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This thesis investigates the circumstances under which parties change their positions, with Swedish nuclear power policy as a case to adress the purpose. The thesis employed qualitative text analysis and the theoretical framework Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to examine and adress the the thesis's research questions and purpose. ACF was used to formulate the research questions, focusing on wether there had been changes in the Swedish parliamentary parties' policy core belifes regardning nuclear power policy and, if so, wether external subsystem events and or\changes in coalition formation could explain these changes. The study found that three out of eight Swedish parliamentary parties had changed their policy core belifes regarding the nuclear power issue:the Social Democrats, the Green Party, and the Center party.  At least one of the examined external subsystem events could either explain the changes or reinforce previous changes. Furthermore, the sudy showed that changes in coalition formation could potentially explain the Social Democrats' and the Green Party's altered policy core belifes. Other potential explanations included the influence of the Janaury Agreement, where the Liberals, as a strongly pro-nuclear party, may have influenced the Green party and the Social Democrats to become more positive towards nuclear power. In summary, the sudy demonstrated that changes in coalition formation and\or external subsystem evenets are circumstances that can explain why parties change their positions. Additionally, the thesis suggested that ACF should include two additional external subsystem events, which this sudy has shown to have an impact on parties' changed policy core belifes:war and economic changes.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Electronic Systems Laboratory at Stellenbosch University is currently developing a fully 3-axis controlled Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) for CubeSats. This thesis describes the design and development of an Onboard Computer (OBC) suitable for ADCS application. A separate dedicated OBC for ADCS purposes allows the main CubeSat OBC to focus only on command and data handling, communication and payload management. This thesis describes, in detail the development process of the OBC. Multiple Microcontroller Unit (MCU) architectures were considered before selecting an ARM Cortex-M3 processor due to its performance, power efficiency and functionality. The hardware was designed to be as robust as possible, because radiation tolerant and redundant components could not be included, due to their high cost and the technical constraints of a CubeSat. The software was developed to improve recovery from lockouts or component failures and to enable the operational modes to be configured in real-time or uploaded from the ground station. Ground tests indicated that the OBC can handle radiation-related problems such as latchups and bit-flips. The peak power consumption is around 500 mW and the orbital average is substantially lower. The proposed OBC is therefore not only sufficient in its intended application as an ADCS OBC, but could also stand in as a backup for the main OBC in case of an emergency. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Elektroniese Stelsels Laboratorium by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is tans besig om ’n volkome 3-as gestabiliseerde oriëntasiebepaling en -beheerstelsel (Engels: ADCS) vir ’n CubeSat te ontwikkel. Hierdie tesis beskryf die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van ’n aanboordrekenaar (Engels: OBC) wat gebruik kan word in ’n ADCS. ’n Afsonderlike OBC wat aan die ADCS toegewy is, stel die hoof-OBC in staat om te fokus op beheer- en datahantering, kommunikasie en loonvragbestuur. Hierdie tesis beskryf breedvoerig die werkswyse waarvolgens die OBC ontwikkel is. Verskeie mikroverwerkers is as moontlike kandidate ondersoek voor daar op ’n ARM Cortex-M3-gebaseerde mikroverwerker besluit is. Hierdie mikroverwerker is gekies vanweë sy spoed, effektiewe kragverbruik en funksionaliteit. Die hardeware is ontwikkel om so robuust moontlik te wees, omdat stralingbestande en oortollige komponente weens kostebeperkings, asook tegniese beperkings van ’n CubeSat, nie ingesluit kon word nie. Die programmatuur is ontwikkel om van ’n uitsluiting en ’n komponentfout te kan herstel. Verder kan programme wat tydens vlug in werking is, verstel word en vanaf ’n grondstasie gelaai word. Grondtoetse het aangedui dat die OBC stralingverwante probleme, soos ’n vergrendeling (latchup) of bis-omkering (bit-flip), kan hanteer. Die maksimum kragverbruik is ongeveer 500 mW en die gemiddelde wentelbaankragverbruik is beduidend kleiner. Die voorgestelde OBC is dus voldoende as ADCS OBC asook hoof-OBC in geval van nood.

