-generation multiuser wireless networks based on multiple-input multiple-output technology is presented. In MIMO systems a multi-user diversity gain can be extracted by tracking the channel fluctuations between each user and the base station, and scheduling transmission for the "best" user. Based on this idea, several opportunistic scheduling schemes that attempt to improve global capacity or satisfy users with different QoS requirements have been proposed. Transmit beamforming procedures aimed at increasing the channel fluctuations have been proposed. The simultaneous exploitation of both spatial and multi-user diversity is not straightforward; however, it may be achieved by a refined selection of the "best" user. In addition, a multiple access gain can be obtained from a simple SDMA/TOMA system. Finally, several resource allocation schemes are discussed for this hybrid multiple access system.     

Tradeoff of complexity and latency of iterative decoding for orthogonal convolutional codes

The complexities and latencies of iterative belief propagation (BP) and threshold decoding techniques for a new class of convolutional self-orthogonal codes are analysed using forward-only pipeline architectures. Computer simulation results show that over the additive white Gaussian noise channel at moderate signal- to-noise ratios, BP decoding yields one half the decoding delay when compared with threshold decoding at essentially the same error performances. However, the reduction in the decoding delay using BP is obtained at the cost of an increase of the implementation complexity.     

Search and determination of convolutional self-doubly orthogonal codes for iterative threshold decoding

In this paper, we present new results on the search and determination of wide-sense convolutional self-doubly orthogonal codes (CSO/sup 2/C-WS) which can be decoded using a simple iterative threshold decoding algorithm without interleaving. For their iterative decoding, in order to ensure the independence of observables over the first two iterations without the presence of interleavers, these CSO/sup 2/C must satisfy specific orthogonal properties of their generator connections. The error performances of CSO/sup 2/C, depend essentially on the number of taps J of the code generators but not on the code memory length. Since the overall latency of the iterative threshold decoding process is proportional to the memory length of the codes, therefore, when searching for the best CSO/sup 2/C-WS of a given J value, the memory length of the codes should be chosen to be as small as possible. In this paper, we present a code-searching technique based on heuristic computer searching algorithms which have yielded the best known CSO/sup 2/C-WS. The construction method for CSO/sup 2/C-WS has provided the best known r=1/2 codes with the shortest memory length having J/spl les/30. Although not very complex to implement, the search method presented here is quite efficient especially in reducing very substantially the execution time required to determine the codes with the shortest spans. Furthermore, in addition to presenting the search results for the codes, error performances obtained by simulation are also provided.     

Sex differences in the appropriateness of supervisory styles: A nonmanagement view.

Three different supervisory styles (directive, rational, or friendly) portrayed by male vs female supervisors were rated by 30 male, average age 27.9 yrs, and 30 female, average age 27.2 yrs, nonmanagement personnel. Ss evaluated the effectiveness of, and their satisfaction with, the various styles portrayed as though they were the subordinates. The directive style was rated least favorably when it is displayed by female supervisors. Results indicate that nonmanagement employees' sex role stereotypes merit further investigation. Also, a contingency view of leadership should take into account that the sex of subordinate and of supervisor jointly suggest the appropriate supervisory style. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The moderating effect of risk on the outcomes of negotiations anticipating two forms of arbitration.

Recent observations have shown that arbitration using final-offer-selection (FOS) rules make a recourse to mediation less likely than when the initial arbitration rules are of the more conventional type. This result is not always confirmed in controlled causal research. One reason for FOS superiority, it was hypothesized, was that its use enhances perceived risks to negotiators. Thus, the 2 arbitration methods (FOS vs conventional) were contrasted under experimental conditions that orthogonally varied risk levels. 118 college students served as Ss. Results confirm that as compared to arbitration methods the risk variable is a better causal explanation of some negotiation outcomes (e.g., concession rates), but that other dependent variables (e.g., deadlock frequencies and minimal aspiration levels) are under the interactive and joint control of both factors. (French abstract) (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generalized type II hybrid ARQ scheme using punctured convolutionalcoding

A method is presented to construct rate-compatible convolutional (RCC) codes from known high-rate punctured convolutional codes, obtained from best-rate 1/2 codes. The construction method is rather simple and straightforward, and still yields good codes. Moreover, low-rate codes can be obtained without any limit on the lowest achievable code rate. Based on the RCC codes, a generalized type-II hybrid ARQ scheme, which combines the benefits of the modified type-II hybrid ARQ strategy of J. Hagenauer (1988) with the code-combining ARQ strategy of D. Chase (1985), is proposed and analyzed. With the proposed generalized type-II hybrid ARQ strategy, the throughput increases as the starting coding rage increases, and as the channel degrades, it tends to merge with the throughput of rate 1/2 type-II hybrid ARQ schemes with code combining, thus allowing the system to be flexible and adaptive to channel conditions, even under wide noise variations and severe degradations     

