Transparent access to relational, autonomous and distributed databases using semantic web and service oriented technologies

With the constant grow of enterprises and the need to share information across departments and business areas becomes more critical, companies are turning to integration to provide a method for interconnecting heterogeneous, distributed and autonomous systems. Whether the sales application needs to interface with the inventory application, the procurement application connect to an auction site, it seems that any application can be made better by integrating it with other applications. Integration between applications can face several troublesome due the fact that applications may not have been designed and implemented having integration in mind. Regarding to integration issues, two tier software systems, composed by the database tier and by the “front-end” tier (interface), have shown some limitations. As a solution to overcome the two tier limitations, three tier systems were proposed in the literature. Thus, by adding a middle-tier (referred as middleware) between the database tier and the “front-end” tier (or simply referred application), three main benefits emerge. The first benefit is related with the fact that the division of software systems in three tiers enables increased integration capabilities with other systems. The second benefit is related with the fact that any modifications to the individual tiers may be carried out without necessarily affecting the other tiers and integrated systems and the third benefit, consequence of the others, is related with less maintenance tasks in software system and in all integrated systems. Concerning software development in three tiers, this dissertation focus on two emerging technologies, Semantic Web and Service Oriented Architecture, combined with middleware. These two technologies blended with middleware, which resulted in the development of Swoat framework (Service and Semantic Web Oriented ArchiTecture), lead to the following four synergic advantages: (1) allow the creation of loosely-coupled systems, decoupling the database from “front-end” tiers, therefore reducing maintenance; (2) the database schema is transparent to “front-end” tiers which are aware of the information model (or domain model) that describes what data is accessible; (3) integration with other heterogeneous systems is allowed by providing services provided by the middleware; (4) the service request by the “frontend” tier focus on ‘what’ data and not on ‘where’ and ‘how’ related issues, reducing this way the application development time by developers.

DCM Boost interleaved converter for operation in AC and DC to trolleybus application

This paper is based on the development and experimental analysis of a DCM Boost interleaved converter suitable for application in traction systems of electrical vehicles pulled by electrical motors (Trolleybus), which are powered by urban DC or AC distribution networks. This front-end structure is capable of providing significant improvements in trolleybuses systems and in the urban distribution network costs, and efficiency. The architecture of proposed converter is composed by five boost power cells in interleaving connection, operating in discontinuous conduction mode. Furthermore, the converter can operate as AC-DC converter, or as DC-DC converter providing the proper DC output voltage range required by DC or AC adjustable speed drivers. Therefore, when supplied by single-phase AC distribution networks, and operating as AC-DC converter, it is capable to provide high power factor, reduced harmonic distortion in the input current, complying with the restrictions imposed by the IEC 61000-3-4 standards. The digital controller has been implemented using a low cost FPGA and developed totally using a hardware description language VHDL and fixed point arithmetic. Thus, two control strategies are evaluated considering the compliance with input current restrictions imposed by IEC 61000-3-4 standards, the regular PWM modulation and a current correction PWM modulation. In order to verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed system, experimental results from a 15 kW low power scale prototype are presented, operating in DC and AC conditions.

PEWS-RT, um sistema de tempo de execução para a linguagem PEWS

Web services are loosely coupled applications that use XML documents as a way of integrating distinct systems on the internet. Such documents are used by in standards such as SOAP, WSDL and UDDI which establish, respectively, integrated patterns for the representation of messages, description, and publication of services, thus facilitating the interoperability between heterogeneous systems. Often one single service does not meet the users needs, therefore new systems can be designed from the composition of two or more services. This which is the design goal behind the of the Service Oriented Architecture. Parallel to this scenario, we have the PEWS (Predicate Path-Expressions for Web Services) language, which speci es behavioural speci cations of composite web service interfaces.. The development of the PEWS language is divided into two parts: front-end and back-end. From a PEWS program, the front-end performs the lexical analysis, syntactic and semantic compositions and nally generate XML code. The function of the back-end is to execute the composition PEWS. This master's dissertation work aims to: (i) reformulate the proposed architecture for the runtime system of the language, (ii) Implement the back-end for PEWS by using .NET Framework tools to execute PEWS programs using the Windows Work ow Foundation

