Computer Sciences Commons^™

On Mining Group Patterns Of Mobile Users, Yida Wang, Ee Peng Lim, San-Yih Hwang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we present a group pattern mining approach to derive the grouping information of mobile device users based on the spatio-temporal distances among them. Group patterns of users are determined by a distance threshold and a minimum duration. To discover group patterns, we propose the AGP and VG-growth algorithms that are derived from the Apriori and FP-growth algorithms respectively. We further evaluate the efficiencies of these two algorithms using synthetically generated user movement data.

Programming Language Trends : An Empirical Study, Yaofei Chen

Dissertations

Predicting the evolution of software engineering technology trends is a dubious proposition. The recent evolution of software technology is a prime example; it is fast paced and affected by many factors, which are themselves driven by a wide range of sources. This dissertation is part of a long term project intended to analyze software engineering technology trends and how they evolve. Basically, the following questions will be answered: How to watch, predict, adapt to, and affect software engineering trends?

In this dissertation, one field of software engineering, programming languages, will be discussed. After reviewing the history of a group of …

Design And Evaluation Of A List Gathering Tool In A Web-Based Collaborative Environment, Yuanqiong Wang

Dissertations

This research focuses on how to build a "list" structure to combine individual items of information into some sort of structure that converts the individual items of information into a structure of knowledge relative to the problem. Software was designed to provide relationships among and comparisons of the contributions in a "list" structure, so that individual members of a group process will be able to understand the contributions of information made by the group as a whole.

A List Gathering Tool was designed and implemented, which is one component in a Web-based Social Decision Support System (SDSS) Toolkit. Then, a …

Design And Evaluation Of A Voting Tool In A Collaborative Environment, Zheng Li

Dissertations

This dissertation researchdesigned, implemented, and evaluated a Web-based Dynamic Voting Toolfor small group decision-making in a collaborative environment.

In this dissertation, theliterature on voting tools in current GDSS research is presented. Variousvoting theories and methods are analyzed, and the advantages and weaknessesare compared, so as to gain a better understanding of how to apply thesedifferent voting methods to diverse decision-making situations. A briefoverview of scaling theories is also given, with an emphasis on Thurstone'sLaw.

The basic features of someweb-based voting tool implementations are reviewed along with a discussionof the pros and cons of Intemet voting. A discussion of Human DynamicVoting …

An Experimental Study On Network Intrusion Detection Systems, Peng Fu

Theses

A signature database is the key component of an elaborate intrusion detection system. The efficiency of signature generation for an intrusion detection system is a crucial requirement because of the rapid appearance of new attacks on the World Wide Web. However, in the commercial applications, signature generation is still a manual process, which requires professional skills and heavy human effort. Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining methods may be a solution to this problem. Data Mining and Machine Learning algorithms can be applied to the network traffic databases, in order to automatically generate signatures.

The purpose of this thesis and the …

Face Recognition Using Principal Component Analysis, Timothy Kevin Larkin

Theses

Current methods of face recognition use linear methods to extract features. This causes potentially valuable nonlinear features to be lost. Using a kernel to extract nonlinear features should lead to better feature extraction and, therefore, lower error rates. Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) will be used as the method for nonlinear feature extraction. KPCA will be compared with well known linear methods such as correlation, Eigenfaces, and Fisherfaces.

Context-Aware Semantic Association Ranking, Boanerges Aleman-Meza, Chris Halaschek, I. Budak Arpinar, Amit P. Sheth

Kno.e.sis Publications

Discovering complex and meaningful relationships, which we call Semantic Associations, is an important challenge. Just as ranking of documents is a critical component of today's search engines, ranking of relationships will be essential in tomorrow's semantic search engines that would support discovery and mining of the Semantic Web. Building upon our recent work on specifying types of Semantic Associations in RDF graphs, which are possible to create through semantic metadata extraction and annotation, we discuss a framework where ranking techniques can be used to identify more interesting and more relevant Semantic Associations. Our techniques utilize alternative ways of specifying the …

Development Of A Systems Engineering Model Of The Chemical Separations Process: Quarterly Progress Report 5/16/03- 8/15/03, Yitung Chen, Randy Clarksean, Darrell Pepper

Separations Campaign (TRP)

Two activities are proposed in this Phase I task: the development of a systems engineering model and the refinement of the Argonne code AMUSE (Argonne Model for Universal Solvent Extraction). The detailed systems engineering model is the start of an integrated approach to the analysis of the materials separations associated with the AAA Program. A second portion of the project is to streamline and improve an integral part of the overall systems model, which is the software package AMUSE. AMUSE analyzes the UREX process and other related solvent extraction processes and defines many of the process streams that are integral …

Development Of A Systems Engineering Model Of The Chemical Separations Process, Yitung Chen, Sean Hsieh, Randy Clarksean, Darrell Pepper

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The AFCI program is developing technology for the transmutation of nuclear waste to address many of the long-term disposal issues. An integral part of this program is the proposed chemical separations scheme.

