This thesis is about digital control theory and presents an account of methods for enabling and analysing intentional non-uniform sampling in discrete compensators. Most conventional control algorithms cause numerical problems where data is collected at sampling rates that are substantially higher than the dynamics of the equivalent continuous-time operation that is being implemented. This is of relevant interest in applications of digital control, in which high sample rates are routinely dictated by the system stability requirements rather than the signal processing needs. Considerable recent progress in reducing the sample frequency requirements has been made through the use of non-uniform sampling schemes, so called alias-free signal processing. The approach prompts the simplification of complex systems and consequently enhances the numerical conditioning of the implementation algorithms that otherwise, would require very high uniform sample rates. Such means of signal representation and analysis presents a variety of options and thus is being researched and practiced in a number of areas in communications. However, the control communities have not yet investigated the use of intentional non-uniform sampling, and hence the ethos of this research project is to investigate the effectiveness of such sampling regimes, in the context of exploiting the benefits. Digital control systems exhibit bandwidth limitations enforced by their closed-loop frequency requirements, the calculation delays in the control algorithm and the interfacing conversion times. These limitations pave the way for additional phase lags within the control loop that demand very high sample rates. Since non-uniform sampling is propitious in reducing the sample frequency requirements of digital processing, it proffers the prospects of being utilised in achieving a higher control bandwidth without opting for very high uniform sample rates. The concept, to the author s knowledge, has not formally been studied and very few definite answers exist in control literature regarding the associated analysis techniques. The key contributions adduced in this thesis include the development and analysis of the control algorithm designed to accommodate intentional non-uniform sample frequencies. In addition, the implementation aspects are presented on an 8-bit microcontroller and an FPGA board. This work begins by establishing a brief historical perspective on the use of non-uniform sampling and its role for digital processing. The study is then applied to the problem of digital control design, and applications are further discoursed. This is followed by consideration of its implementation aspects on standard hardware.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Each inventory manager at the Aviation Supply Office Philadelphia, PA is presently required to manage approximately 700 line items. To allow the inventory manager a more efficient method of reviewing and using the data and reports from the Uniform Inventory Control Point (UICP) computer system, a distributed computer system is necessary. By downloading the the appropriate inventory data from UICP to a local computer system, a decision support system (DSS) can be be implemented using existing off the shelf hardware and software. The ability to replace the present copious paper reports with concise computerized information and import that data into electronic spreadsheets for further analysis can greatly improve the inventory manager's effectiveness. To this end, this thesis provides inventory managers at ASO with access to the following functions: Interactive access to the main UICP database. The ability to use UICP data with a decision support system. A user interface that is easy to understand and learn. A local data base which supports working group requirements. Basic office automation. This thesis will cover the selection of the hardware and software, data identification and management and DSS development. A prototype system called the IM Workstation was developed for this thesis and used to produce the thesis document. COBOL and ALIS ELF macro program listings are provided. / http://archive.org/details/inventorymanager00mare / Lieutenant, United States Navy

The asymptotic behaviour of an elastically supported infinite string and an elastic isotropic half plane (in frames of specific asymptotic model) under a moving point load are studied. The main results of this work are uniform asymptotic formulae and the asymptotic profile for the string and the exact solution and uniform asymptotic formulae for a half plane. The crucial assumption for both structures is that the acceleration is sufficiently small. In order to describe asymptotically the oscillations of an infinite string auxiliary canonical functions are introduced, asymptotically analyzed and tabulated. Using these functions uniform asymptotic formulae for the string under constant accelerating and decelerating point loads are obtained. Approximate formulae for the displacement in the vicinity of the point load and the singularity area behind the shock wave using the steady speed asymptotic expansion with additional contributions from stationary points where appropriate are derived. It is shown how to generalise uniform asymptotic results to the arbitrary acceleration case. As an example these results are applied for the case of sinusoidal load speed. It is shown that the canonical functions can successfully be used in the arbitrary acceleration case as well. The graphical comparative analysis of numerical solu- tion and approximations is provided for different moving load speed intervals and values of the parameters. Vibrations of an elastic half plane are studied within the framework of the asymp- totic model suggested by J. Kaplunov et al. in 2006. Boundary conditions for the main problem are obtained as a solution for the problem of a string on the surface of a half plane subject to uniformly accelerated moving load. The exact solution over the interior of the half plane is derived with respect to boundary conditions. Steady speed and Rayleigh wave speed asymptotic expansions are obtained. In the neighborhood of the Rayleigh speed the uniform asymptotic formulae are derived. Some of their interesting properties are discovered and briefly studied. The graphical comparative analysis of the exact solution and approximations is provided for different moving load speed intervals and values of the parameters.

