11,814 research outputs found
Precision packet-based frequency transfer based on oversampling
Frequency synchronization of a distributed measurement system requires the transfer of an accurate frequency reference to all nodes. The use of a general-purpose packet-based network for this aim is analyzed in this paper, where oversampling is considered as a means to counter the effects of packet delay variation on time accuracy. A comprehensive analysis that includes the stability of the local clock is presented and shows that frequency transfer through a packet network of this kind is feasible, with an accuracy level that can be of interest to a number of distributed measurement applications
Fundamentals of Large Sensor Networks: Connectivity, Capacity, Clocks and Computation
Sensor networks potentially feature large numbers of nodes that can sense
their environment over time, communicate with each other over a wireless
network, and process information. They differ from data networks in that the
network as a whole may be designed for a specific application. We study the
theoretical foundations of such large scale sensor networks, addressing four
fundamental issues- connectivity, capacity, clocks and function computation.
To begin with, a sensor network must be connected so that information can
indeed be exchanged between nodes. The connectivity graph of an ad-hoc network
is modeled as a random graph and the critical range for asymptotic connectivity
is determined, as well as the critical number of neighbors that a node needs to
connect to. Next, given connectivity, we address the issue of how much data can
be transported over the sensor network. We present fundamental bounds on
capacity under several models, as well as architectural implications for how
wireless communication should be organized.
Temporal information is important both for the applications of sensor
networks as well as their operation.We present fundamental bounds on the
synchronizability of clocks in networks, and also present and analyze
algorithms for clock synchronization. Finally we turn to the issue of gathering
relevant information, that sensor networks are designed to do. One needs to
study optimal strategies for in-network aggregation of data, in order to
reliably compute a composite function of sensor measurements, as well as the
complexity of doing so. We address the issue of how such computation can be
performed efficiently in a sensor network and the algorithms for doing so, for
some classes of functions.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, Submitted to the Proceedings of the IEE
Optimal cellular mobility for synchronization arising from the gradual recovery of intercellular interactions
Cell movement and intercellular signaling occur simultaneously during the
development of tissues, but little is known about how movement affects
signaling. Previous theoretical studies have shown that faster moving cells
favor synchronization across a population of locally coupled genetic
oscillators. An important assumption in these studies is that cells can
immediately interact with their new neighbors after arriving at a new location.
However, intercellular interactions in cellular systems may need some time to
become fully established. How movement affects synchronization in this
situation has not been examined. Here we develop a coupled phase oscillator
model in which we consider cell movement and the gradual recovery of
intercellular coupling experienced by a cell after movement, characterized by a
moving rate and a coupling recovery rate respectively. We find (1) an optimal
moving rate for synchronization, and (2) a critical moving rate above which
achieving synchronization is not possible. These results indicate that the
extent to which movement enhances synchrony is limited by a gradual recovery of
coupling. These findings suggest that the ratio of time scales of movement and
signaling recovery is critical for information transfer between moving cells.Comment: 18 single column pages + 1 table + 5 figures + Supporting Informatio
Asynchronous techniques for system-on-chip design
SoC design will require asynchronous techniques as the large parameter variations across the chip will make it impossible to control delays in clock networks and other global signals efficiently. Initially, SoCs will be globally asynchronous and locally synchronous (GALS). But the complexity of the numerous asynchronous/synchronous interfaces required in a GALS will eventually lead to entirely asynchronous solutions. This paper introduces the main design principles, methods, and building blocks for asynchronous VLSI systems, with an emphasis on communication and synchronization. Asynchronous circuits with the only delay assumption of isochronic forks are called quasi-delay-insensitive (QDI). QDI is used in the paper as the basis for asynchronous logic. The paper discusses asynchronous handshake protocols for communication and the notion of validity/neutrality tests, and completion tree. Basic building blocks for sequencing, storage, function evaluation, and buses are described, and two alternative methods for the implementation of an arbitrary computation are explained. Issues of arbitration, and synchronization play an important role in complex distributed systems and especially in GALS. The two main asynchronous/synchronous interfaces needed in GALS-one based on synchronizer, the other on stoppable clock-are described and analyzed
Symbol Synchronization for Diffusive Molecular Communication Systems
Symbol synchronization refers to the estimation of the start of a symbol
interval and is needed for reliable detection. In this paper, we develop a
symbol synchronization framework for molecular communication (MC) systems where
we consider some practical challenges which have not been addressed in the
literature yet. In particular, we take into account that in MC systems, the
transmitter may not be equipped with an internal clock and may not be able to
emit molecules with a fixed release frequency. Such restrictions hold for
practical nanotransmitters, e.g. modified cells, where the lengths of the
symbol intervals may vary due to the inherent randomness in the availability of
food and energy for molecule generation, the process for molecule production,
and the release process. To address this issue, we propose to employ two types
of molecules, one for synchronization and one for data transmission. We derive
the optimal maximum likelihood (ML) symbol synchronization scheme as a
performance upper bound. Since ML synchronization entails high complexity, we
also propose two low-complexity synchronization schemes, namely a peak
observation-based scheme and a threshold-trigger scheme, which are suitable for
MC systems with limited computational capabilities. Our simulation results
reveal the effectiveness of the proposed synchronization~schemes and suggest
that the end-to-end performance of MC systems significantly depends on the
accuracy of symbol synchronization.Comment: This paper has been accepted for presentation at IEEE International
Conference on Communications (ICC) 201
Implementation Aspects of a Transmitted-Reference UWB Receiver
In this paper, we discuss the design issues of an ultra wide band (UWB) receiver targeting a single-chip CMOS implementation for low data-rate applications like ad hoc wireless sensor networks. A non-coherent transmitted reference (TR) receiver is chosen because of its small complexity compared to other architectures. After a brief recapitulation of the UWB fundamentals and a short discussion on the major differences between coherent and non-coherent receivers, we discuss issues, challenges and possible design solutions. Several simulation results obtained by means of a behavioral model are presented, together with an analysis of the trade-off between performance and complexity in an integrated circuit implementation
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