Nearly all issues related to risks to future generations arising from long-term disposal of such spent nuclear fuel is attributable to about 2% of its content. Such 2% is made up primarily of plutonium, neptunium, americium, and curium (the transuranic elements) and long-lived isotopes of iodine and technetium created as products from the fission process in power reactors. When transuranics are removed from discharged fuel destined for disposal, …

Bear: An Open-Source Virtual Secure Coprocessor Based On Tcpa, Rich Macdonald, Sean Smith, John Marchesini, Omen Wild

Computer Science Technical Reports

This paper reports on our ongoing project to use TCPA to transform a desktop Linux machine into a virtual secure coprocessor: more powerful but less secure than higher-end devices. We use TCPA hardware and modified boot loaders to protect fairly static components, such as a trusted kernel; we use an enforcer module---configured as Linux Security Module---to protected more dynamic system components; we use an encrypted loopback filesystem to protect highly dynamic components. All our code is open source and available under GPL from http://enforcer.sourceforge.net/

Secure Remote Control And Configuration Of Fpx Platform In Gigabit Ethernet Environment, Haoyu Song

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

Because of its flexibility and high performance, reconfigurable logic functions implemented on the Field-programmable Port Extender (FPX ) are well suited for implementing network processing such as packet classification, filtering and intrusion detection functions. This project focuses on two key aspects of the FPX system. One is providing a Gigabit Ethernet interface by designing logic for a FPGA which is located on a line card. Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) packets are handled in hardware and Ethernet frames are processed and transformed into cells suitable for standard FPX application. The other effort is to provide a secure channel to enable remote …

Formal Properties Of Linear Memory Types, Heng Huang, Lea Wittie, Chris Hawblitzel

Computer Science Technical Reports

Efficient low-level systems need more control over memory than safe high-level languages usually provide. As a result, run-time systems are typically written in unsafe languages such as C. This report describes an abstract machine designed to give type-safe code more control over memory. It includes complete definitions and proofs of preservation, progress, strong normalization, erasure, and translation correctness.

802.11 Denial-Of-Service Attacks: Real Vulnerabilities And Practical Solutions, John M. Bellardo, Stefan Savage

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The convenience of 802.11-based wireless access networks has led to widespread deployment in the consumer, industrial and military sectors. However, this use is predicated on an implicit assumption of confidentiality and availability. While the security flaws in 802.11's basic confidentially mechanisms have been widely publicized, the threats to network availability are far less widely appreciated. In fact, it has been suggested that 802.11 is highly susceptible to malicious denial-of-service (DoS) attacks targeting its management and media access protocols. This paper provides an experimental analysis of such 802.11-specific attacks - their practicality, their efficacy and potential low-overhead implementation changes to mitigate …

Haptic-Geozui3d: Exploring The Use Of Haptics In Auv Path Planning, Rick Komerska, Colin Ware, Matthew D. Plumlee, Roland J. Arsenault

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

Query Algebra Operations For Interval Probabilities, Wenzhong Zhao, Alex Dekhtyar, Judy Goldsmith

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The groundswell for the `00s is imprecise probabilities. Whether the numbers represent the probable location of a GPS device at its next sounding, the inherent uncertainty of an individual expert's probability prediction, or the range of values derived from the fusion of sensor data, probability intervals became an important way of representing uncertainty. However, until recently, there has been no robust support for storage and management of imprecise probabilities. In this paper, we define the semantics of traditional query algebra operations of selection, projection, Cartesian product and join, as well as an operation of conditionalization, specific to probabilistic databases. We …

Enemy At The Gate: Threats To Information Security, Michael E. Whitman

Faculty Articles

A firm can build more effective security strategies by identifying and ranking the severity of potential threats to its IS efforts.