The purpose of this study is to analyze certain major reforms in the Code in an effort to determine whether or not the "status quo" has been change. These reforms are: (1) henceforth all military legal proceedings are to be governed by a single Code equally applicable to all the services; (2) all military judicial proceedings are to be governed as near as practicable by the rules of civil procedure and evidence observed in the criminal proceedings of the United States district courts; (3) all persons charged with an offense are to have competent legal counsel at all stages of pretrial and trial proceedings; (4) all persons subject to the Code are assured that they shall not be subject to compulsory self-incrimination; (5) all who are subject to the Code are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and (6) all are guaranteed an automatic and mandatory review (under certain conditions) of their trials.

Buildings both commercial and residential are the largest consumers of electricity. Integrating Photovoltaic technology in building architecture or Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) provides an effective means for meeting this huge energy demands and provides an energy hub at the place of its immediate requirement. However, this technology is challenged with problems like low efficiency and high cost. An effective way of improving the solar cell efficiency and reducing the cost of photovoltaic systems is either by reducing solar cell manufacturing cost or illuminating the solar cells with a higher light intensity than is naturally available by the use of optical concentrators which is also known as Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Integrating this technology in the architecture is referred as Building integrated Concentrating Photovoltaics (BICPV). This thesis presents a detailed performance analysis of different designs used as BICPV systems and proposes further advancements necessary for improving the system design and minimizing losses. The systems under study include a Dielectric Asymmetric Compound Parabolic Concentrator (DiACPC) designed for 2.8×, a three-dimensional Cross compound parabolic concentrator (3DCCPC) designed for 3.6× and a Square Elliptical Hyperbolic (SEH) concentrator designed for 6×. A detailed analysis procedure is presented showcasing the optical, electrical, thermal and overall analysis of these systems. A particular issue for CPV technology is the non-uniformity of the incident flux which tends to cause hot spots, current mismatch and reduce the overall efficiency of the system. Emphasis is placed on modelling the effects of non-uniformity while evaluating the performance of these systems. The optical analysis of the concentrators is carried out using ray tracing and finite element methods are employed to determine electrical and thermal performance of the system. Based on the optical analysis, the outgoing flux from the concentrators is predicted for different incident angles for each of the concentrators. A finite element model for the solar cell was developed to evaluate its electrical performance using the outputs obtained from the optical analysis. The model can also be applied for the optimization of the front grid pattern of Si Solar cells. The model is further coupled within the thermal analysis of the system, where the temperature of the solar cell is predicted under operating conditions and used to evaluate the overall performance under steady state conditions. During the analysis of the DiACPC it was found that the maximum cell temperature reached was 349.5 K under an incident solar radiation of 1000 W/m2. Results from the study carried on the 3DCCPC showed that a maximum cell temperature of 332 K is reached under normal incidence, this tends to bring down the overall power production by 14.6%. In the case of the SEH based system a maximum temperature of 319 K was observed on the solar cell surface under normal incidence. An average drop of 11.7% was found making the effective power ratio of the system 3.4. The non-uniformity introduced due to the concentrator profile causes hotspots in the BICPV system. The non-uniformity was found to reduce the efficiency of the solar cell in the range of 0.5-1 % in all the three studies. The overall performance can be improved by addressing losses occurring within different components of the system. It was found that optical losses occurred at the interface region formed due to the encapsulant spillage along the edges of the concentrator. Using a reflective film along the edge of the concentrating element was found to improve the optical efficiency of the system. Case studies highlighting the improvement are presented. A reflective film was attached along the interface region of the concentrator and the encapsulant. In the case of a DiACPC, an increase of 6% could be seen in the overall power production. Similar case study was performed for a 3DCCPC and a maximum of 6.7% was seen in the power output. To further improve the system performance a new design incorporating conjugate reflective-refractive device was evaluated. The device benefits from high optical efficiency due to the reflection and greater acceptance angle due to refraction. Finally, recommendations are made for development of a new generation of designs to be used in BiCPV applications. Efforts are made towards improving the overall performance and reducing the non-uniformity of the concentrated illumination.

Innovation and change are phenomenons any time. Within the scope of the Theory and Prac- tice of School Management module, the theses deals with management of a specific change, namely introduction of school uniforms into practice. The theoretical part of the thesis is based on relevant specialized literature on school management, marketing strategy, school culture and change management. It is completed with available foreign experience and con- clusions of surveys and research of media image, which is playing an important role in respect with the issue. The practical part, i.e. research, provides information and data obtained by the author from interviews with management of schools currently introducing school uniforms. The research results show that the original expectations have not been met in any of the pro- jects included. Understanding the cause of this failure, or else, partial success of the projects, constitutes an important part of the information summary designed for school headmasters considering introduction of school uniforms. The generalized research findings combined with theoretical knowledge imply a set of key recommendations introduced in the thesis con- clusion.