Les récentes avancées technologiques permettent désormais la fabrication de terminaux mobiles de plus en plus compacts et dotés de plusieurs interfaces réseaux. Le nouveau modèle de consommation de médias se résume par le concept "Anytime, Anywhere, Any Device" et impose donc de nouvelles exigences en termes de déploiement de services ubiquitaires. Cependant la conception et le developpement de réseaux ubiquitaires et convergents de nouvelles générations soulèvent un certain nombre de défis techniques. Les standards actuels ainsi que les solutions commerciales pourraient être affectés par le manque de considération du contexte utilisateur. Le ressenti de l'utilisateur concernant certains services multimédia tels que la VoIP et l'IPTV dépend fortement des capacités du terminal et des conditions du réseau d'accès. Cela incite les réseaux de nouvelles générations à fournir des services ubiquitaires adaptés à l'environnement de l'utilisateur optimisant par la même occasion ses resources. L'IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) est une architecture de nouvelle génération qui centralise l'accès aux services et permet la convergence des réseaux fixe/mobile. Néanmoins, l'évolution de l'IMS est nécessaire sur les points suivants :- l'introduction de la sensibilité au contexte utilisateur et de la PQoS (Perceived QoS) : L'architecture IMS ne prend pas en compte l'environnement de l'utilisateur, ses préférences et ne dispose pas d'un méchanisme de gestion de PQOS. Pour s'assurer de la qualité fournit à l'utilisateur final, des informations sur l'environnement de l'utilisateur ainsi que ses préférences doivent transiter en cœur de réseau afin d'y être analysés. Ce traitement aboutit au lancement du service qui sera adapté et optimisé aux conditions observées. De plus pour le service d'IPTV, les caractéristiques spatio-temporelles de la vidéo influent de manière importante sur la PQoS observée côté utilisateur. L'adaptation des services multimédias en fonction de l'évolution du contexte utilisateur et de la nature de la vidéo diffusée assure une qualité d'expérience à l'utilisateur et optimise par la même occasion l'utilisation des ressources en cœur de réseau.- une solution de mobilité efficace pour les services conversationnels tels que la VoIP : Les dernières publications 3GPP fournissent deux solutions de mobilité: le LTE propose MIP comme solution de mobilité alors que l'IMS définit une mobilité basée sur le protocole applicatif SIP. Ces standards définissent le système de signalisation mais ne s'avancent pas sur la gestion du flux média lors du changement d'interface réseau. La deuxième section introduit une étude comparative détaillée des solutions de mobilité dans les NGNs.Notre première contribution est la spécification de l'architecture globale de notre plateforme IMS sensible au contexte utilisateur réalisée au sein du projet Européen ADAMANTIUM. Nous détaillons tout d'abord le serveur MCMS intelligent placé dans la couche application de l'IMS. Cet élément récolte les informations de qualité de services à différents équipements réseaux et prend la décision d'une action sur l'un de ces équipements. Ensuite nous définissons un profil utilisateur permettant de décrire son environnement et de le diffuser en coeur de réseau. Une étude sur la prédiction de satisfaction utilisateur en fonction des paramètres spatio-temporels de la vidéo a été réalisée afin de connaître le débit idéal pour une PQoS désirée.Notre deuxième contribution est l'introduction d'une solution de mobilité adaptée aux services conversationnels (VoIP) tenant compte du contexte utilisateur. Notre solution s'intègre à l'architecture IMS existante de façon transparente et permet de réduire le temps de latence du handover. Notre solution duplique les paquets de VoIP sur les deux interfaces actives pendant le temps de la transition. Parallèlement, un nouvel algorithme de gestion de mémoire tampon améliore la qualité d'expérience pour le service de VoIP. / The latest advances in technology have already defied Moore’s law. Thanks to research and industry, hand-held devices are composed of high processing embedded systems enabling the consumption of high quality services. Furthermore, recent trends in communication drive users to consume media Anytime, Anywhere on Any Device via multiple wired and wireless network interfaces. This creates new demands for ubiquitous and high quality service provision management. However, defining and developing the next generation of ubiquitous and converged networks raise a number of challenges. Currently, telecommunication standards do not consider context-awareness aspects for network management and service provisioning. The experience felt by the end-user consuming for instance Voice over IP (VoIP) or Internet Protocol TeleVision (IPTV) services varies depending mainly on user preferences, device context and network resources. It is commonly held that Next Generation Network (NGN) should deliver personalized and effective ubiquitous services to the end user’s Mobile Node (MN) while optimizing the network resources at the network operator side. IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a standardized NGN framework that unifies service access and allows fixed/mobile network convergence. Nevertheless IMS technology still suffers from a number of confining factors that are addressed in this thesis; amongst them are two main issues :The lack of context-awareness and Perceived-QoS (PQoS):-The existing IMS infrastructure does not take into account the environment of the user ,his preferences , and does not provide any PQoS aware management mechanism within its service provisioning control system. In order to ensure that the service satisfies the consumer, this information need to be sent to the core network for analysis. In order to maximize the end-user satisfaction while optimizing network resources, the combination of a user-centric