As redes de sensores sem fio (RSSF) são uma tecnologia que ganhou muita importância nos últimos anos. Dentro das diversas aplicações para essas redes, o rastreamento de alvos é considerado essencial. Nessa aplicação, a RSSF deve determinar, de forma colaborativa, a trajetória de um ou mais alvos que se encontrem dentro de sua área de cobertura. O presente trabalho apresenta um algoritmo colaborativo baseado na fatoração multifrontal QR para estimação de trajetórias de alvos com RSSF. A solução proposta está inserida no âmbito da estimação por lotes, na qual os dados são coletados pelos sensores durante a aplicação e só no final é realizada a estimativa da trajetória do alvo. Uma vez coletados os dados, o problema pode ser modelado como um sistema de equações sobredeterminado Ax = b cuja característica principal é ser esparso. A solução desse sistema é dada mediante o método de mínimos quadrados, no qual o sistema é transformado num sistema triangular superior, que é solucionado mediante substituição inversa. A fatoração multifrontal QR é ideal neste contexto devido à natureza esparsa da matriz principal do sistema. A fatoração multifrontal QR utiliza um grafo denominado árvore de eliminação para dividir o processo de fatoração de uma matriz esparsa em fatorações densas de pequenas submatrizes denominadas matrizes frontais. Mapeando a árvore de eliminação na RSSF consegue-se que essas fatorações densas sejam executadas pelos nós sensoriais que detectaram o alvo durante seu trajeto pela rede. Dessa maneira, o algoritmo consegue realizar a fatoração da matriz principal do problema de forma colaborativa, dividindo essa tarefa em pequenas tarefas que os nós de sensoriais da rede possam realizar. / Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is a technology that have gained a lot of importance in the last few years. From all the possible applications for WSN, target tracking is considered essential. In this application, the WSN has to determine, in a collaborative way, the trajectory of one or more targets that are within the sensing area of the network. The aim of this document is to present a collaborative algorithm based on multifrontal QR factorization for the solution of the target trajectory estimation problem with WSN. This algorithm uses a batch estimation approach, which assumes that all sensing data are available before the estimation of the target trajectory. If all the observations of the target trajectory is available, the problem can be modeled as an overdetermined system of equations Ax = b where A is sparse. This system of equations is solved by least squares method. The multifrontal QR factorization uses a tree graph called elimination tree to reorganize the overall factorization of a sparse matrix into a sequence of partial factorizations of dense smaller matrices named frontal matrices. By mapping the elimination tree into the WSN, the sensor nodes that observed the target can factorize the frontal matrices. In this manner, the WSN factorizes the matrix A in a collaborative way, dividing the work in small tasks that the sensor nodes could execute.

As etapas envolvidas na produção de uma mina podem ser modeladas e gerenciadas de forma mais eficiente quando há um fluxo mútuo e contínuo de informações, que vão desde a geologia até às especificações do produto final. Através da modelagem e gerenciamento das diversas etapas envolvidas no processo mineiro é possível melhorar significativamente o planejamento e operação das minas. A incorporação de componentes tecnológicos diversos tais como software de mineração, software de realidade virtual e componentes wireless, permite tomar decisões baseadas em modelos mais realísticos e precisos. Para tal, é proposta uma metodologia de integração destas tecnologias no controle das tarefas de decapeamento no planejamento de lavra de curto prazo, visando aprimorar o controle de qualidade no minério lavrado através do uso de técnicas de simulação condicional. A integração dessas tecnologias permite a transmissão de dados em tempo real entre planejamento e operação de mina, proporcionando melhorias na produtividade, na eficiência e no controle dos processos, além de promover melhorias na qualidade do material lavrado através do conhecimento do nível de incerteza associado em cada plano operacional de lavra. Uma solução composta por tecnologias integradas permite que o pessoal de operação de mina alcance os resultados de forma mais rápida e eficiente, melhorando significativamente a produtividade das operações da mina e a qualidade do minério lavrado. / The stages involved in mining production can be modeled and managed in a more efficient way when there is an integrated and continuous flow of information, from geology all the way down the mine value chain to the final specifications of the product. It is possible to improve the efficiency of decision-making in mine planning and operations through proper data-flow management. With the incorporation of technological components such as mining software, virtual reality software and wireless components, it is possible to take decisions based on models that are more accurate and realistic. This research considers a methodology technology integration for the tasks of waste moving in the short term mine planning, to improve the quality control in mined ore using conditional simulation techniques. The integration of these technologies allows instantaneous transmission of data between mine planning and the mine operation, improving productivity and efficiency in process control. In addition, it provides a measure of the uncertainty associated with the operational mining planning. An integrated solution allows mine planners and equipment operators to obtain quicker and more efficient results, improving significantly productivity in the operation of the mine and quality of the mined ore.