Design of a LNA and a Gilbert Cell Mixer MMICs with a GaAsPHEMT technology

The design of a Gilbert Cell Mixer and a low noise amplifier (LNA), using GaAs PHEMT technology is presented. The compatibility is shown for co-integration of both block on the same chip, to form a high performance 1.9 GHz receiver front end. The designed LNA shows 9.23 dB gain and 2.01 dB noise figure (NF). The mixer is designed to operate at RF=1.9 GHz, LO=2.0 GHz and IF=100 MHz with a gain of 14.3 dB and single sideband noise figure (SSB NF) of 9.6 dB. The mixer presents a bandwith of 8 GHz.

Design of a LNA and a Gilbert Cell Mixer MMICs with a GaAs PHEMT technology

The design of a Gilbert Cell Mixer and a low noise amplifier (LNA), using GaAs PHEMT technology is presented. The compatibility is shown for co-integration of both block on the same chip, to form a high performance 1.9 GHz receiver front-end. The designed LNA shows 9.23 dB gain and 2.01 dB noise figure (NF). The mixer is designed to operate at RF=1.9 GHz, LO=2.0 GHz and IF=100 MHz with a gain of 14.3 dB and single sideband noise figure (SSB NF) of 9.6 dB. The mixer presents a bandwith of 8 GHz.

Towards a java bytecodes compiler for nios II soft-core processor

Reconfigurable computing is one of the most recent research topics in computer science. The Altera - Nios II soft-core processor can be included in a large set of reconfigurable architectures, especially because it is designed in software, allowing it to be configured according to the application. The recent growth in applications that demand reconfigurable computing made necessary the building of compilers that translate high level languages source codes into reconfigurable devices instruction sets. In this paper we present a compiler that takes as input the bytecodes generated by a Java front-end compiler and generates a set of instructions that attends to the Nios II processor instruction set rules. Our work shows how we process Java bytecodes to the intermediate code, in the Nios II instructions format, and build the control flow and the control dependence graphs. © 2009 IEEE.

HPF boost interleaved operating in discontinuous conduction mode for trolleybus application

This paper deals with results of a research and development (R&D) project in cooperation with Electric Power Distribution Company in São Paulo (Brazil) regarding the development and experimental analysis of a new concept of power drive system suitable for application in traction systems of electrical vehicles pulled by electrical motors, which can be powered by urban DC or AC distribution networks. The proposed front-end structure is composed by five boost power cells in interleaving connection, operating in discontinuous conduction mode as AC-DC converter, or as DC-DC converter, in order to provide the proper DC output voltage range required by DC or AC adjustable speed drivers. Therefore, when supplied by single-phase AC distribution networks, and operating as AC-DC converter, it is capable to provide high power factor, reduced harmonic distortion in the input current, complying with the restrictions imposed by the IEC 61000-3-4 standards resulting in significant improvements for the trolleybuses systems efficiency and for the urban distribution network costs. Considering the compliance with input current restrictions imposed by IEC 61000-3-4 standards, two digital control strategies were evaluated. The digital controller has been implemented using a low cost FPGA (XC3S200) and developed totally using a hardware description language VHDL and fixed point arithmetic. Experimental results from a 15 kW low power scale prototype operating in DC and AC conditions are presented, in order to verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed system. © 2009 IEEE.

e-Government architectures, technical and political situation in Latin America

Includes bibliography

ENCORE: Enhanced Galileo code receiver for surveying applications

In this paper we describe the development of a low-cost high-accuracy Galileo Code receiver, user application software and positioning algorithms for land management applications, which have been implemented using a dedicated FPGA board and dual frequency Galileo E5/L1 Radio Frequency Front-End. The current situation of rural property surveying in Brazil is described and the use of code measurements from the new Galileo signals E5 AltBOC combined with E1 MBOC for use in land management applications is explored. We explain how such approach is expected to allow delivering an absolute positioning solution which could bridge the gap between receivers of high cost/complexity/accuracy based on carrier phase and receivers of lower cost/accuracy based on pseudorange observables. The system is presented together with a detailed description of main components: the Code Receiver and the Application Software. The work presented is part of an ongoing European-Brazilian consortium effort to explore the use of new Galileo for land management applications in Brazil and sponsored by the GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA).

