Leslie D. Fife

Research issues for data communication in mobile ad-hoc network database systems

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANET) is an emerging area of research. Most current work is centered on routing issues. This paper discusses the issues associated with data communication with MANET database systems. While data push and data pull methods have been previously addressed in mobile networks, the proposed methods do not handle the unique requirements associated with MANET. Unlike traditional mobile networks, all nodes within the MANET are mobile and battery powered. Existing wireless algorithms and protocols are insufficient primarily because they do not consider the mobility and power requirements of both clients and servers. This paper will present some of the critical tasks facing this research.

TOUCH: a robotic vision system for underwater object tracking

TOUCH is a real-time computer vision system that has been developed in order to aid the operation of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The algorithm is based on a modified 4-connectivity approach that scans the incoming frames for a target hue range and based upon the largest connected blobs of hue, tracks an object and provides the two dimensional Cartesian coordinates of the desired object. Since few algorithms exist for tracking and recognizing objects in underwater environments, this algorithm provides a way for AUVs and ROVs to acquire, track or recognize objects by using a relatively fast and inexpensive vision system. This paper presents the details on TOUCH, its testing, some areas that warrant improvement and possible course of action for the future.

Mobile ad-hoc network data communication in large geographic areas

A mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is a group of wireless, mobile, battery-powered clients and servers that autonomously form temporary networks. Three data communication modes can be provided in a MANET: data broadcast, data query, and peer-to-peer messaging. In support of data communication needs in these networks, a database is utilized for data broadcast and data query. This paper presents the TriM protocol (tri-modal communication) to handle data communication in a MANET. TriM accommodates node disconnection and reconnection through periodic synchronization while having minimum power consumption. This protocol has been shown capable of allowing all three data communication modes in a single network deployment in small geographic regions. This paper extends those results by evaluating TriM in the larger geographic regions present in the military scenario. Simulation shows that TriM is capable of providing power-aware and mobile-aware data communication services in the larger regions of the military scenario

TriM: Tri-Modal Data Communication in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

A Mobile Ad-Hoc Network (MANET) is a group of wireless, mobile, battery-powered clients and servers that autonomously form temporary networks. Three data communication modes can be provided in a MANET, data broadcast, data query, and peer-to-peer messaging. Currently, no MANET data communication protocol provides the ability to use all MANET data communication modes. The objective of this research is to develop a MANET data communication protocol, TriM (for Tri-Modal communication), capable of providing all three data communication methods. TriM was designed to accommodate node disconnection and reconnection through periodic synchronization. Each part of the protocol has mini mum power consumption as a goal. Simulation showed TriM minimizes the a verage power consumption of servers and clients while accommodating node disconnection.

Graduate assistant usage in Oklahoma graduate computer science programs

This paper is the result of a survey sent to the graduate teaching and research assistants at three computer science departments in the State of Oklahoma. The survey was designed to determine how the students were utilized by their departments, what the students felt about their experiences as a teaching or research assistant, and how their positions have impacted their educational experience. This paper presents and discusses the results of the survey.

Feature interaction-how it works in telecommunication software

The results from feature interaction can be seen as a problem from different perspectives. The two primary perspectives are from the end users view and the application developers view. This article pursues solutions that originate from the applications designers view. Even within this view, there are different ways to approach the feature interaction problem. These solutions, in turn, have the potential to introduce new problems. Each of these views lead to different solutions to our problem. The solution to the feature interaction has three parts. First, avoid undesirable interactions whenever possible. Second, detect interactions when they occur. Finally, resolve the interactions as quickly as possible. Preferably, this final step should be automated. Feature interactions will occur in real-time, and must be handled on-the-fly for our communication networks to perform as expected by the end user.

Parameter optimization in the detection of bounded weak echo regions in meteorological radar images

The bounded weak echo region (BWER) is a radar signature associated with severe storms. The presence of a BWER within a storm could potentially aid meteorologists in the identification and classification of severe storms. The identification of BWERs is a difficult task as the characteristics are not precisely defined. Meteorologists can identify BWERs within storm cells, but the exact constraints they use are not easy to state. To assist in the identification of BWERs, a method is being developed to automatically process the huge amount of data that must be analyzed in real-time during severe storms. We propose a three step algorithm: (1) detecting candidate regions in 2-D radar sweeps by locating local reflectivity minima, (2) filtering the candidate regions by applying more complex constraints based on BWER characteristic features, and (3) fitting a 3-D model to the likely BWER locations.

DYRECT: a dynamic reconfiguration tool for multicomputer systems

In this paper we discuss the design and implementation of a tool to teach dynamic reconfiguration of multicomputer systems. DYRECT is a graphical tool used to visualize and analyze various topologies like stars, cubes, meshes, trees, and rings. Various existing reconfiguration algorithms have been incorporated as a part of DYRECTs reconfiguration library. This tool allows the user to interactively design new reconfiguration algorithms. DYRECT has been implemented on PC-DOS machines running Microsoft Windows.

Improving computer simulation through use of a graphical user interface

Historically, simulation has been performed on large mainframe and minicomputers. These computers were limited in number, expensive, and controlled by a small group of professionals highly trained in the use of these resources. These resources were often difficult to access and use; they were not user friendly. The appearance of high-speed, high-capacity desktop computers allowed an increasing number of engineers and scientists access to computers and simulators. Because these new resources were often difficult to use and the users were not highly trained, however, many of the problems associated with difficulty of use remained. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI`s) have helped solve many of the usage problems. GUI`s provide additional capabilities that increase the ability of scientists and engineers to use their computer resources. These capabilities increase the value of simulators by extending usage through increased functionality. The consistency of a well-designed family of simulator GUI`s can enhance training effectiveness by increasing familiarity with basic operations, assisting in the validation of data, and improving help facilities available to the user.