A Calibrated Time Domain Envelope Measurement System for the Behavioral Modeling of Power Amplifiers

This paper presents a set-up which enables the generation and the calibrated time domain measurements of complex envelopes of modulated signals at both ports of non linear microwave power amplifiers. The architecture of the characterization tool is given. Examples of error corrected time domain envelopes at the input / output RF ports of a 36 dBm output power – 30dB power gain L-band SSPA are shown. Futhermore, the use of this characterization tool and a suitable processing of measurement data are applied to a novel measurement based behavioral modeling approach of non linear devices accounting for memory effects

On adaptive frequency hopping to combat coexistence interference between bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b with practical resource constraints

In contrast to traditional frequency hopping techniques, Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) is a low cost and low power solution to avoid interference dynamically. While each AFH algorithm proposed previously is shown to be efficient, a detailed performance analysis of various AFH mechanisms under realistic resource constraints is yet to be done. In particular, based on our performance study on Bluetooth systems presented in this paper, we have found that the AFH mechanism adopted by IEEE 802.15 Task Group 2 (TG2) is very sensitive to memory and power limitations. We then propose a novel Interference Source Oriented Adaptive Frequency Hopping (ISOAFH) approach based on a cross-layer design, in which the baseband layer of Bluetooth considers not only the instantaneous channels condition but also the physical layer transmission characteristics of potential interference sources in determining the hop sequence. In our simulations using detailed MATLAB Simulink modeling, we find that our proposed method is much more robust in that it is insensitive to memory and energy constraints. Indeed, our approach generally achieves a lower collision rate and higher ISM spectrum utilization.published_or_final_versio

The Mechanics of Embodiment: A Dialogue on Embodiment and Computational Modeling

Embodied theories are increasingly challenging traditional views of cognition by arguing that conceptual representations that constitute our knowledge are grounded in sensory and motor experiences, and processed at this sensorimotor level, rather than being represented and processed abstractly in an amodal conceptual system. Given the established empirical foundation, and the relatively underspecified theories to date, many researchers are extremely interested in embodied cognition but are clamouring for more mechanistic implementations. What is needed at this stage is a push toward explicit computational models that implement sensory-motor grounding as intrinsic to cognitive processes. In this article, six authors from varying backgrounds and approaches address issues concerning the construction of embodied computational models, and illustrate what they view as the critical current and next steps toward mechanistic theories of embodiment. The first part has the form of a dialogue between two fictional characters: Ernest, the �experimenter�, and Mary, the �computational modeller�. The dialogue consists of an interactive sequence of questions, requests for clarification, challenges, and (tentative) answers, and touches the most important aspects of grounded theories that should inform computational modeling and, conversely, the impact that computational modeling could have on embodied theories. The second part of the article discusses the most important open challenges for embodied computational modelling

Entire domain basis function expansion of the differential surface admittance for efficient broadband characterization of lossy interconnects

This article presents a full-wave method to characterize lossy conductors in an interconnect setting. To this end, a novel and accurate differential surface admittance operator for cuboids based on entire domain basis functions is formulated. By combining this new operator with the augmented electric field integral equation, a comprehensive broadband characterization is obtained. Compared with the state of the art in differential surface admittance operator modeling, we prove the accuracy and improved speed of the novel formulation. Additional examples support these conclusions by comparing the results with commerical software tools and with measurements