Often times groups of domain experts, such as scientists and engineers, will develop their own software modules for specialized computational tasks. When these users determine there is a need to integrate the data and computations used in their specialized components with an enterprise data management system, interoperability between the enterprise system and the specialized components rather than re-implementation allows for faster implementation and more flexible change management by shifting the onus of changes to the scientific components to the subject matter experts rather than the enterprise information technology team. The Jython-based RESTful web service API was developed to leverage code reflection to provide access to Python scripts via RESTful web service calls, providing access to any function available in a Python script accessible to the REST server.

In recent years multiprocessor architectures have become mainstream, and multi-core processors are found in products ranging from small portable cell phones to large computer servers. In parallel, research on real-time systems has mainly focused on traditional single-core processors. Hence, in order for real-time systems to fully leverage on the extra capacity offered by new multi-core processors, new design techniques, scheduling approaches, and real-time analysis methods have to be developed. In the multi-core and multiprocessor domain there are mainly two scheduling approaches, global and partitioned scheduling. Under global scheduling each task can execute on any processor at any time while under partitioned scheduling tasks are statically allocated to processors and migration of tasks among processors is not allowed. Besides simplicity and efficiency of partitioned scheduling protocols, existing scheduling and synchronization methods developed for single-core processor platforms can more easily be extended to partitioned scheduling. This also simplifies migration of existing systems to multi-cores. An important issue related to partitioned scheduling is distribution of tasks among processors which is a bin-packing problem. In this thesis we propose a partitioning framework for distributing tasks on the processors of multi-core platforms. Depending on the type of performance we desire to achieve, the framework may distribute a task set differently, e.g., in an application in which tasks process huge amounts of data the goal of the framework may be to decrease cache misses.Furthermore, we propose a blocking-aware partitioning heuristic algorithm to distribute tasks onto the processors of a multi-core architecture. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to decrease blocking overhead of tasks which reduces the total utilization and has the potential to reduce the number of required processors.Finally, we have implemented a tool to facilitate evaluation and comparison of different multiprocessor scheduling and synchronization approaches, as well as different partitioning heuristics. We have applied the tool in the evaluation of several partitioning heuristic algorithms, and the tool is flexible to which any new scheduling or synchronization protocol as well as any new partitioning heuristic can easily be added.

Currently there are millions of Android cell phone users. Whenever a user changes location, he/she should manually modify the sound mode (ring, vibrate, silent). So, it’s slightly inconvenient to constantly monitor whether the phone is in general or silent mode. Sometimes user might forget to switch the mobile mode and may create a disturbance in the classroom or in the work area. To overcome this problem “Sound Mode Application” is an Android application that allows a user to automatically change the sound mode depending on his/her GPS location. Additionally, the user may activate or deactivate the application whenever need be, and user can add as many locations as required based on their daily life.

Background Solving problems classified as either NP-complete or NP-hard has long been an active topic in the research community, and has brought about many new algorithms for approximating an optimal solution (basically the best possible solution). A fundamental aspect to consider when developing such an algorithm is how to represent the given solution. Finding the right encoding scheme is key for any algorithm to function as efficiently as possible. That being said, there appears to be a lack of research studies that offer a comprehensive comparison of these encoding schemes. Objectives This study sets out to provide an extensive comparative analysis of five already existing encoding schemes for a population-based meta-heuristic algorithm, with focus on two discrete combinatorial problems: the 1/0 knapsack problem and task scheduling problem. The most popular scheme of these will also be defined and determined by reviewing the literature. Methods The encoding schemes were implemented and incorporated into a recently proposed algorithm, known as the Coyote Optimization Algorithm. Their difference in performance were then compared through several experiments.On top of that, the popularity of said schemes were measured by their number of occurrences among a set of surveyed research studies (on the topic knapsack-problem). Conclusions When compared to the real-valued encoding scheme, we found that both qubits (smallest unit in quantum computing) and complex numbers were more efficient for solving the 1/0 knapsack problem, due to their broader search-space.Our chosen variant of the quantum-inspired encoding scheme contributed to a slightly better result than its complex-valued counterpart. The binary- and boolean encoding schemes worked great in conjunction with a repair function for the knapsack problem, to the extent that their produced solutions converged at a faster rate than the rest.Interestingly enough, the real-valued encoding scheme was by far the more popular choice of them all (as far as the knapsack problem is concerned), which we attribute to its generally simple and convenient implementation; and the fact that it has been around for longer. Finally, we saw that the matrix-based encoding scheme contributed to a faster convergence rate for approximate solutions to the task scheduling problem when the hardware for each resource differed greatly in computing capacity. On the other hand, the SPV (small position value) decoder for both the real-valued and complex-valued encoding schemes were more advantageous when the resources had near to identical computing power, as it is more suitable for distributing tasks equally.