network management and adaptive services according to the user’s environment and network conditions are considered. Moreover, video content dynamics are also considered as they significantly impact on the deduced perceptual quality of IPTV services. -The lack of efficient mobility mechanism for conversational services like VoIP :The latest releases of Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) provide two types of mobility solutions. Long-Term Evolution (LTE) uses Mobile IP (MIP) and IMS uses Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) mobility. These standards are focusing on signaling but none of them define how the media should be scheduled in multi-homed devices. The second section introduces a detailed study of existing mobility solutions in NGNs. Our first contribution is the specification of the global context-aware IMS architecture proposed within the European project ADAptative Management of mediA distributioN based on saTisfaction orIented User Modeling (ADAMANTIUM). We introduce the innovative Multimedia Content Management System (MCMS) located in the application layer of IMS. This server combines the collected monitoring information from different network equipments with the data of the user profile and takes adaptation actions if necessary. Then, we introduce the User Profile (UP) management within the User Equipment (UE) describing the end-user’s context and facilitating the diffusion of the end-user environment towards the IMS core network. In order to optimize the network usage, a PQoS prediction mechanism gives the optimal video bit-rate according to the video content dynamics. Our second contribution in this thesis is an efficient mobility solution for VoIP service within IMS using and taking advantage of user context. Our solution uses packet duplication on both active interfaces during handover process. In order to leverage this mechanism, a new jitter buffer algorithm is proposed at MN side to improve the user’s quality of experience. Furthermore, our mobility solution integrates easily to the existing IMS platform.

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) has gone from just a step in the evolution of the GSM cellular architecture control core, to being the de-facto framework for Next Generation Network (NGN) implementations and deployments by operators world-wide, not only cellular mobile communications operators, but also fixed line, cable television, and alternative operators. With this transition from standards documents to the real world, engineers in these new multimedia communications companies need to face the task of making these new networks secure against threats and real attacks that were not a part of the previous generation of networks. We present the IMS and other competing frameworks, we analyze the security issues, we present the topic of Security Patterns, we introduce several new patterns, including the basis for a Generic Network pattern, and we apply these concepts to designing a security architecture for a fictitious 3G operator using IMS for the control core. / by Jose M. Ortiz-Villajos. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Ressonância Magnética (RM) é uma técnica bastante versátil, pois é utilizada em muitas áreas de pesquisa, como biologia, física, química, engenharia e medicina. Apesar disso, constitui-se uma desvantagem o alto custo do equipamento e suas restrições físicas para alguns experimentos. Para reduzir essas desvantagens, o grupo de pesquisadores do CIERMag está desenvolvendo um equipamento de RMN multipropósito e, para complementá-lo, este trabalho vem desenvolver um subsistema non-real-time que gerencia os dispositivos periféricos de um experimento. Foi proposta uma rede de dispositivos que é controlada por um Raspberry Pi como elemento central, o qual está conectado ao terminal computadorizado do sistema através de uma rede local (Local Area Network - LAN) via Ethernet e conectado aos dispositivos periféricos via Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). Com o objetivo de ser possível gerenciar qualquer tipo de dispositivo, foi desenvolvido um conjunto de parâmetros baseado no Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS), definido no padrão IEEE 1451, de modo que cada dispositivo, normalmente um transdutor, possui seu próprio. Foram elaboradas duas interfaces de software: uma desenvolvida em Python e a outra uma interface web HTML. Ambas as interfaces possuem as mesmas funcionalidades: editor e gerenciador de TEDS, visualização gráfica de medidas dos sensores e interface para os atuadores. / Magnetic Resonance (MR) is a very versatile technique, since it is used in many research areas such as biology, physics, chemistry, engineering and medicine. Despite this, the cost of the equipment and its physical restrictions in some experiments constitute a serious drawback. To minimize these problems, the CIERMag research team is developing multipurpose MR equipment and, to complement this equipment, this work develops a non-real-time subsystem that manages the peripheral devices of the experiment. It was proposed a network of devices controlled by a Raspberry Pi as its central element, which is connected to the terminal computer of the system. The protocol adopted for this was Ethernet via Local Area Network (LAN); communication with peripheral transducers was performed with the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). With the objective to be able to manage any type of device, we created parameter sets based on Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS), defined in the IEEE 1451 standard, so each device, normally a transducer, has its own parameter set. We created two software interfaces: one developed with Python and the other is a HTML web interface. Both have the same functionalities: a TEDS editor and manager, a graphical visualization of sensor measurements and also an actuator interface.

