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Sub-Circuit Selection And Replacement Algorithms Modeled As Term Rewriting Systems, Eric D. Simonaire Dec 2008

Sub-Circuit Selection And Replacement Algorithms Modeled As Term Rewriting Systems, Eric D. Simonaire

Theses and Dissertations

Intent protection is a model of software obfuscation which, among other criteria, prevents an adversary from understanding the program’s function for use with contextual information. Relating this framework for obfuscation to malware detection, if a malware detector can perfectly normalize a program P and any obfuscation (variant) of the program O(P), the program is not intent protected. The problem of intent protection on programs can also be modeled as intent protection on combinational logic circuits. If a malware detector can perfectly normalize a circuit C and any obfuscation (variant) O(C) of the circuit, the circuit is not intent protected. In …


Limitations Of A True Random Number Generator In A Field Programmable Gate Array, Jennifer L. Brady Dec 2008

Limitations Of A True Random Number Generator In A Field Programmable Gate Array, Jennifer L. Brady

Theses and Dissertations

Random number generators are used in many areas of engineering, computer science, most notably in simulations and cryptographic applications. There are true random number generators (TRNG) and pseudo random number generators (PRNG). Only a true random number generator is secure because the output bits are non-repeating and nonreproducible. As society has become more dependent on electronic technology the need for true random number generators has increased due to processes that require encryption in everyday use. A fast true random number generator on a field programmable gate array presents digital designers with the ability to have the generator on chip. Since …


Range Precision Of Ladar Systems, Steven E. Johnson Sep 2008

Range Precision Of Ladar Systems, Steven E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A key application of Laser Detection and Ranging (LADAR) systems is measurement of range to a target. Many modern LADAR systems are capable of transmitting laser pulses that are less than a few nanoseconds in duration. These short-duration pulses provide excellent range precision. However, randomness in the detected laser signals places limits on the precision. The goal of this dissertation is to quantify the range precision limits of LADAR systems. The randomness in the time between photon arrivals, which is called shot noise, is discussed in depth. System-dependent noise sources such as dark current and detector gain variation are considered. …


Statistical Methods For Polarimetric Imagery, Daniel A. Lemaster Aug 2008

Statistical Methods For Polarimetric Imagery, Daniel A. Lemaster

Theses and Dissertations

Estimation theory is applied to a physical model of incoherent polarized light to address problems in polarimetric image registration, restoration, and analysis for electro-optical imaging systems. In the image registration case, the Cramer-Rao lower bound on unbiased joint estimates of the registration parameters and the underlying scene is derived, simplified using matrix methods, and used to explain the behavior of multi-channel linear polarimetric imagers. In the image restoration case, a polarimetric maximum likelihood blind deconvolution algorithm is derived and tested using laboratory and simulated imagery. Finally, a principal components analysis is derived for polarization imaging systems. This analysis expands upon …


Material Perturbations To Enhance Performance Of The Theile Half-Width Leaky Mode Antenna, Jason A. Girard Jun 2008

Material Perturbations To Enhance Performance Of The Theile Half-Width Leaky Mode Antenna, Jason A. Girard

Theses and Dissertations

Microstrip traveling-wave antennas, often referred to as leaky-wave antennas, have been shown to radiate when the dominant or fundamental mode is suppressed and the first higher-order mode is excited. One such microstrip variation is the Thiele Half-Width (THW) antenna, which operates from 5.9 - 8.2 GHz for this research. Increasing the bandwidth over which the THW antenna radiates is desired, as is a fundamental understanding of the propagation characteristics over this region. This dissertation seeks to vary or perturb the material and physical properties of the THW antenna, including strip-width variations and modifications of the substrate layer, to achieve these …


Performance Analysis Of Effective Range And Orientation Of Uhf Passive Rfid, Paul N. Roque Jun 2008

Performance Analysis Of Effective Range And Orientation Of Uhf Passive Rfid, Paul N. Roque

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to characterize the performance of UHF passive RFID tags. Factors of importance are the impact of tag orientation and distance from the RFID reader. Within this study, a comprehensive literature review of RFID technology is presented as well as the methodology used for the research. Furthermore, an analysis of RFID tag experiments is discussed and the results reviewed. To accomplish this task, two main objectives have been established as goals for the study. The first objective is to determine an optimum tag orientation within the RFID reader’s normal read range. Once the optimum tag …


Applying Frequency-Domain Equalization To Code-Division Multiple Access And Transform-Domain Communications Systems, Alfred A. Tamayo Iii Mar 2008

Applying Frequency-Domain Equalization To Code-Division Multiple Access And Transform-Domain Communications Systems, Alfred A. Tamayo Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the theory and application of using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), or discrete multi-tone (DMT), frequency domain equalization (FEQ) with two communications systems that inherently possess unused carrier frequencies, or null-tones, in their respective transmission frequencies. The fundamental DMT-FEQ property relies on null-tones to equalize a non-ideal channel and mitigate the effects of interchannel interference (ICI), intersymbol interference (ISI), and noise. The two communications systems investigated were a Hadamard encoded code division multiple access (CDMA) communications system with up to 32 synchronous users and a transform domain communications system (TDCS) with only one user. Both communications systems …