M.Ing. (Electrical And Electronic Engineering) / This dissertation presents a fully integrated image rejection receiver, the design of a wireless local area network receiver, by using CMOS transistors, including circuit implementations, as well as the design of a low noise amplifier, down conversion mixer, LC oscillators passive on-chip inductor, IF mixer, and low-pass filter based on CMOS active inductor. The study compares receiver topologies, heterodyne architecture, image rejection and associated problems, direct conversion, low- IF and wideband IF architecture, and DC offset, and presents the chosen circuit configurations for a 2.4 GHz CMOS wireless-LAN receiver. It also compares different topologies of a low noise amplifier, mixers, and oscillators. On-chip passive devices are also presented. The fully integrated image rejection receiver consists of a first stage LNA with input 2.4 GHz and NF equal to 2 dB , output of the LNA signal at 2.4 GHz, with a gain of 24 dB mixing with LC Local oscillator signal 1.2 GHz in the RF Mixer, and the out-mixing signal mixed again with the quadrature Oscillator 1.2 GHz in the IF Mixer. The final stage presents a differential low-pass filter based on a CMOS active inductor 100 MHz. This receiver design operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency. The ultimate aim of this project is to design a small-area IC chip and a low-power fullyintegrated 2.4 GHz CMOS receiver. CMOS was selected as the technology of choice because of its cost advantages in comparison with other processes.

There is little literature available that is specific to the use of wireless local area network [WLAN) security among small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa. This research study developed a framework which may be used by SMMEs for the purposes of securing their WLANs. In view of the fact that the aim of the study was to develop a system for improving information technology security, the study followed a design science approach. A literature review was conducted on security control framework standards and WLAN technologies. The needs of SMMEs regarding WLANs were also established. The result of this process was an artefact in the form of a WLAN Security Control Framework for securing WLANs for SMMEs in South Africa. The suitability of the framework was validated by means of a focus group.

Localization and coverage are two important and closely related problems in wireless ad hoc networks. Localization aims to determine the physical locations of devices in a network, while coverage determines if a region of interest is sufficiently monitored by devices. Localization systems require a high degree of coverage for correct functioning, while coverage schemes typically require accurate location information. This thesis investigates the relationship between localization and coverage such that new schemes can be devised which integrate approaches found in each of these well studied problems. This work begins with a thorough review of the current literature on the subjects of localization and coverage. The localization scheduling problem is then introduced with the goal to allow as many devices as possible to enter deep sleep states to conserve energy and reduce message overhead, while maintaining sufficient network coverage for high localization accuracy. Initially this sufficient coverage level for localization is simply a minimum connectivity condition. An analytical method is then proposed to estimate the amount of localization error within a certain probability based on the theoretical lower bounds of location estimation. Error estimates can then be integrated into location dependent schemes to improve on their robustness to localization error. Location error estimation is then used by an improved scheduling scheme to determine the minimum number of reference devices required for accurate localization. Finally, an optimal coverage preserving sleep scheduling scheme is proposed which is robust to localization error, a condition which is ignored by most existing solutions. Simulation results show that with localization scheduling network lifetimes can be increased by several times and message overhead is reduced while maintaining negligible differences in localization error. Furthermore, results show that the proposed coverage preserving sleep scheduling scheme results in fewer active devices and coverage holes under the presence of localization error.