Towards A Role-Based Metadata Scheme For Educational Digital Libraries: A Case Study In Singapore, Dian Melati Md Ismail, Ming Yin, Yin-Leng Theng, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Ee Peng Lim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we describe the development of an appropriate metadata scheme for GeogDL, a Web-based digital library application containing past-year examination resources for students taking a Singapore national examination in geography. The new metadata scheme was developed from established metadata schemes on education and e-learning. Initial evaluation showed that a role-based approach would be more viable, adapting to the different roles of teachers/educators and librarians contributing geography resources to GeogDL. The paper concludes with concrete implementation of the role-based metadata schema for GeogDL.

A Generic Object-Oriented Tabu Search Framework, Hoong Chuin Lau, Wee Chong Wan, Xiaomin Jia

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Presently, most tabu search designers devise their applications without considering the potential of design and code reuse, which consequently prolong the development of subsequent applications. In this paper, we propose a software solution known as Tabu Search Framework (TSF), which is a generic C++ software framework for tabu search implementation. The framework excels in code recycling through the use of a welldesigned set of generic abstract classes that clearly define their collaborative roles in the algorithm. Additionally, the framework incorporates a centralized process and control mechanism that enhances the search with intelligence. This results in a generic framework that is …

Interlocked Open And Closed Linkages With Few Joints, Erik D. Demaine, Stefan Langerman, Joseph O'Rourke, Jack Snoeyink

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

We study collections of linkages in 3-space that are interlocked in the sense that the linkages cannot be separated without one bar crossing through another. We explore pairs of linkages, one open chain and one closed chain, each with a small number of joints, and determine which can be interlocked. In particular, we show that a triangle and an open 4-chain can interlock, a quadrilateral and an open 3-chain can interlock, but a triangle and an open 3-chain cannot interlock.

Consensus-Based Table Form Recognition, William A. Barrett, Heath E. Nielson

Faculty Publications

Zoning documents increases the resolution of indexing from the image level to the field level. A line-delimited tabular document forms a well defined series of regions. However, as image quality decreases, accurate zoning becomes increasingly difficult. Given a sequence of documents with the same layout, we present a robust zoning method which exploits both intra- and inter-document consensus to form a more accurate combined result (template) that can be applied to any other document with the same layout.

Just-In-Time Browsing For Digitized Microfilm And Other Similar Image Collections, William A. Barrett, Douglas J. Kennard

Faculty Publications

This paper describes “Just-In-Time Browsing” (JITB), a method for image browsing (at modem-like speed) in which image data is transmitted and presented to the user progressively, in prioritized order, based on image content and user interaction. Spatial resolution and grayscale or color fidelity is increased first for the portions of the image that are immediately of most interest to the user. JITB is specifically geared toward digitized microfilm and other similar document image collections, although it can also be used for other types of images. A series of common browsing tasks performed by multiple users demonstrates that JITB compares favorably …

Boltzmann Machine Learning With The Latent Maximum Entropy Principle, Shaojun Wang, Dale Schuurmans, Fuchun Peng, Yunxin Zhao

Kno.e.sis Publications

We present a new statistical learning paradigm for Boltzmann machines based on a new inference principle we have proposed: the latent maximum entropy principle (LME). LME is different both from Jaynes maximum entropy principle and from standard maximum likelihood estimation. We demonstrate the LME principle BY deriving new algorithms for Boltzmann machine parameter estimation, and show how robust and fast new variant of the EM algorithm can be developed. Our experiments show that estimation based on LME generally yields better results than maximum likelihood estimation, particularly when inferring hidden units from small amounts of data.

Learning Mixture Models With The Latent Maximum Entropy Principle, Shaojun Wang, Dale Schuurmans, Fuchun Peng, Yunxin Zhao

Kno.e.sis Publications

We present a new approach to estimating mixture models based on a new inference principle we have proposed: the latent maximum entropy principle (LME). LME is different both from Jaynes’ maximum entropy principle and from standard maximum likelihood estimation. We demonstrate the LME principle by deriving new algorithms for mixture model estimation, and show how robust new variants of the EM algorithm can be developed. Our experiments show that estimation based on LME generally yields better results than maximum likelihood estimation, particularly when inferring latent variable models from small amounts of data.

