Computer Aided Design Algorithmic Technique for Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit Design and Smart Home Embedded System Design

To tackle the challenges at circuit level and system level VLSI and embedded system design, this dissertation proposes various novel algorithms to explore the efficient solutions. At the circuit level, a new reliability-driven minimum cost Steiner routing and layer assignment scheme is proposed, and the first transceiver insertion algorithmic framework for the optical interconnect is proposed. At the system level, a reliability-driven task scheduling scheme for multiprocessor real-time embedded systems, which optimizes system energy consumption under stochastic fault occurrences, is proposed. The embedded system design is also widely used in the smart home area for improving health, wellbeing and quality of life. The proposed scheduling scheme for multiprocessor embedded systems is hence extended to handle the energy consumption scheduling issues for smart homes. The extended scheme can arrange the household appliances for operation to minimize monetary expense of a customer based on the time-varying pricing model.

IMPROVEMENTS IN SUSTAINABILITY OF GRAVITY-FED WATER SYSTEMS IN THE COMARCA NGÄBE-BUGLÉ, PANAMA: SPRING CAPTURES AND CIRCUIT RIDER MODEL

Gravity-flow aqueducts are used to bring clean water from mountain springs in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama, to the homes of the indigenous people who reside there. Spring captures enclose a spring to direct the flow of water into the transmission line. Seepage contact springs are most common, with water appearing above either hard basalt bedrock or a dense clay layer. Spring flows vary dramatically during wet and dry seasons, and discharge points of springs can shift, sometimes enough to impact the capture structure and its ability to properly collect all of the available water. Traditionally, spring captures are concrete boxes. The spring boxes observed by the author were dilapidated or out of alignment with the spring itself, only capturing part of the discharge. An improved design approach was developed that mimics the terrain surrounding the spring source to address these issues. Over the course of a year, three different spring sites were evaluated, and spring captures were designed and constructed based on the new approach. Spring flow data from each case study demonstrate increased flow capture in the improved structures. Rural water systems, including spring captures, can be sustainably maintained by the Circuit Rider model, a technical support system in which technical assistance is provided for the operation of the water systems. During 2012-2013, the author worked as a Circuit Rider and facilitated a water system improvement project while exploring methods of community empowerment to increase the capacity for system maintenance. Based on these experiences, recommendations are provided to expand the Circuit Rider model in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé under the Panamanian Ministry of Health’s Water and Sanitation Project (PASAP)

High Frequency Class DE Converter Using a Multilayer Coreless PCB Transformer

In modern power electronics equipment, it is desirable to design a low profile, high power density, and fast dynamic response converter. Increases in switching frequency reduce the size of the passive components such as transformers, inductors, and capacitors which results in compact size and less requirement for the energy storage. In addition, the fast dynamic response can be achieved by operating at high frequency. However, achieving high frequency operation while keeping the efficiency high, requires new advanced devices, higher performance magnetic components, and new circuit topology. These are required to absorb and utilize the parasitic components and also to mitigate the frequency dependent losses including switching loss, gating loss, and magnetic loss. Required performance improvements can be achieved through the use of Radio Frequency (RF) design techniques. To reduce switching losses, resonant converter topologies like resonant RF amplifiers (inverters) combined with a rectifier are the effective solution to maintain high efficiency at high switching frequencies through using the techniques such as device parasitic absorption, Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS), Zero Current Switching (ZCS), and a resonant gating. Gallium Nitride (GaN) device technologies are being broadly used in RF amplifiers due to their lower on- resistance and device capacitances compared with silicon (Si) devices. Therefore, this kind of semiconductor is well suited for high frequency power converters. The major problems involved with high frequency magnetics are skin and proximity effects, increased core and copper losses, unbalanced magnetic flux distribution generating localized hot spots, and reduced coupling coefficient. In order to eliminate the magnetic core losses which play a crucial role at higher operating frequencies, a coreless PCB transformer can be used. Compared to the conventional wire-wound transformer, a planar PCB transformer in which the windings are laid on the Printed Board Circuit (PCB) has a low profile structure, excellent thermal characteristics, and ease of manufacturing. Therefore, the work in this thesis demonstrates the design and analysis of an isolated low profile class DE resonant converter operating at 10 MHz switching frequency with a nominal output of 150 W. The power stage consists of a class DE inverter using GaN devices along with a sinusoidal gate drive circuit on the primary side and a class DE rectifier on the secondary side. For obtaining the stringent height converter, isolation is provided by a 10-layered coreless PCB transformer of 1:20 turn’s ratio. It is designed and optimized using 3D Finite Element Method (FEM) tools and radio frequency (RF) circuit design software. Simulation and experimental results are presented for a 10-layered coreless PCB transformer operating in 10 MHz.

Series Circuit

Combined media on photographic paper. 47¾" x 38¾", Jargomatique Series. Private Collection

Summary of Family Court Activity by Circuit/County For Period 7/1/2016 Thru 7/31/2016

This document lists the number of cases in both juvenile court and domestic relations court in South Carolina for the various counties and circuits.

Summary of pending common pleas cases by circuit/county For Date 7/31/2016 - Date Run 8/9/2016 - Program-ID CAC20

This report gives a summary of common pleas cases broken down by county and circuit.

Summary of Pending Common Pleas Cases by Circuit/County For Period 7/1/2016 thru 7/31/2016 - Date Run 8/9/2016 - Program-ID CAC60

This report gives a summary of common pleas cases broken down by county and circuit.

Summary of Pending Family Court Cases By Circuit and Class As of 7/31/2016

This document is a summary of the number and percentage of pending family court cases divided by county and circuit.

Uniform Guidelines for Nomination of a Circuit Public Defender by a Selection Panel

Each Circuit Public Defender Selection Panel is responsible for nominating a person to serve as the Circuit Public Defender for their circuit. This is a list of guidelines to follow in that selection.

Uniform Guidelines for the Selection of Circuit Public Defender Selection Panels

The 2007 Indigent Defense Act provides that each county must elect its representative(s) from the active licensed attorneys who reside within each county to serve on its Circuit Public Defender Selection Panel. The procedures included in this document have been adopted by the Commission on Indigent Defense for the Election of the Circuit Public Defender Selection Panels and the Nomination of Circuit Public Defenders.

Criminal Records Summary of Activity by Circuit/County For Period 07/01/2015 Thru 06/30/2016 - Program-ID CRM60

This gives the criminal records summary of activity by circuit/county.

Summary of Pending Family Court Cases By Circuit and Class As of 6/30/2016

This document is a summary of the number and percentage of pending family court cases divided by county and circuit.

Criminal records summary of activity by circuit/county for period 7/1/2016 Thru 9/30/2016

This gives the criminal records summary of activity by circuit/county.

Summary of pending family court cases by circuit and class as of 9/30/2016

This document is a summary of the number and percentage of pending family court cases divided by county and circuit.

Summary of pending common pleas cases by circuit/county for Date 10/31/2016

This report gives a summary of common pleas cases broken down by county and circuit.