Classificação fonética utilizando Boosting e SVM

Para compor um sistema de Reconhecimento Automático de Voz, pode ser utilizada uma tarefa chamada Classificação Fonética, onde a partir de uma amostra de voz decide-se qual fonema foi emitido por um interlocutor. Para facilitar a classificação e realçar as características mais marcantes dos fonemas, normalmente, as amostras de voz são pré- processadas através de um fronl-en'L Um fron:-end, geralmente, extrai um conjunto de parâmetros para cada amostra de voz. Após este processamento, estes parâmetros são insendos em um algoritmo classificador que (já devidamente treinado) procurará decidir qual o fonema emitido. Existe uma tendência de que quanto maior a quantidade de parâmetros utilizados no sistema, melhor será a taxa de acertos na classificação. A contrapartida para esta tendência é o maior custo computacional envolvido. A técnica de Seleção de Parâmetros tem como função mostrar quais os parâmetros mais relevantes (ou mais utilizados) em uma tarefa de classificação, possibilitando, assim, descobrir quais os parâmetros redundantes, que trazem pouca (ou nenhuma) contribuição à tarefa de classificação. A proposta deste trabalho é aplicar o classificador SVM à classificação fonética, utilizando a base de dados TIMIT, e descobrir os parâmetros mais relevantes na classificação, aplicando a técnica Boosting de Seleção de Parâmetros.

Supressão de interferência em sistemas de banda ultra larga e classificação automática de modulação

Esta tese apresenta duas contribuições distintas na área de sistemas de comunicações sem fi o. Primeiro, é apresentada uma formulação analítica para a análise de desempenho de sistemas utilizando multiplexação multibanda por divisão ortogonal na frequência (MB-OFDM, do inglês Multi-Band Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing ) com um ltro notch para mitigar a interferência em banda estreita causada por outros sistemas que operam dentro da faixa de frequências alocada para sistemas UWB. Em seguida, um novo front end para classificação automática de modulações com o uso de aprendizado discriminativo é proposto. Esse front end pode ser utilizado por qualquer classi cador discriminativo e consiste em ordenar magnitude e fase do símbolos recebidos. Os resultados obtidos pelo classi cador proposto mostraram-se competitivos com outros algoritmos já existentes na literatura.

Fecal collection methods for the determination of protein digestibility in bullfrogs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Multi-task control strategy for grid-tied inverters based on conservative power theory

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Design and implementation of wireless sensor networks for impedance-based structural health monitoring using ZigBee and Global System for Mobile Communications

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Introduction to the Software-defined Radio Approach

Telecommunications have been in constant evolution during past decades. Among the technological innovations, the use of digital technologies is very relevant. Digital communication systems have proven their efficiency and brought a new element in the chain of signal transmitting and receiving, the digital processor. This device offers to new radio equipments the flexibility of a programmable system. Nowadays, the behavior of a communication system can be modified by simply changing its software. This gave rising to a new radio model called Software Defined Radio (or Software-Defined Radio - SDR). In this new model, one moves to the software the task to set radio behavior, leaving to hardware only the implementation of RF front-end. Thus, the radio is no longer static, defined by their circuits and becomes a dynamic element, which may change their operating characteristics, such as bandwidth, modulation, coding rate, even modified during runtime according to software configuration. This article aims to present the use of GNU Radio software, an open-source solution for SDR specific applications, as a tool for development configurable digital radio.