Este trabalho visa estudar e implementar a integração entre o domínio de comutação de circuitos e o IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) para suportar handovers verticais, ou seja, entre redes de acesso distintas, por exemplo, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) e WiFi, em especial no Serviço Voice Call Continuity (VCC). Entretanto muito pouco é especificado sobre a integração entre os domínios nas normas das diversas entidades de padronização que tratam sobre o assunto. Assim, apresenta-se uma proposta para essa integração, criando-se uma nova entidade funcional para realizá-la, o Call Data Storage Function (CDSF), que interage com os demais módulos do Serviço VCC e garante que algumas informações que devem ser trocadas entre os módulos não sejam perdidas, devido à conversão de protocolos de sinalização na interface entre tais domínios. O CDSF auxilia também no controle da alocação de endereços de referência utilizados no encaminhamento de chamadas de um domínio para o outro. São definidos os protocolos de acesso ao CDSF, bem como os métodos disponíveis. Em sua concepção, recorre-se a uma modelagem modular, que permite futuras melhorias, apenas por troca de módulos. Como estudos de caso para validar a proposta são apresentados cenários de chamadas que utilizam o Serviço VCC, passando pelo CDSF. Por fim, conclui-se que a integração entre os domínios é viável se a proposta deste trabalho for utilizada. Também se demonstra que a separação dos planos de controle dos planos de dados (de usuário) é uma das contribuições fundamentais da arquitetura NGN para o sucesso de suas implementações, como por exemplo o IMS.Além disso, destacam-se as vantagens que o Serviço VCC pode agregar ao IMS, contribuindo para sua adesão em menor prazo pelas operadoras de telecomunicações, dado que esse serviço contribui para a integração de redes, cada vez mais convergentes, agregando mobilidade e continuidade à sua utilização. / This work intends to study and implement the integration between the circuit switching domain and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to support vertical handovers that are between different access networks, such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and WiFi. Therefore the specifications are incomplete about this topic in standards from the entities who works with this subject. Then, is presented a new proposal for this integration: a new functional entity to realize this integration: the Call Data Storage Function (CDSF), which interacts with other modules of VCC Service and guarantees that some information shared between modules are not lost, due to conversion of signalling protocols in the interface between domains. Besides that, CDSF helps in the control of allocation of reference address that are used to route calls from one domain to another. Access protocols to CDSF are defined and CDSF methods are exposed. The CDSF design uses a modular approach, which allows future improvements, just changing modules. As case studies to validate this work proposal, call scenarios are presented that uses the VCC Service, using CDSF. Finally, it is concluded that the integration between domains is viable if this work proposal is used. It is presented, as well, that the separation between control plans and data plans is one of the main contributions of NGN architecture to the success of its implementations, like IMS. Furthermore, it is exposed the advantages that VCC Service can aggregate to IMS, contributing for more rapidly adoption by telecommunications operators, considering that this service helps the networks integration, adding convergence, mobility and continuity.

Este trabalho visa estudar e implementar a integração entre o domínio de comutação de circuitos e o IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) para suportar handovers verticais, ou seja, entre redes de acesso distintas, por exemplo, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) e WiFi, em especial no Serviço Voice Call Continuity (VCC). Entretanto muito pouco é especificado sobre a integração entre os domínios nas normas das diversas entidades de padronização que tratam sobre o assunto. Assim, apresenta-se uma proposta para essa integração, criando-se uma nova entidade funcional para realizá-la, o Call Data Storage Function (CDSF), que interage com os demais módulos do Serviço VCC e garante que algumas informações que devem ser trocadas entre os módulos não sejam perdidas, devido à conversão de protocolos de sinalização na interface entre tais domínios. O CDSF auxilia também no controle da alocação de endereços de referência utilizados no encaminhamento de chamadas de um domínio para o outro. São definidos os protocolos de acesso ao CDSF, bem como os métodos disponíveis. Em sua concepção, recorre-se a uma modelagem modular, que permite futuras melhorias, apenas por troca de módulos. Como estudos de caso para validar a proposta são apresentados cenários de chamadas que utilizam o Serviço VCC, passando pelo CDSF. Por fim, conclui-se que a integração entre os domínios é viável se a proposta deste trabalho for utilizada. Também se demonstra que a separação dos planos de controle dos planos de dados (de usuário) é uma das contribuições fundamentais da arquitetura NGN para o sucesso de suas implementações, como por exemplo o IMS.Além disso, destacam-se as vantagens que o Serviço VCC pode agregar ao IMS, contribuindo para sua adesão em menor prazo pelas operadoras de telecomunicações, dado que esse serviço contribui para a integração de redes, cada vez mais convergentes, agregando mobilidade e continuidade à sua utilização. / This work intends to study and implement the integration between the circuit switching domain and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to support vertical handovers that are between different access networks, such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and