Satellite communication promises potential methods for providing global communication. In particular, by the development of a Low Earth Orbital (LEO) satellite constellation, both global coverage and broadband communication will be accessible. Problems arise in situations where various traffic types in broadband communication require different levels of quality of service (QoS). Traffic control is required to make sure that each traffic demand may receive the expected QoS. Another problem is that the dynamic topology of a LEO satellite network requires a traffic allocation control, which is able to allocate traffic demand into the Inter Satellite Links (ISLs) between LEO satellites.In this thesis, traffic allocation strategy in a dynamic LEO satellite communication network is studied and analyzed. The delivery of Quality of Service (QoS) is an important objective. Traffic allocation control is performed in the LEO satellite constellation to provide a near optimal utilization of these ISLs. An alternative solution is proposed in this research, in which a combination of two algorithms will be used to allocate traffic in this dynamic satellite network. The first algorithm allocates traffic during small time intervals, based on an assumption that the topology is unchanged during these intervals. The second algorithm allocates traffic after topology updating has been accomplished. Traffic allocation respects some constraints including QoS (due to multiservice requirements), capacity constraints, traffic distribution, and availability constraints. Both theoretical and empirical studies have been undertaken to examine the performance of the proposed algorithm, denoted GALPEDA (Genetic Algorithm Linear Programming and Extended Dijkstra Algorithm). The proposed algorithm provides privileges to a class of high priority traffic, including benefits for traffic allocation of multiclass traffic in LEO satellite communication. It provides a novel traffic allocation mechanism to cope with the dynamic topology of a LEO satellite; moreover this algorithm distributes multiservice traffic evenly over the network. Simulations results are provided.

Data quality issues have taken on increasing importance in recent years. In our research, we have discovered that many “data quality” problems are actually “data misinterpretation” problems – that is, problems with data semantics. In this paper, we first illustrate some examples of these problems and then introduce a particular semantic problem that we call “corporate householding.” We stress the importance of “context” to get the appropriate answer for each task. Then we propose an approach to handle these tasks using extensions to the COntext INterchange (COIN) technology for knowledge storage and knowledge processing. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

The COntext INterchange (COIN) strategy is an approach to solving the problem of interoperability of semantically heterogeneous data sources through context mediation. COIN has used its own notation and syntax for representing ontologies. More recently, the OWL Web Ontology Language is becoming established as the W3C recommended ontology language. We propose the use of the COIN strategy to solve context disparity and ontology interoperability problems in the emerging Semantic Web – both at the ontology level and at the data level. In conjunction with this, we propose a version of the COIN ontology model that uses OWL and the emerging rules interchange language, RuleML. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2002. / Title from title page screen (viewed [Sept. 27, 2002). Thesis advisor: Wayne T. Davis. Document formatted into pages (142 p. : ill (some col.)). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 46-47).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-186).

The Internet has enabled the collection, aggregation and analysis of personal data on a massive scale. It has also enabled the sharing of collected data in various ways: wholesale outsourcing of data warehousing, partnering with advertisers for targeted advertising, data publishing for exploratory research, etc. This has led to complex privacy questions related to the leakage of sensitive user data and mass harvesting of information by unscrupulous parties. These questions have information-theoretic, sociological and legal aspects and are often poorly understood. There are two fundamental paradigms for how the data is released: in the interactive setting, the data collector holds the data while third parties interact with the data collector to compute some function on the database. In the non-interactive setting, the database is somehow \sanitized" and then published. In this thesis, we conduct a thorough theoretical and empirical investigation of privacy issues involved in non-interactive data release. Both settings have been well analyzed in the academic literature, but simplicity of the non-interactive paradigm has resulted in its being used almost exclusively in actual data releases. We analyze several common applications including electronic directories, collaborative ltering and recommender systems, and social networks. Our investigation has two main foci. First, we present frameworks for privacy and anonymity in these dierent settings within which one might dene exactly when a privacy breach has occurred. Second, we use these frameworks to experimentally analyze actual large datasets and quantify privacy issues. The picture that has emerged from this research is a bleak one for noninteractivity. While a surprising level of privacy control is possible in a limited number of applications, the general sense is that protecting privacy in the non-interactive setting is not as easy as intuitively assumed in the absence of rigorous privacy denitions. While some applications can be salvaged either by moving to an interactive setting or by other means, in others a rethinking of the tradeos between utility and privacy that are currently taken for granted appears to be necessary. / text

Why and how much should we invest in this information technology (IT)? The difficulty to formulate well-justified, convincing answers to those questions asked by corporate decision-makers has been identified as a major impediment to one rapid adoption of IT innovations by the business community. This study investigates the fundamental construct underlying these questions by performing a formal assessment of the business value of financial electronic data interchange (EDI) technology for corporate adopters in Canada. Three major Canadian financial institutions, seven cross-industry financial EDI user organizations (originators and receivers), several reference firms and more than fifty individuals actively participated in this study which follows a triangulation data collection approach. Within a cohesive financial EDI value measurement framework based on the theory of capital budgeting, a set of realistic and flexible models for measuring the business value of financial EDI was developed from a rigorous, item-by-item analysis of the data. Following a scenario-based approach, the data and models were used to estimate the magnitude of potential net benefits of financial EDI to corporate adopters. A formal evaluation of the expected and actual costs and benefits of financial EDI to participating user firms was conducted using the models. Several major conclusions were drawn from this in-depth study of financial EDI investments including, among others, the substantiated observation that from a payment process perspective, financial EDI is potentially more beneficial to corporate receivers than originators. Compared to non-financial EDI applications, potential economic gains from reduced payment cycles accrue primarily to the supplier community, rather than the initiators of financial EDI systems. Major contributions of this study include first, the development of a theory-based value measurement framework, and second, the presentation and application of a structured, iterative methodology for the evaluation of financial EDI investments. The proposed financial EDI cost/benefit models also offer a useful, practical set of tools to potential and actual user firms in evaluating the organizational value of future or current financial EDI programs. Finally, the study is also intended to assist Canadian financial institutions in their financial EDI diffusion effort.

Hitherto the diffusion of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has been limited due to high implementation and operational costs. On the other hand, the Extensible Markup Language (XML) has quickly become a generally accepted standard for integrating processing of formatted data - the literature is virtually unanimous that an integration of EDI into XML would make EDI more accessible and implementation faster and cheaper. The process of standardization of various EDI standard formats over XML is still underway and the question arises whether an early adoption of the technology would pay off. This thesis investigates the issue using real-options methodology. Starting from the well-known Black-Scholes model the parameters of the model are operationalized to decide about the best adoption timing: (i) project costs of implementation, (ii) value of savings of the project (substitutional, complementary, and strategic benefits), and (iii) project risk, expressed as the variance used in Black-Scholes. The latter considers both the external autonomy of the player in implementing new technology and internal properties in technology adoption. Discussing the technological properties of XML/EDI above parameters are operationalized step by step and integrated into a decision model to help each individual firm put the XML/EDI investment decision into real numbers. In order to better visualize the parameters of this decision framework, four company profiles, based on the theory of technology diffusion, will be introduced and mapped against the parameters of the Black-Scholes formula. (author's abstract)

Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2001.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Susan Fiorito, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Dept. of Textiles and Consumer Sciences. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 28, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.