Increasing Combat Aircraft Survivability Through Coherent Self-Protection Jammers, Soner Ozer Mar 2008

Increasing Combat Aircraft Survivability Through Coherent Self-Protection Jammers, Soner Ozer

Theses and Dissertations

When the battlefields were within the visual range, the objective of deception tactics in warfare was to deceive the human senses. In the battlefield of electromagnetic spectrum, the objective of deception is to deceive the sensors of the enemy weapon systems. The survivability of the aircraft operating in hostile environment is of prime importance to the mission planner. If the aircraft can deny its location information to the tracking radar of the radar guided threat missile system, this, in return, may increase its survivability. The deception, a tactic which stems from the wisdom of ancient battles, incarnated in the form …


Anti-Tamper Method For Field Programmable Gate Arrays Through Dynamic Reconfiguration And Decoy Circuits, Samuel J. Stone Mar 2008

Anti-Tamper Method For Field Programmable Gate Arrays Through Dynamic Reconfiguration And Decoy Circuits, Samuel J. Stone

Theses and Dissertations

As Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) become more widely used, security concerns have been raised regarding FPGA use for cryptographic, sensitive, or proprietary data. Storing or implementing proprietary code and designs on FPGAs could result in the compromise of sensitive information if the FPGA device was physically relinquished or remotely accessible to adversaries seeking to obtain the information. Although multiple defensive measures have been implemented (and overcome), the possibility exists to create a secure design through the implementation of polymorphic Dynamically Reconfigurable FPGA (DRFPGA) circuits. Using polymorphic DRFPGAs removes the static attributes from their design; thus, substantially increasing the difficulty …


Improvement Of Ecm Techniques Through Implementation Of A Genetic Algorithm, James D. Townsend Mar 2008

Improvement Of Ecm Techniques Through Implementation Of A Genetic Algorithm, James D. Townsend

Theses and Dissertations

This research effective effort develops the necessary interfaces between the radar signal processing components and an optimization routine, such as genetic algorithms, to develop Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) waveforms under a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HILS) architecture. The various ECM waveforms are stored in an ECM library, where an operator selects the desired function to use against a particular system. This optimization works with modular components, compared to previous research that embedded a genetic algorithm into the Range Gate Pull-off (RGPO) waveform optimization loop, which can be interchanged based upon the operator's desired hardware/ software testing setup. The ECM library's first entries contain the …


Digital Fingerprinting Of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, James W. Crouch Mar 2008

Digital Fingerprinting Of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, James W. Crouch

Theses and Dissertations

Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component usage is becoming more prevalent in military applications due to current Department of Defense (DoD) policies. The easy accessibility of COTS will give reverse engineers a higher probability of successfully tampering, coping, or reverse engineering circuits that contain critical capabilities. To prevent this and verify the trustworthiness of hardware, circuit identification tags or serials numbers can be used. However, these values can be easily obtained and forged. To protect critical DoD technologies from possible exploitation, there is an urgent need for a reliable method to confirm a circuit’s identity using a set of unique unforgettable metrics. …


Characterization And Implementation Of A Real-World Target Tracking Algorithm On Field Programmable Gate Arrays With Kalman Filter Test Case, Benjamin D. Hancey Mar 2008

Characterization And Implementation Of A Real-World Target Tracking Algorithm On Field Programmable Gate Arrays With Kalman Filter Test Case, Benjamin D. Hancey

Theses and Dissertations

A one dimensional Kalman Filter algorithm provided in Matlab is used as the basis for a Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) model. The JAVA programming language is used to create the VHDL code that describes the Kalman filter in hardware which allows for maximum flexibility. A one-dimensional behavioral model of the Kalman Filter is described, as well as a one-dimensional and synthesizable register transfer level (RTL) model with optimizations for speed, area, and power. These optimizations are achieved by a focus on parallelization as well as careful Kalman filter sub-module algorithm selection. Newton-Raphson reciprocal is the …


Design And Optimization Of Broadband High Impedance Ground Planes (Higp) For Surface Mount Antennas, Murat Dogrul Mar 2008

Design And Optimization Of Broadband High Impedance Ground Planes (Higp) For Surface Mount Antennas, Murat Dogrul

Theses and Dissertations

Gain and bandwidth metrics of broad-band low-profile antennas severely deteriorate when they are placed conformally onto the conductive skins of air, sea, and ground platforms. This detrimental effect is primarily due to out-of-phase reflections from the conductive body interfering with the antenna’s self radiation. Furthermore, lateral waves launched by the antenna couple into the thin substrate placed between the antenna and the platform, giving rise to surface waves resulting in significant diffraction from the edges of the substrate. To remedy these two major mechanisms degrading antenna performance, high impedance ground planes (HIGP) were designed. HIGPs made of a 2-dimensional periodic …