WiFi. Therefore the specifications are incomplete about this topic in standards from the entities who works with this subject. Then, is presented a new proposal for this integration: a new functional entity to realize this integration: the Call Data Storage Function (CDSF), which interacts with other modules of VCC Service and guarantees that some information shared between modules are not lost, due to conversion of signalling protocols in the interface between domains. Besides that, CDSF helps in the control of allocation of reference address that are used to route calls from one domain to another. Access protocols to CDSF are defined and CDSF methods are exposed. The CDSF design uses a modular approach, which allows future improvements, just changing modules. As case studies to validate this work proposal, call scenarios are presented that uses the VCC Service, using CDSF. Finally, it is concluded that the integration between domains is viable if this work proposal is used. It is presented, as well, that the separation between control plans and data plans is one of the main contributions of NGN architecture to the success of its implementations, like IMS. Furthermore, it is exposed the advantages that VCC Service can aggregate to IMS, contributing for more rapidly adoption by telecommunications operators, considering that this service helps the networks integration, adding convergence, mobility and continuity.

One of the most powerful properties of mathematical systems theory is the fact that interconnecting systems yields composites that are themselves systems. This property allows for the engineering of complex systems by aggregating simpler systems into intricate patterns. We call these interconnection patterns the "structure" of the system. Similarly, this property also enables the understanding of complex systems by decomposing them into simpler parts. We likewise call the relationship between these parts the "structure" of the system. At first glance, these may appear to represent identical views of structure of a system. However, further investigation invites the question: are these two notions of structure of a system the same? This dissertation answers this question by developing a theory of dynamical structure. The work begins be distinguishing notions of structure from their associated mathematical representations, or models, of a system. Focusing on linear time invariant (LTI) systems, the key technical contributions begin by extending the definition of the dynamical structure function to all LTI systems and proving essential invariance properties as well as extending necessary and sufficient conditions for the reconstruction of the dynamical structure function from data. Given these extensions, we then develop a framework for analyzing the structures associated with different representations of the same system and use this framework to show that interconnection (or subsystem) structures are not necessarily the same as decomposition (or signal) structures. We also show necessary and sufficient conditions for the reconstruction of the interconnection (or subsystem) structure for a class of systems. In addition to theoretical contributions, this work also makes key contributions to specific applications. In particular, network reconstruction algorithms are developed that extend the applicability of existing methods to general LTI systems while improving the computational complexity. Also, a passive reconstruction method was developed that enables reconstruction without actively probing the system. Finally, the structural theory developed here is used to analyze the vulnerability of a system to simultaneous attacks (coordinated or uncoordinated), enabling a novel approach to the security of cyber-physical-human systems.

The theory of decoherence aims to explain how macroscopic quantum objects become effectively classical. Understanding this process could help in the search for the quantum theory underlying gravity, and suggest new schemes for preserving the coherence of technological quantum devices. The process of decoherence is best understood in terms of information flow within a quantum system, and between the system and its environment. We develop a novel way of characterizing this information, and give a sufficient condition for its classicality. These results generalize previous models of decoherence, clarify the process by which a phase-space based on non-commutative quantum variables can emerge, and provide a possible explanation for the universality of the phenomenon of decoherence. In addition, the tools developed in this approach generalize the theory of quantum error correction to infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. We characterize the nature of the information preserved by a quantum channel by the observables which exist in its image (in the Heisenberg picture). The sharp observables preserved by a channel form an operator algebra which can be characterized in terms of the channel's elements. The effect of the channel on these observables can be reversed by another physical transformation. These results generalize the theory of quantum error correction to codes characterized by arbitrary von Neumann algebras, which can represent hybrid quantum-classical information, continuous variable systems, or certain quantum field theories. The preserved unsharp observables (positive operator-valued measures) allow for a finer characterization of the information preserved by a channel. We show that the only type of information which can be duplicated arbitrarily many times consists of coarse-grainings of a single POVM. Based on these results, we propose a model of decoherence which can account for the emergence of a realistic classical phase-space. This model supports the view that the quantum-classical correspondence is given by a quantum-to-classical channel, which is another way of representing a POVM.