Silicon compilation

Silicon compilation is a term used for many different purposes. In this paper we define silicon compilation as a mapping from some higher level description into layout. We define the basic issues in structural and behavioral silicon compilation and some possible solutions to those issues. Finally, we define the concept of an intelligent silicon compiler in which the compiler evaluates the quality of the generated design and attempts to improve it if it is not satisfactory

Loss-resilient Coding of Texture and Depth for Free-viewpoint Video Conferencing

Free-viewpoint video conferencing allows a participant to observe the remote 3D scene from any freely chosen viewpoint. An intermediate virtual viewpoint image is commonly synthesized using two pairs of transmitted texture and depth maps from two neighboring captured viewpoints via depth-image-based rendering (DIBR). To maintain high quality of synthesized images, it is imperative to contain the adverse effects of network packet losses that may arise during texture and depth video transmission. Towards this end, we develop an integrated approach that exploits the representation redundancy inherent in the multiple streamed videos a voxel in the 3D scene visible to two captured views is sampled and coded twice in the two views. In particular, at the receiver we first develop an error concealment strategy that adaptively blends corresponding pixels in the two captured views during DIBR, so that pixels from the more reliable transmitted view are weighted more heavily. We then couple it with a sender-side optimization of reference picture selection (RPS) during real-time video coding, so that blocks containing samples of voxels that are visible in both views are more error-resiliently coded in one view only, given adaptive blending will erase errors in the other view. Further, synthesized view distortion sensitivities to texture versus depth errors are analyzed, so that relative importance of texture and depth code blocks can be computed for system-wide RPS optimization. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme can outperform the use of a traditional feedback channel by up to 0.82 dB on average at 8% packet loss rate, and by as much as 3 dB for particular frames

An innovative approach based on a tree-searching algorithm for the optimal matching of independently optimum sum and difference excitations

An innovative approach for the optimal matching of independently optimum sum and difference patterns through sub-arrayed monopulse linear arrays is presented. By exploiting the relationship between the independently optimal sum and difference excitations, the set of possible solutions is considerably reduced and the synthesis problem is recast as the search of the best solution in a non-complete binary tree. Towards this end, a fast resolution algorithm that exploits the presence of elements more suitable to charge sub-array membership is presented. The results of a set of numerical experiments are reported in order to validate the proposed approach pointing out its effectiveness also in comparison with state-of-the-art optimal matching techniques. (c) 2008 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works

Tauberian theorem for value functions

For two-person dynamic zero-sum games (both discrete and continuous settings), we investigate the limit of value functions of finite horizon games with long run average cost as the time horizon tends to infinity and the limit of value functions of $\lambda$-discounted games as the discount tends to zero. We prove that the Dynamic Programming Principle for value functions directly leads to the Tauberian Theorem---that the existence of a uniform limit of the value functions for one of the families implies that the other one also uniformly converges to the same limit. No assumptions on strategies are necessary. To this end, we consider a mapping that takes each payoff to the corresponding value function and preserves the sub- and super- optimality principles (the Dynamic Programming Principle). With their aid, we obtain certain inequalities on asymptotics of sub- and super- solutions, which lead to the Tauberian Theorem. In particular, we consider the case of differential games without relying on the existence of the saddle point; a very simple stochastic game model is also considered

VSS : a VHDL synthesis system

This report describes a register transfer synthesis system that allows a designer to interact with the design process. The designer can modify the compiled design by changing the input description, selecting optimization and mapping strategies, or graphically changing the generated design schematic. The VHDL language is used for input and output descriptions. An intermediate representation which incorporates signal typing and component attributes simplifies compilation and facilitates design optimization. The compilation process consists of two phases. First, a design composed of generic components is synthesized from the input description. Second, this design is translated into components from a particular library by a mapper and optimized by a logic optimizer. Redesign to new technologies can be accomplished by changing only the component library

Unsaturated Ligands Seed an Order to Disorder Transition in Mixed Ligand Shells of CdSe/CdS Quantum Dots.

A phase transition within the ligand shell of core/shell quantum dots is studied in the prototypical system of colloidal CdSe/CdS quantum dots with a ligand shell composed of bound oleate (OA) and octadecylphosphonate (ODPA). The ligand shell composition is tuned using a ligand exchange procedure and quantified through proton NMR spectroscopy. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals a signature of a phase transition within the organic ligand shell. Surprisingly, the ligand order to disorder phase transition triggers an abrupt increase in the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) with increasing temperature. The temperature and width of the phase transition show a clear dependence on ligand shell composition, such that QDs with higher ODPA fractions have sharper phase transitions that occur at higher temperatures. In order to gain a molecular understanding of the changes in ligand ordering, Fourier transform infrared and vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopies are performed. These measurements confirm that an order/disorder transition in the ligand shell tracks with the photoluminescence changes that accompany the ligand phase transition. The phase transition is simulated through a lattice model that suggests that the ligand shell is well-mixed and does not have completely segregated domains of OA and ODPA. Furthermore, we show that the unsaturated chains of OA seed disorder within the ligand shell