After the development of additive manufacturing technology in the 1980s, it has found use in many applications like aerospace, automotive, marine, machinery, consumer and electronic applications. In recent time, few researchers have worked on the applications of additive manufacturing for heat transfer and fluidic devices. As the world has seen a drastic increase in population in last decades which have put stress on already scarce energy resources, optimization of energy devices which include energy storing devices, heat transfer devices, energy capturing devices etc. is need for the hour. Design of energy devices is often constrained by manufacturing constraints thus current design of energy devices is not an optimized one. In this research we want to conceptualize, design and manufacture optimized heat transfer and fluidic devices by exploiting the advantages provided by additive manufacturing. We want to benefit from the fact that very intricate geometry and desired surface finish can be obtained by using additive manufacturing. Additionally, we want to compare the efficacy of our designed device with conventional devices. Work on usage of Additive manufacturing for increasing efficiency of heat transfer devices can be found in the literature. We want to extend this approach to other heat transfer devices especially tubes with internal flow. By optimizing the design of energy systems we hope to solve current energy shortage and help conserve energy for future generation.We will also extend the application of additive manufacturing technology to fabricate "device for uniform flow distribution".

The goal of this thesis is to discover differences in regulation of sales contracts in Anglo-American and Continental legal system. The thesis looks for and compares distinctions between regulation in Uniform Commerical Code adopted in most of the states of the USA that represents the Anglo-American System, and Louisiana Civil Code which was chosen by the author thanks to its strong link to french Code Civil as a representative of Continental System. The author analyzes differences in definition of sales contract, the process of its formation, she looks at the question of passage of title and passage of risk, furthermore she deals with rights and obligations of seller and buyer. Eventually, she summarizes the distinctions found.

Nous proposons un nouveau schéma d’échantillonnage non uniforme périodique appelé Système d’Échantillonnage Non Uniforme en Radio Intelligente (SENURI). Notre schéma détecte la localisation spectrale des bandes actives dans la bande totale échantillonnée afin de réduire la fréquence moyenne d’échantillonnage, le nombre d’échantillons prélevé et par conséquent la consommation d’énergie au niveau du traitement numérique. La fréquence moyenne d’échantillonnage du SENURI dépend uniquement du nombre de bandes contenues dans le signal d’entrée x(t). Il est nettement plus performant, en termes d’erreur quadratique, qu’une architecture classique d’échantillonnage non uniforme périodique constituée de p branches, lorsque le spectre de x(t) change dynamiquement. / In this work we consider the problem of designing an effective sampling scheme for sparse multi-band signals. Based on previous results on periodic non-uniform sampling (Multi-Coset) and using the well known Non-Uniform Fourier Transform through Bartlett’s method for Power Spectral Density estimation, we propose a new sampling scheme named the Dynamic Single Branch Non-uniform Sampler (DSB-NUS). The idea of the proposed scheme is to reduce the average sampling frequency, the number of samples collected, and consequently the power consumption of the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). In addition to that our proposed method detects the location of the bands in order to adapt the sampling rate. In this thesis, we show through simulation results that compared to existing multi-coset based samplers, our proposed sampler provides superior performance, both in terms of sampling rate and energy consumption. It is notconstrained by the inflexibility of hardware circuitry and is easily reconfigurable. We also show the effect of the false detection of active bands on the average sampling rate of our new adaptive non-uniform sub-Nyquist sampler scheme.

