Physical and Link Layer Implications in Vehicle Ad Hoc Networks

Vehicle Ad hoc Networks (V ANET) have been proposed to provide safety on the road and deliver road traffic information and route guidance to drivers along with commercial applications. However the challenges facing V ANET are numerous. Nodes move at high speeds, road side units and basestations are scarce, the topology is constrained by the road geometry and changes rapidly, and the number of nodes peaks suddenly in traffic jams. In this thesis we investigate the physical and link layers of V ANET and propose methods to achieve high data rates and high throughput. For the physical layer, we examine the use of Vertical BLAST (VB LAST) systems as they provide higher capacities than single antenna systems in rich fading environments. To study the applicability of VB LAST to VANET, a channel model was developed and verified using measurement data available in the literature. For no to medium line of sight, VBLAST systems provide high data rates. However the performance drops as the line of sight strength increases due to the correlation between the antennas. Moreover, the performance of VBLAST with training based channel estimation drops as the speed increases since the channel response changes rapidly. To update the channel state information matrix at the receiver, a channel tracking algorithm for flat fading channels was developed. The algorithm updates the channel matrix thus reducing the mean square error of the estimation and improving the bit error rate (BER). The analysis of VBLAST-OFDM systems showed they experience an error floor due to inter-carrier interference (lCI) which increases with speed, number of antennas transmitting and number of subcarriers used. The update algorithm was extended to VBLAST -OFDM systems and it showed improvements in BER performance but still experienced an error floor. An algorithm to equalise the ICI contribution of adjacent subcarriers was then developed and evaluated. The ICI equalisation algorithm reduces the error floor in BER as more subcarriers are equalised at the expense of more hardware complexity. The connectivity of V ANET was investigated and it was found that for single lane roads, car densities of 7 cars per communication range are sufficient to achieve high connectivity within the city whereas 12 cars per communication range are required for highways. Multilane roads require higher densities since cars tend to cluster in groups. Junctions and turns have lower connectivity than straight roads due to disconnections at the turns. Although higher densities improve the connectivity and, hence, the performance of the network layer, it leads to poor performance at the link layer. The IEEE 802.11 p MAC layer standard under development for V ANET uses a variant of Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). 802.11 protocols were analysed mathematically and via simulations and the results prove the saturation throughput of the basic access method drops as the number of nodes increases thus yielding very low throughput in congested areas. RTS/CTS access provides higher throughput but it applies only to unicast transmissions. To overcome the limitations of 802.11 protocols, we designed a protocol known as SOFT MAC which combines Space, Orthogonal Frequency and Time multiple access techniques. In SOFT MAC the road is divided into cells and each cell is allocated a unique group of subcarriers. Within a cell, nodes share the available subcarriers using a combination of TDMA and CSMA. The throughput analysis of SOFT MAC showed it has superior throughput compared to the basic access and similar to the RTS/CTS access of 802.11

An Optimal LFC in Two-Area Power Systems Using a Meta-heuristic Optimization Algorithm

In this study, an optimal meta-heuristic optimization algorithm for load frequency control (LFC) is utilized in two-area power systems. This meta-heuristic algorithm is called harmony search (HS), it is used to tune PI controller parameters ( ) automatically. The developed controller (HS-PI) with LFC loop is very important to minimize the system frequency and keep the system power is maintained at scheduled values under sudden loads changes. Integral absolute error (IAE) is used as an objective function to enhance the overall system performance in terms of settling time, maximum deviation, and peak time. The two-area power systems and developed controller are modelled using MATLAB software (Simulink/Code). As a result, the developed control algorithm (HS-PI) is more robustness and efficient as compared to PSO-PI control algorithm under same operation conditions

An overview of cryptosystems based on finite automata

Finite automata are backbones of the cryptosystems based on language theory. Most of the cryptosystems based on grammars and word problems are either insecure or do not satisfy digital signature prosperities. Basically, the cryptosystems based on automata are classified into cryptosystems based on: transducers, cellular automata and acceptors (i.e., finite automata without outputs). In this paper, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the important cryptosystems based on finite automata such as FAPKC, Gysin, Wolfram, Kari, Dӧmӧsi’s cryptosystems and modified Dӧmӧsi’s cryptosystems

A symmetric cryptosystem based on nondeterministic finite automata

This paper proposes a new symmetric cryptosystem based on nondeterministic finite automata. It is shown that nondeterminism allows to reduce the dependency of key automata on a large descriptional complexity and irreversibility of the automata. Moreover, it is proven that the introduced cryptosystem has higher security and more efficient performance than its deterministic counterparts, Domosi’s cryptosystem and the modified Domosi’s cryptosystem

Android based vehicle tracking system / Omer Ali Abubakr Abd Elrhman … [et al.]

Android, as an operating system, has provided users with great opportunity to innovate and get things done in a mobile device. This paper presents how to use the GPS technology in Android devices to complete an interactive application which can be used to monitor a fleet of vehicles and display their positions on Google Maps. By using SMS messages, this information can be transmitted to the server. It provides a telemonitoring system for distribution or transportation vehicles owned by a specific company. The whole system is made of two key parts. The first one is the client, which represents an Android application that is installed in the vehicle. During a vehicle’s motion, its location can be reported by SMS messages. The second is the server, which is a computer programme representing a map using Google Maps to show the last known locations of all tracked vehicles. The current system is able to provide the monitoring process from anywhere. The purpose of this system is to use the Android platform to provide the following features: i) Location information (longitude, latitude). ii) Real time tracking using SMS. iii) Map View of all vehicles’ locations. This system is needed by many companies to monitor illegal and unethical use of their vehicles. It also provides assurance that the location of the vehicle is known in the case of robbery

Genotypes and serotype distribution of macrolide resistant invasive and non- invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from Lebanon

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study determined macrolide resistance genotypes in clinical isolates of <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae </it>from multiple medical centers in Lebanon and assessed the serotype distribution in relation to these mechanism(s) of resistance and the source of isolate recovery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty four macrolide resistant and 21 macrolide susceptible <it>S. pneumoniae </it>clinical isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility according to CLSI guidelines (2008) and underwent molecular characterization. Serotyping of these isolates was performed by Multiplex PCR-based serotype deduction using CDC protocols. PCR amplification of macrolide resistant <it>erm </it>(encoding methylase) and <it>mef </it>(encoding macrolide efflux pump protein) genes was carried out.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 44 isolates resistant to erythromycin, 35 were resistant to penicillin and 18 to ceftriaxone. Examination of 44 macrolide resistant isolates by PCR showed that 16 isolates harbored the <it>erm</it>(B) gene, 8 isolates harbored the <it>mef </it>gene, and 14 isolates harbored both the <it>erm</it>(B) and <it>mef </it>genes. There was no amplification by PCR of the <it>erm</it>(B) or <it>mef </it>genes in 6 isolates. Seven different capsular serotypes 2, 9V/9A,12F, 14,19A, 19F, and 23, were detected by multiplex PCR serotype deduction in 35 of 44 macrolide resistant isolates, with 19F being the most prevalent serotype. With the exception of serotype 2, all serotypes were invasive. Isolates belonging to the invasive serotypes 14 and 19F harbored both <it>erm</it>(B) and <it>mef </it>genes. Nine of the 44 macrolide resistant isolates were non-serotypable by our protocols.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Macrolide resistance in <it>S. pneumoniae </it>in Lebanon is mainly through target site modification but is also mediated through efflux pumps, with serotype 19F having dual resistance and being the most prevalent and invasive.</p