In Wireless Sensor and Robot Networks (WSRNs), static sensors report event information to one of the robots. In the k nearest neighbour query processing problem in WSRNs, the robot receives event report needs to find exact k nearest robots (KNN) to react to the event, among those connected to it. We are interested in localized solutions, which avoid message flooding to the whole network. Several existing methods restrict the search within a predetermined boundary. Some network density-based estimation algorithms were proposed but they either result in large message transmission or require the density information of the whole network in advance which is complex to implement and lacks robustness. Algorithms with tree structures lead to the excessive energy consumption and large latency caused by structural construction. Itinerary based approaches generate large latency or unsatisfactory accuracy. In this thesis, we propose a new method to estimate a search boundary, which is a circle centred at the query point. Two algorithms are presented to disseminate the message to robots of interest and aggregate their data (e.g. the distance to query point). Multiple Auction Aggregation (MAA) is an algorithm based on auction protocol, with multiple copies of query message being disseminated into the network to get the best bidding from each robot. Partial Depth First Search (PDFS) attempts to traverse all the robots of interest with a query message to gather the data by depth first search. This thesis also optimizes a traditional itinerary-based KNN query processing method called IKNN and compares this algorithm with our proposed MAA and PDFS algorithms. The experimental results followed indicate that the overall performance of MAA and PDFS outweighs IKNN in WSRNs.

The agricultural sector is an emerging application area for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). This requires sensor nodes to be deployed in the outdoor environment so as to monitor pertinent natural features, such as soil condition or pest infestation. Limited energy supply and subsequent battery replacement are common issues for these agricultural sensor nodes. One possible solution is to use energy harvesting, where the ambient energy is extracted and converted into usable electrical form to energise the wireless sensors. The work presented in this thesis investigates the feasibility of using Radio Frequency (RF) energy harvesting for a specific application; that is powering a generic class of wireless ground-level, agricultural sensor networks operating in an outdoor environment. The investigation was primarily undertaken through a literature study of the subject. The first part of the thesis examines several energy harvesting/ wireless energy transfer techniques, which may be applicable to power the targeted agricultural WSN nodes. The key advantages and limitations of each technique are identified, and the rationale is being given for selecting far-field RF energy harvesting as the investigated technique. It is then followed by a theoretical-based system analysis, which seeks to identify all relevant design parameters, and to quantify their impact on the system performance. An RF link budget analysis was also included to examine the feasibility of using RF energy harvesting to power an exemplar WSN node - Zyrox2 Bait Station. The second part of the thesis focuses on the design of two energy harvesting antennas. The first design is an air-substrate-based folded shorted patch antenna (FSPA) with a solid ground plane, while the second design is a similar FSPA structure with four pairs of slot embedded into its ground plane. Both antennas were simulated, fabricated and tested inside an anechoic chamber, and in their actual operating environment - an outdoor field. In addition, a power harvester circuit, built using the commercially available off-the-shelf components, was tested in the laboratory using an RF signal generator source. The results from both the laboratory and field trial were analysed. The measurement techniques used were reviewed, along with some comments on how to improve them. Further work on the RF energy harvester, particularly on the improvement of the antenna design must be carried out before the feasibility and viable implementations for this application can be definitively ascertained.

