Engineering Commons^™

Implementation Of Recursive Algorithms For Delay-Time Estimation Using The Fast Walsh Transform, Donald Robert Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations

"Use of the fast Walsh transform to resolve noisy signals into Walsh function series to digitally implement maximum-likelihood parameter estimators for real-time use is investigated. Realization of estimators which seek a null in the derivative of the log-likelihood function, instead of direct maximization, results in feedback algorithms which yield considerable savings in computation time and storage. Performance of these feedback delay-estimation algorithms is characterized in terms of mean-squared error (MSE) and response to a delay step by Monte Carlo simulation. The effect of changing the number of points in the transform on the MSE is also investigated. Hard limiting of …

Considerations In The Design Of A Network Of Minicomputers, Hardy J. Pottinger

Doctoral Dissertations

"The advantages of a network consisting of a number of minicomputers coupled to a large time shared computer are described. This type of network is very useful in the areas of data acquisition, real time control of experiments, and front-end processing for computer graphics.

Problems associated with the development of a network of this type, various possible solutions, and the trade-offs involved are presented. These problems are classified into two categories: the interface between the network and the central computing facility, and the interface between the remote sites and the rest of the network.

The design constraints, rationale, and implementation …

Flowware -- A Flow Charting Method To Describe Digital Systems, Wayne Everett Omohundro

Doctoral Dissertations

"FLOWWARE is an interactive, graphical language to aid in the understanding and design of digital networks. The language is based upon the concept of flow charting. The user specifies the register layout of the system and the sequential operation in the form of a diagram on a graphics terminal. FLOWWARE makes full use of a local minicomputer to perform editing and drawing functions, and a remote large computer to perform translation and simulation. This division of labor allows the user to build his description off-line without having the remote computer program active"--Abstract, page ii.

Applications Of Frequency Domain Stability Criteria In The Design Of Nonlinear Feedback Systems, Allen Joseph Rushing

Doctoral Dissertations

"The Popov criterion for absolute stability of nonlinear feedback systems is applied to several example problems. Model transformations such as pole shifting and zero shifting extend the class of systems to which the criterion applies. Extensions of the criterion having simple graphical interpretations yield stronger results for systems with constant monotonic slope-bounded nonlinearities. Additional extensions lacking simple graphical interpretations in the complex plane are also demonstrated by example.

Stability throughout a region in parameter space is discussed, and the Kalman conjecture is verified for a new class of systems. The Popov criterion is also used to prove BIBO stability, process …

Parameter Identification Applied To Linear Quadratic Differential Games, John D. Corrigan

Doctoral Dissertations

"A two player zero-sum linear quadratic differential game is investigated for the case in which one of the players has incomplete a priori knowledge of the parameters of his opponent's dynamic system. This incomplete system parameter information game is shown to be playable since the ignorant player can make limiting estimates of the unknown parameters from the relative controllability condition for the game. Performance from the ignorant player's point of view is suboptimal.

It is also shown that parameter identification techniques can be applied by the ignorant player in order to directly identify the smart player's closed-loop parameters in the …