Sharif Digital Repository

This letter addresses the problem of joint localization and clock synchronization in distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar systems. While the well-known two-stage weighted least squares (WLS) method provides an acceptable estimate of target position when a rough approximation of antennas clock parameters, the drifts and offsets, is available, its performance can degrade quickly if the level of uncertainty in these values increases. The proposed method offers a solution for synchronizing the clocks while simultaneously improving the target position estimate. The uncertainty in positions of antennas is also taken into account. The presented method is shown to be approximately... 

Isolated Word Recognition (IWR) is becoming increasingly attractive due to the improvement of speech recognition techniques. However, the accuracy of IWR suffers when large databases or words with similar pronunciation are used. The criterion for accurate speech recognition is suitable segmentation. However, the traditional method of segmentation equal segmentation does not produce the most accurate result. Furthermore, utilizing manual segmentation based on events is not possible in large databases. In this paper, we introduce an intelligent segmentation based on Hierarchical Temporal Decomposition (HTD). Based on this method, a temporal decomposition (TD) algorithm can be used to... 

The hydrodistilled oils of the aerial parts of Artemisia armeniaca and Artemisia splendens have been analyzed by a combination of GC and GC/MS. The main components of A. armeniaca were α-pinene (41.9%) and 1,8-cineole (20.6%) followed by spathulenol (6.7%) and limonene (5.6%). l,8-cineole(14.5%), germacrene D (14.3%), α-pinene (11.3%) and bicyclogermacrene (11.3%) were found to be the major constituents of A. splendens  

In this letter, an efficient estimator for 3-D target localization in distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radars using time delay (TD) and angle of arrival (AOA) measurements is proposed. First, an approximately equivalent maximum likelihood (ML) estimation problem is formulated. Then, the aforementioned ML problem is recast into a convex optimization problem for which we derive a semi closed-form solution that eventually boils down to finding the roots of certain polynomials. Using numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed estimator reaches the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) up to relatively high Gaussian measurement noise levels. Furthermore, the proposed method... 

For a given set of n colored points with k colors in the plane, we study the problem of computing the smallest color-spanning axis-parallel square. First, for a dynamic set of colored points on the real line, we propose a dynamic structure with O(log2 n) update time per insertion and deletion for maintaining the smallest color-spanning interval. Next, we use this result to compute the smallest color-spanning square. Although we show there could be Ω(kn) minimal color-spanning squares, our algorithm runs in O(nlog2 n) time and O(n) space  

We study a variant of the problem of spanning colored objects where the goal is to span colored objects with two similar regions. We dedicate our attention in this paper to the case where objects are points lying on the real line and regions are intervals. Precisely, the goal is to compute two intervals together spanning all colors. As the main ingredient of our algorithm, we first introduce a kinetic data structure to keep track of minimal intervals spanning all colors. Then we present a novel algorithm using the proposed KDS to compute a pair of intervals which together span all the colors with the property that the largest one is as small as possible. The algorithm runs in O(n2 log n)... 

Suppose n colored points with k colors in Rd are given. The Smallest Color-Spanning Ball (SCSB) is the smallest ball containing at least one point of each color. As the computation of the SCSB in Lp metric (p≥1) is time-consuming, we focus on approximately computing the SCSB in near-linear time. Initially, we propose a 3-approximation algorithm running in O(n logn) time. This algorithm is then utilized to present a (1+ε)-approximation algorithm with the running time of O((1/ε)dn logn). We improve the running time to O((1/ε)dn) using randomized techniques. Afterward, spanning colors with two balls is studied. For a special case where d=1, there is an algorithm with O(n2) time. We demonstrate... 

This letter deals with the problem of moving target localization in distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar systems using time delay (TD) and Doppler shift (DS) measurements. The proposed solution to this problem consists of two stages. In the first stage, an initial estimation of target location is obtained by solving the formulated maximum likelihood (ML) problem based on the TD measurements. In the second stage, by recognizing the obtained position estimate in the previous stage as a priori data and exploiting the DS measurements, another ML problem is formulated, which is efficiently solved via a tractable numerical method to produce a simultaneous estimation of target... 

In this article, an algebraic solution for localizing a moving target using a nonstationary multistatic radar system is proposed. By utilizing the quadruple hybrid measurement set, which consists of time delay, Doppler shift, angle of arrival, and angle rate measurements, the proposed method can estimate the target position and velocity vectors via a simple one-stage weighted least squares estimator without the need for introduction of the nuisance parameters, which enables us to locate the target with the minimum number of antennas. The proposed estimator takes the uncertainty concerned with the position and velocity of the antennas in its design. The proposed estimator is shown to be... 

In this letter, an efficient method for solving the multi-target localization problem in distributed MIMO radars is proposed. The proposed method attempts to simultaneously carry out the localization and data association tasks by formulating a mixed-integer optimization problem, which is approximated as a convex problem that can be efficiently solved with a polynomial complexity. Numerical simulations substantiate the efficacy of the proposed method. © 1997-2012 IEEE  

In this work, cristobalite crystallization and its effects on mechanical and chemical behaviour of injection moulded silica-based ceramic cores were investigated. In order to simulate casting process condition, the sintered samples at 1220 °C were also heated up to 1430 °C. Flexural strength test was carried out on both sintered and heat treated samples. Chemical resistance of the cores was evaluated by leaching the samples inside 43. wt% KOH solution at its boiling point. Phase evolution and microstructure were investigated by thermal analyses (DTA and DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). Results showed that cristobalite was... 