If we had detailed wireless local area network (WLAN) coverage maps, both staff and equipment could be used more efficiently, for example, less time would be spent searching for connectivity. In addition, system administrators could understand their WLAN's utilization better, thus enabling better planning for where to install new access points, where to remove access points, where to change the type of antenna, etc. This thesis concerns creating detailed indoor coverage models by using measured network performance - in order to enable both users and administrators to visualize the network coverage. Today a user can only easily know about the access points that they currently hear – in the location where they currently are. Giving the users and administrators access to a model of the entire campus coverage will allow them to understand not only the _local_ coverage, but the patterns of coverage (or lack there of). However, no efficient modeling techniques are currently available for those deploying and operating indoor WLANs. The thesis begins with some general background information and then examines a number of WLAN survey tools; in terms of both their performance and cost. Following this a number of related projects are presented. This background provides the motivation for why a new tool is needed and what functions such a tool should have. Next a site survey of the KTH campus in Kista was conducted using a newly developed survey application. This application was developed to better meet the requirements derived from the missing functionality of existing tools. In addition, developing this application gave the author an opportunity to learn a new objectoriented programming language, i.e. C# and the .NET environment. Learning to use this new environment was essential to building both an easy to use application and collecting the data from the system - the later was often not straight-forward. ne of the key issues after data collection is how to present the collected data to the user and how this varies depending upon the user’s interests and task. An initial representation of the experimental data is presented as a manually painted coverage map overlayed onto a map. Next the thesis examines how to integrate the experimental data using Google’s SketchUp in order to build a 3D model of the WLAN coverage on this campus. Future work related to this thesis should focus on how to automate the collection of data and how to automate the presentation of the resulting experimental data. / Om vi hade tillgång till detaljerade täckningskartor över lokala nätverk (WLAN), skulle både personal och utrustning kunna användas mer ändamålsenligt. Till exempel skulle mindre tid gå åt till att söka täckning. Dessutom skulle systemadministratörer förstå användningen av deras WLAN:s på ett bättre sätt, vilket skulle möjliggöra bättre planering av var nya accesspunkter ska installeras, var accesspunkter ska tas bort, var man ska byta antenntyp, osv. Detta examensarbete handlar om skapande av detaljerade täckningsmodeller för användning inomhus vilka genererats genom att mäta nätverkets styrka – detta för att göra det möjligt för båda användare och administratörer att visualisera nätverkstäckning. Idag kan en användare endast känna till accesspunkter som de just för tillfället hör – på den plats där de för tillfället befinner sig. Att ge användarna och administratörerna tillgång till en modell av täckningen över hela Campus skulle inte bara göra att de uppfattade den lokala täckningen utan hela täckningsmönster (eller avsaknaden därav). Dock finns för tillfället inga ändamålsenliga modelleringstekniker för de som utvecklar och sköter WLAN:s inomhus. Examensarbetet inleds med en del bakgrundsinformation och går därefter in på ett antal metoder för att kartlägga WLAN, både vad gäller prestanda och kostnad. Härefter presenteras ett antal relaterade projekt. Denna bakgrund är till för att motivera varför ett nytt verktyg behövs och vilka funktion ett sådant verktyg borde ha. Efter denna litteratur- och bakgrundsstudie gjordes en kartläggning av KTH Campus i Kista med användning av en nyligen utvecklad applikation. Applikationen togs fram för att på ett bättre sätt uppfylla kraven som följde av saknade funktioner i existerande verktyg. Dessutom gav utvecklingen av applikationen författaren en möjlighet att lära sig objektorienterad programmering med t ex C# och .NET-miljön. Att lära sig att använda denna nya programmeringsmiljö var en nödvändighet för att kunna bygga både en lättanvänd applikation och samla in data från systemet – de senare var oftast inte helt lätt. En av de största svårigheterna efter datainsamlingen var att hitta ett sätta att presentera den insamlade informationen samt hur presentationen ska variera beroende på användaren behov och uppgift. En första presentation av experimentdata presenteras som en manuellt ritad täckningskarta lagd ovanpå en vanlig karta. Nästa steg i examensarbetet är att undersöka hur man ska integrera experimentdata genom att använda Google:s SketchUp för att bygga en 3D-modell av WLAN-täckning på Campus i Kista. Framtida utveckling relaterad till detta examensarbete borde fokusera på hur man ska kunna automatisera datainsamlingen och presentationen av resulterande experimentdata.