Triangle-mesh modeling, as one of the approaches for representing images based on nonuniform sampling, has become quite popular and beneficial in many applications. In this thesis, image representation using triangle-mesh models and its application in image scaling are studied. Consequently, two new methods, namely, the SEMMG and MIS methods are proposed, where each solves a different problem. In particular, the SEMMG method is proposed to address the problem of image representation by producing effective mesh models that are used for representing grayscale images, by minimizing squared error. The MIS method is proposed to address the image-scaling problem for grayscale images that are approximately piecewise-smooth, using triangle-mesh models. The SEMMG method, which is proposed for addressing the mesh-generation problem, is developed based on an earlier work, which uses a greedy-point-insertion (GPI) approach to generate a mesh model with explicit representation of discontinuities (ERD). After in-depth analyses of two existing methods for generating the ERD models, several weaknesses are identified and specifically addressed to improve the quality of the generated models, leading to the proposal of the SEMMG method. The performance of the SEMMG method is then evaluated by comparing the quality of the meshes it produces with those obtained by eight other competing methods, namely, the error-diffusion (ED) method of Yang, the modified Garland-Heckbert (MGH) method, the ERDED and ERDGPI methods of Tu and Adams, the Garcia-Vintimilla-Sappa (GVS) method, the hybrid wavelet triangulation (HWT) method of Phichet, the binary space partition (BSP) method of Sarkis, and the adaptive triangular meshes (ATM) method of Liu. For this evaluation, the error between the original and reconstructed images, obtained from each method under comparison, is measured in terms of the PSNR. Moreover, in the case of the competing methods whose implementations are available, the subjective quality is compared in addition to the PSNR. Evaluation results show that the reconstructed images obtained from the SEMMG method are better than those obtained by the competing methods in terms of both PSNR and subjective quality. More specifically, in the case of the methods with implementations, the results collected from 350 test cases show that the SEMMG method outperforms the ED, MGH, ERDED, and ERDGPI schemes in approximately 100%, 89%, 99%, and 85% of cases, respectively. Moreover, in the case of the methods without implementations, we show that the PSNR of the reconstructed images produced by the SEMMG method are on average 3.85, 0.75, 2, and 1.10 dB higher than those obtained by the GVS, HWT, BSP, and ATM methods, respectively. Furthermore, for a given PSNR, the SEMMG method is shown to produce much smaller meshes compared to those obtained by the GVS and BSP methods, with approximately 65% to 80% fewer vertices and 10% to 60% fewer triangles, respectively. Therefore, the SEMMG method is shown to be capable of producing triangular meshes of higher quality and smaller sizes (i.e., number of vertices or triangles) which can be effectively used for image representation. Besides the superior image approximations achieved with the SEMMG method, this work also makes contributions by addressing the problem of image scaling. For this purpose, the application of triangle-mesh mesh models in image scaling is studied. Some of the mesh-based image-scaling approaches proposed to date employ mesh models that are associated with an approximating function that is continuous everywhere, which inevitably yields edge blurring in the process of image scaling. Moreover, other mesh-based image-scaling approaches that employ approximating functions with discontinuities are often based on mesh simplification where the method starts with an extremely large initial mesh, leading to a very slow mesh generation with high memory cost. In this thesis, however, we propose a new mesh-based image-scaling (MIS) method which firstly employs an approximating function with selected discontinuities to better maintain the sharpness at the edges. Secondly, unlike most of the other discontinuity-preserving mesh-based methods, the proposed MIS method is not based on mesh simplification. Instead, our MIS method employs a mesh-refinement scheme, where it starts from a very simple mesh and iteratively refines the mesh to reach a desirable size. For developing the MIS method, the performance of our SEMMG method, which is proposed for image representation, is examined in the application of image scaling. Although the SEMMG method is not designed for solving the problem of image scaling, examining its performance in this application helps to better understand potential shortcomings of using a mesh generator in image scaling. Through this examination, several shortcomings are found and different techniques are devised to address them. By applying these techniques, a new effective mesh-generation method called MISMG is developed that can be used for image scaling. The MISMG method is then combined with a scaling transformation and a subdivision-based model-rasterization algorithm, yielding the proposed MIS method for scaling grayscale images that are approximately piecewise-smooth. The performance of our MIS method is then evaluated by comparing the quality of the scaled images it produces with those obtained from five well-known raster-based methods, namely, bilinear interpolation, bicubic interpolation of Keys, the directional cubic convolution interpolation (DCCI) method of Zhou et al., the new edge-directed image interpolation (NEDI) method of Li and Orchard, and the recent method of super-resolution using convolutional neural networks (SRCNN) by Dong et al.. Since our main goal is to produce scaled images of higher subjective quality with the least amount of edge blurring, the quality of the scaled images are first compared through a subjective evaluation followed by some objective evaluations. The results of the subjective evaluation show that the proposed MIS method was ranked best overall in almost 67\% of the cases, with the best average rank of 2 out of 6, among 380 collected rankings with 20 images and 19 participants. Moreover, visual inspections on the scaled images obtained with different methods show that the proposed MIS method produces scaled images of better quality with more accurate and sharper edges. Furthermore, in the case of the mesh-based image-scaling methods, where no implementation is available, the MIS method is conceptually compared, using theoretical analysis, to two mesh-based methods, namely, the subdivision-based image-representation (SBIR) method of Liao et al. and the curvilinear feature driven image-representation (CFDIR) method of Zhou et al.. / Graduate