Analysis and performance of bidirectional decoding of convolutionalcodes over fading channels

The performance of suboptimal convolutional decoding over fading channels is explored. The suboptimal decoding algorithm used is the bidirectional algorithm. By estimating a “decoder weight spectrum” for the decoder, an “equivalent free distance” may be observed. Furthermore, by using this “decoder weight spectrum”, useful estimations of the error probabilities are obtained and compared to computer-simulation results in the case of very slow and very fast fading. The resultant curves are shown to be very tightly related. Computer-simulation results are also shown for various signal-to-noise ratios, normalized Doppler spreads, and frame length on three typical fading channels: the Rayleigh fading channel with exponential and Bessel autocorrelation functions and the Rician fading channel with exponential autocorrelation function. We show that considerable gains (up to 4 dB) can be obtained with respect to a similar-complexity Viterbi decoder at a frame error probability P_e =10^-3 and a slightly smaller gain (up to 1.8 dB) at a bit error probability P_b=10^-5     

Oxygen reduction of pre-synthesized organically capped platinum nanoparticles assembled in mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films: Evolutions with the platinum amount and leveling after fatty acid removal

Mixed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films based on crown derivatized platinum nanoparticles (NPs) and fatty acid showed a direct electrochemical activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic medium. This paper reports on the original and strong effects observed in the electrochemical response of these two-phase systems towards oxygen reduction by varying the Pt amount in the mixed LB films. The easy manipulation of pre-synthesized organically capped nanoparticles, combined with the features of the Langmuir-Blodgett technique allows good control of the platinum loading in the films. Pt loadings are set by changing the number of deposited monolayers and/or their nanoparticle density. Loading variations induce strong modifications in the voltammograms and are considered in terms of the relative weight of the two phases: platinum nanoparticles and fatty acids. We point out the strong influence of the environment of platinum nanoparticles towards their electrocatalytical behaviour. Various effects, such as electrical resistance of the nanostructures are considered. Evolution of the peak current density ratios from O₂ and [Fe(CN)₆]^3−/4− probes as a function of platinum loading in mixed films could suggest a possible change in the dominating number of electrons exchanged in the ORR. The effect of the fatty acid phase is definitely demonstrated by the leveling of the electrochemical responses after its elimination from the thin film structures. The electrochemical response is then likely governed by only the organic crown of the particles, which controls the ultimate local environment of the platinum particles. In such a situation, the optimized platinum loading is found to be 2.4 μg cm⁻².     

Sequential decoding with ARQ and code combining: a robust hybridFEC/ARQ system

Sequential decoding with ARQ (automatic-repeat-request) and code combining under the timeout condition is considered. That is, whenever the decoding time of a given packet exceeds some predetermined duration, decoding is stopped and retransmission of the packet is requested. However, the unsuccessful packets are not discarded, but are combined with their retransmitted copies. It is shown that the use of code combining allows sequential decoding to operate efficiently even when the coding rate R exceeds the computational cutoff rate R _comp. Furthermore, an analysis of the selective-repeat ARQ scheme shows that the use of code combining yields a significant throughput even at very high channel error rates, thus making the system very robust under severe degradations of the channel     

Adaptive Viterbi decoding of convolutional codes over memorylesschannels

In this paper, an adaptive decoding algorithm for convolutional codes, which is a modification of the Viterbi algorithm (VA) is presented. For a given code, the proposed algorithm yields nearly the same error performance as the VA while requiring a substantially smaller average number of computations. Unlike most of the other suboptimum algorithms, this algorithm is self-synchronizing. If the transmitted path is discarded, the adaptive Viterbi algorithm (AVA) can recover the state corresponding to the transmitted path after a few trellis depths. Using computer simulations over hard and soft 3-bit quantized additive white Gaussian noise channels, it is shown that codes with a constraint length K up to 11 can be used to improve the bit-error performance over the VA with K=7 while maintaining a similar average number of computations. Although a small variability of the computational effort is present with our algorithm, this variability is exponentially distributed, leading to a modest size of the input buffer and, hence, a small probability of overflow