In an underground coal mine, the measure of a communication system is the coverage area it can provide at a quality that ensures a miner can communicate with other miners in and out of the mine during normal and emergency operations.  The coverage area of a wireless mesh communication system can be calculated using the tool, COMMs, developed and discussed in this document.  This tool can also be used to explore emergency operations, or operations where the mesh infrastructure is degraded or destroyed.  Most often, the communication system is also capable of transmitting data from sensors including a set of sensors, such as Radio Frequency Identification readers, described as the tracking system. An underground tracking system is described as a system that calculates a location in a useful coordinate when a tracked device is underground.  The tracked device is a representative of a miner, group of miners or equipment, depending on state law and the mine's deployment.  The actual location of the miner or equipment being tracked is the Ground Truth Position (GTP) and the tracking system's representation in the same coordinate system at the same time is the Tracking System Position (TSP).  In an excellent tracking system the actual location, GTP, and TSP will be very close to each other.  This work also develops a set of calculated metrics that describe tracking system performance. The Tracking Coverage Area metric refers to the area within the mine that the tracking system either actively measures a tracked device's location or infers it based on the spatial limitations of the mine and information other than active measurements. Average Accuracy is the arithmetic mean of a set of distances from the TSP to the GTP associated with a tracking system. The Average Cluster Radius metric is the average distance a set of TSPs are from their center point, which is determined by the average location of a TSP relative to the GTP.  A 90% Confidence Distance is the distance from a tracked device's actual location (i.e., GTP) that is greater than 90% of the collected distance from GTP to TSP magnitudes ("90th percentile"). Regulatory guidelines in the United States currently define different tracking qualities at locations in the mine.  These can be classified in location categories of Working Face, Strategic Areas, and Escapeways and Travel-ways. All direct paths via escapeway or travel-way from the mine portal to the working face should be simplified into a one-dimensional path that is subdivided by the three regulatory categories.  Each of these subdivisions should be described using the metrics defined above. These metrics can be predicted using COMMs for a tracking system that is utilizing an underground wireless mesh system that uses Received Signal Strength Indicators (RSSI) to calculate the TSP.  Because the tracking system's algorithm to convert RSSI into a TSP is proprietary to the manufacturer, in order to develop predictions the engineer must collaborate with the manufacturer.  In this document, the predictions and calculations were obtained in conjunction with the manufacturer and proved to be accurate describing the tracking system that was designed and tested. / Ph. D.

In an underground coal mine, the measure of a communication system is the coverage area it can provide at a quality that ensures a miner can communicate with other miners in and out of the mine during normal and emergency operations.  The coverage area of a wireless mesh communication system can be calculated using the tool, COMMs, developed and discussed in this document.  This tool can also be used to explore emergency operations, or operations where the mesh infrastructure is degraded or destroyed.  Most often, the communication system is also capable of transmitting data from sensors including a set of sensors, such as Radio Frequency Identification readers, described as the tracking system. An underground tracking system is described as a system that calculates a location in a useful coordinate when a tracked device is underground.  The tracked device is a representative of a miner, group of miners or equipment, depending on state law and the mine's deployment.  The actual location of the miner or equipment being tracked is the Ground Truth Position (GTP) and the tracking system's representation in the same coordinate system at the same time is the Tracking System Position (TSP).  In an excellent tracking system the actual location, GTP, and TSP will be very close to each other.  This work also develops a set of calculated metrics that describe tracking system performance. The Tracking Coverage Area metric refers to the area within the mine that the tracking system either actively measures a tracked device's location or infers it based on the spatial limitations of the mine and information other than active measurements. Average Accuracy is the arithmetic mean of a set of distances from the TSP to the GTP associated with a tracking system. The Average Cluster Radius metric is the average distance a set of TSPs are from their center point, which is determined by the average location of a TSP relative to the GTP.  A 90% Confidence Distance is the distance from a tracked device's actual location (i.e., GTP) that is greater than 90% of the collected distance from GTP to TSP magnitudes ("90th percentile"). Regulatory guidelines in the United States currently define different tracking qualities at locations in the mine.  These can be classified in location categories of Working Face, Strategic Areas, and Escapeways and Travel-ways. All direct paths via escapeway or travel-way from the mine portal to the working face should be simplified into a one-dimensional path that is subdivided by the three regulatory categories.  Each of these subdivisions should be described using the metrics defined above. These metrics can be predicted using COMMs for a tracking system that is utilizing an underground wireless mesh system that uses Received Signal Strength Indicators (RSSI) to calculate the TSP.  Because the tracking system's algorithm to convert RSSI into a TSP is proprietary to the manufacturer, in order to develop predictions the engineer must collaborate with the manufacturer.  In this document, the predictions and calculations were obtained in conjunction with the manufacturer and proved to be accurate describing the tracking system that was designed and tested. / Ph. D.