This paper considers the problem of digital data transmission through the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). A data modem is presented that utilizes codebooks of Speech-Like (SL) symbols to transmit data through the GSM Adaptive Multi Rate (AMR) voice codec. Using this codebook of finite alphabet, the continuous vocoder channel is modeled by a Discrete Memory less Channel (DMC). A heuristic optimization algorithm is proposed to select codebook symbols from a database of observed human speech such that the capacity of DMC is maximized. Simulation results show that the proposed data modem achieves higher data rates and lower symbol error rates compared to previously reported... 

This paper considers the problem of digital data transmission through the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) for security applications. A data modem is presented that utilizes codebooks of Speech-Like (SL) symbols to transmit data through the GSM Adaptive Multi Rate (AMR) voice codec. Using this codebook of finite alphabet, the continuous vocoder channel is modeled by a Discrete Memory less Channel (DMC). A heuristic optimization algorithm is proposed to select codebook symbols from a database of observed human speech such that the capacity of DMC is maximized. Using the DMC capacity, a lower bound on the capacity of the considered voice channel can be achived. Simulation results... 

This paper incorporates a discrete wavelet transform and a radial basis function neural network to implement a vibration-based crack-like damage identification approach to the simulated welds of chassis cross members. After finite element method modelling of a vehicle, eight acceleration sensors are placed on the chassis, and their responses are measured to the upward displacement on the excitation of two tyres while the other two tyres are fixed. Then, a discrete wavelet transform with a Daubechies 3 mother wavelet is applied to the responses of the sensors. All detail coefficients and approximation coefficients of the nine levels of the discrete wavelet transform are introduced into the... 

The rapid development and growth of cellular mobile networks in recent years has made voice channels widely available almost everywhere. On the other hand, voice dedicated channels possess properties that make them ideal options for high priority real-time secure communications. Beside these realities, information embedding has gained remarkable attention in recent years due to its potential application in multimedia security. In this regard, this study aims to propose an efficient scheme for data hiding to show the feasibility of exploiting these channels for covert communications. To this end, the authors propose new suboptimal but practical schemes based on additive and multiplicative... 

Oil trapping behavior during the pre-flush stage is critically important to evaluate the effectiveness of matrix acidizing for the oil well stimulation. In this study, the visco-capillary behavior of the two-phase flow in the pore-scale is analyzed to investigate the influence of wetting properties for a natural rock sample. A two-dimensional model, based on Cahn-Hilliard phase-field and Navier-Stokes equations, was established and solved using the finite element method. A stability phase diagram for log capillary number (Ca)-log viscosity ratio (M) was constructed and then compared with the reported experimental works. The maximum and minimum ranges of capillary number and viscosity ratio... 

Among all proposed structures for optical networks, the optical packet switching (OPS) scheme, due to its practical implementation of IPs in an optical configuration and the consequent advantages, is a prizeworthy candidate for being employed in metropolitan area network and local area network communication levels. One of the few problems frequently met using the OPS structure in the fiber-optics realm is the lack of optical buffers, thus deteriorating the system's flexibility and quality of service. For example, optical label switching networks that have been developed recently based on the generalized multiprotocol label switching protocol, profoundly suffer from this setback which is... 

For a set of colored points, a region is called color-spanning if it contains at least one point of each color. In this paper, we first consider the problem of maintaining the smallest color-spanning interval for a set of n points with k colors on the real line, such that the insertion and deletion of an arbitrary point takes O(log2 n) the worst-case time. Then, we exploit the data structure to show that there is O(n log2 n) time algorithm to compute the smallest color-spanning square for a set of n points with k colors in the plane. This is a new way to improve O(nk log n) time algorithm presented by Abellanas et al. [1] when k = !(log n). We also consider the problem of computing the... 

This paper presents results of an experimental study to evaluate a retrofit technique for strengthening shear deficient short concrete columns. In this technique a ferrocement jacket reinforced with expanded steel meshes is used for retrofitting. Six short concrete columns, including four strengthened specimens, were tested. Specimens were under a constant compressive axial force of 15% of column axial load capacity based on original concrete gross, A g, and the concrete compressive strength, fc′. Main variables were the spacing of ties in original specimens and the volume fraction of expanded metal in jackets. Original specimens failed before reaching their nominal calculated flexural... 

A novel colorimetric nanosensor is reported for the selective and sensitive determination of cysteine using magnetic-sulfur, nitrogen graphene quantum dots (Fe3O4/S, N-GQDs), and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Thus, S, N-GQDs was firstly immobilized on Fe3O4 nanoparticles through its magnetization in the presence of Fe3+ in the alkali solution. The prepared Fe3O4/S, N-GQDs were dispersed in cysteine solution resulting in its quick adsorption on the surface of the Fe3O4/S, N-GQDs through hydrogen bonding interaction. Then, Au NPs solution was added to this mixture that after a short time, the color of Au NPs changed from red to blue, the intensity of surface plasmon resonance peak of Au NPs at...