Ubitour: A 3g/Wlan Architecture To Support E-Tourism, Vivek Chinta

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Electronic tourism is a new type of application that provides information, often location-based, to tourists. The information includes route guidance, listings of nearby points of interest, guided tours with multimedia presentations and experiences shared by visitors. E-tourism applications can also include storing sound and images recorded by visitors. An architecture to support e-tourism called 'UbiTour' is presented in this dissertation. UbiTour provides different services to visitors such as location-based information, route-guidance, announcements and visitor collaboration.

UbiTour aims at using 3G for ubiquitous connectivity and WLAN for high-speed, local information, running on a PDA. WLAN, specifically 802.11, provides a high-bandwidth, broadcast-based …

Pushing Blocks Is Hard, Erik D. Demaine, Martin L. Demaine, Michael Hoffmann, Joseph O'Rourke

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

We prove NP-hardness of a wide class of pushing-block puzzles similar to the classic Sokoban, generalizing several previous results [E.D. Demaine et al., in: Proc. 12th Canad. Conf. Comput. Geom., 2000, pp. 211-219; E.D. Demaine et al., Technical Report, January 2000; A. Dhagat, J. O'Rourke, in: Proc. 4th Canad. Conf. Comput. Geom., 1992, pp. 188-191; D. Dor, U. Zwick, Computational Geometry 13 (4) (1999) 215-228; J. O'Rourke, Technical Report, November 1999; G. Wilfong, Ann. Math. Artif. Intell. 3 (1991) 131-150]. The puzzles consist of unit square blocks on an integer lattice; all blocks are movable. The robot may move horizontally …

Query Protocols For Highly Resilient Peer-To-Peer Networks, Suresh Jagannathan, Gopal Pandurangan, Sriram Srinivasan

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Solving Multi-Objective Multi-Constrained Optimization Problems Using Hybrid Ants System And Tabu Search, Hoong Chuin Lau, Min Kwang Lim, Wee Chong Wan, Hui Wang, Xiaotao Wu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Many real-world optimization problems today are multi-objective multi-constraint generalizations of NP-hard problems. A classic case we study in this paper is the Inventory Routing Problem with Time Windows (IRPTW). IRPTW considers inventory costs across multiple instances of Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW). The latter is in turn extended with time-windows constraints from the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), which is extended with optimal fleet size objective from the single-objective Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). While single-objective problems like TSP are solved effectively using meta-heuristics, it is not obvious how to cope with the increasing complexity systematically as the problem is …

Two-Dimensional Cubic Convolution, Stephen E. Reichenbach, Frank Geng

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

This paper develops two-dimensional (2-D), nonseparable, piecewise cubic convolution (PCC) for image interpolation. Traditionally, PCC has been implemented based on a one-dimensional (1-D) derivation with a separable generalization to two dimensions. However, typical scenes and imaging systems are not separable, so the traditional approach is suboptimal. We develop a closed-form derivation for a two-parameter, 2-D PCC kernel with support [-2, 2] [-2, 2] that is constrained for continuity, smoothness, symmetry, and flat-field response. Our analyses using several image models, including Markov random fields, demonstrate that the 2-D PCC yields small improvements in interpolation fidelity over the traditional, separable approach. The …

Application Adaptive Bandwidth Management Using Real-Time Network Monitoring., Amit Grover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Application adaptive bandwidth management is a strategy for ensuring secure and reliable network operation in the presence of undesirable applications competing for a network’s crucial bandwidth, covert channels of communication via non-standard traffic on well-known ports, and coordinated Denial of Service attacks. The study undertaken here explored the classification, analysis and management of the network traffic on the basis of ports and protocols used, type of applications, traffic direction and flow rates on the East Tennessee State University’s campus-wide network. Bandwidth measurements over a nine-month period indicated bandwidth abuse of less than 0.0001% of total network bandwidth. The conclusion suggests …

Haptic-Geozui3d: Exploring The Use Of Haptics In Auv Path Planning, Rick Komerska, Colin Ware

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

We have developed a desktop virtual reality system that we call Haptic-GeoZui3D, which brings together 3D user interaction and visualization to provide a compelling environment for AUV path planning. A key component in our system is the PHANTOM haptic device (SensAble Technologies, Inc.), which affords a sense of touch and force feedback – haptics – to provide cues and constraints to guide the user’s interaction. This paper describes our system, and how we use haptics to significantly augment our ability to lay out a vehicle path. We show how our system works well for quickly defining simple waypoint-towaypoint (e.g. transit) …