Overlapped message passing for quasi-cyclic low-density parity check codes

In this paper, a systematic approach is proposed to develop a high throughput decoder for quasi-cyclic low-density parity check (LDPC) codes, whose parity check matrix is constructed by circularly shifted identity matrices. Based on the properties of quasi-cyclic LDPC codes, the two stages of belief propagation decoding algorithm, namely, check node update and variable node update, could be overlapped and thus the overall decoding latency is reduced. To avoid the memory access conflict, the maximum concurrency of the two stages is explored by a novel scheduling algorithm. Consequently, the decoding throughput could be increased by about twice assuming dual-port memory is available.     

Low-Energy Digit-Serial/Parallel Finite Field Multipliers

Digit-serial architectures are best suited for systems requiring moderate sample rate and where area and power consumption are critical. This paper presents a new approach for designing digit-serial/parallel finite field multipliers. This approach combines both array-type and parallel multiplication algorithms, where the digit-level array-type algorithm minimizes the latency for one multiplication operation and the parallel architecture inside of each digit cell reduces both the cycle-time as well as the switching activities, hence power consumption. By appropriately constraining the feasible primitive polynomials, the mod p(x) operation involved in finite field multiplication can be performed in a more efficient way. As a result, the computation delay and energy consumption of one finite field multiplication using the proposed digit-serial/parallel architectures are significantly less than of those obtained by folding the parallel semi-systolic multipliers. Furthermore, their energy-delay products are reduced by a even larger percentage. Therefore, the proposed digit-serial/parallel architectures are attractive for both low-energy and high-performance applications.     

A Generalized Technique for Register Counting and its Application to Cost-Optimal DSP Architecture Synthesis

In this paper we propose a generalized technique to count the required number of registers in a schedule which supports overlapped scheduling and can be applied to the case where a general digit-serial data format is used. This technique is integrated into an integer linear programming (ILP) model for time-constrained scheduling. In the ILP model, appropriate processors of certain data formats are chosen from a library of processors and data format converters are automatically inserted between processors of different data formats if necessary. Then the required number of registers for each data format is evaluated correctly by the proposed technique. Hence an optimal architecture for a given digital signal processing algorithm is synthesized where the cost of registers as well as the cost of processors and data format converters are minimized. It is shown that by including the cost of registers in the synthesis task as proposed in this paper leads to up to 12.8% savings in the total cost of the synthesized architecture when compared with synthesis performed without including the register cost in the total cost.     

Effect of graft chain length of the stabilizer on dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate in petrol

To carry out dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in petrol, we have used a poly(MMA) grafted-poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) copolymer as the stabilizer. This special copolymer was prepared as a solution in a mixture of ethyl acetate and butyl acetate solvents. We investigated the effect of graft chain length of the stabilizer on the dispersion polymerization in petrol. We synthesized the stabilizer copolymer with n = 1–4 and determined the rate and the molecular weight of the PMMA formed. There is no dispersion polymerization for n = 1. However, for any other n, for a given stabilizer concentration, as the chain length of the graft is increased, the molecular weight as well as the rate of PMMA formation increases. As opposed to this for a given graft length as the concentration of the stabilizer increases, the molecular weight of PMMA first rises, but for a larger concentration, it begins to fall after undergoing a maximum. In this work, we modeled the heterogeneity of the reaction mass and proposed a mathematical model for dispersion polymerization of MMA in petrol. The computer results are found to conform to the experimentally observed molecular weight of the PMMA. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Fuzzy logic techniques for navigation of several mobile robots

In this paper, navigation techniques for several mobile robots as many as one thousand robots using fuzzy logic are investigated in a totally unknown environment. Fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) using different membership functions are developed and used to navigate mobile robots. First a fuzzy controller has been used with four types of input members, two types of output members and three parameters each. Next two types of fuzzy controllers have been developed having same input members and output members with five parameters each. Each robot has an array of ultrasonic sensors for measuring the distances of obstacles around it and an infrared sensor for detecting the bearing of the target. These techniques have been demonstrated in various exercises, which depicts that the robots are able to avoid obstacles as well as negotiate the dead ends and reach the targets efficiently. Amongst the techniques developed, FLC having Gaussian membership function is found to be most efficient for mobile robots navigation.     

Mechanochemically assisted room temperature solid state metathesis reaction for the synthesis of MMoO4 (M = Ca, Sr and Ba)

This communication reports a novel mechanochemically assisted room temperature solid state metathesis reaction for the synthesis of submicron-size alkaline-earth molybdates crystallizing in a tetragonal Scheelite structure. The solids were characterized by powder XRD, FTIR, TGA, DTA, SEM, EDAX and TEM to ascertain their composition, phase homogeneity and morphology.     

Modelling the dynamics of design error induced rework in construction

Rework that is experienced in construction projects is often caused by errors made during the design process. Factors that contribute to design errors are identified and used to design and develop a systems dynamics model, which is used to simulate a number of practical scenarios that can be used to reduce design errors and rework. The model presented in this paper can enable design and project managers to understand better the process of design documentation and how design errors occur in construction projects.