Abstract not available

???Agent-based systems are one of the most vibrant and important areas of research and development to have emerged in information technology in the 1990s??? (Luck et al. 2003). The use of agents as a metaphor for designing and constructing software systems represents an innovative movement in the field of software engineering: ???Agent- Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE)??? (Lind 2000; Luck et al. 2003). This research contributes to the evolution of AOSE by proposing a comprehensive ontology-based methodology for the analysis and design of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). The methodology is named MOBMAS, which stands for ???Methodology for Ontology-Based MASs???. A major improvement of MOBMAS over the existing agentoriented MAS development methodologies is its explicit and extensive support for ontology-based MAS development. Ontologies have been widely acknowledged for their significant benefits to interoperability, reusability, MAS development activities (such as system analysis and agent knowledge modelling) and MAS operation (such as agent communication and reasoning). Recognising these desirable ontology???s benefits, MOBMAS endeavours to identify and implement the various ways in which ontologies can be used in the MAS development process and integrated into the MAS model definitions. In so doing, MOBMAS has exploited ontologies to enhance its MAS development process and MAS development product with various strengths. These strengths include those ontology???s benefits listed above, and those additional benefits uncovered by MOBMAS, e.g. support for verification and validation, extendibility, maintainability and reliability. Compared to the numerous existing agent-oriented methodologies, MOBMAS is the first that explicitly and extensively investigates the diverse potential advantages of ontologies in MAS development, and which is able to implement these potential advantages via an ontology-based MAS development process and a set of ontology-based MAS model definitions. Another major contribution of MOBMAS to the field of AOSE is its ability to address all key concerns of MAS development in one methodological framework. The methodology provides support for a comprehensive list of methodological requirements, which are important to agent-oriented analysis and design, but which may not be wellsupported by the current methodologies. These methodological requirements were identified and validated by this research from three sources: the existing agent-oriented methodologies, the existing evaluation frameworks for agent-oriented methodologies and conventional system development methodologies, and a survey of practitioners and researchers in the field of AOSE. MOBMAS supports the identified methodological requirements by combining the strengths of the existing agent-oriented methodologies (i.e. by reusing and enhancing the various strong techniques and model definitions of the existing methodologies where appropriate), and by proposing new techniques and model definitions where necessary. The process of developing MOBMAS consisted of three sequential research activities. The first activity identified and validated a list of methodological requirements for an Agent Oriented Software Engineering methodology as mentioned above. The second research activity developed MOBMAS by specifying a development process, a set of techniques and a set of model definitions for supporting the identified methodological requirements. The final research activity evaluated and refined MOBMAS by collecting expert reviews on the methodology, using the methodology on an application and conducting a feature analysis of the methodology.

???Agent-based systems are one of the most vibrant and important areas of research and development to have emerged in information technology in the 1990s??? (Luck et al. 2003). The use of agents as a metaphor for designing and constructing software systems represents an innovative movement in the field of software engineering: ???Agent- Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE)??? (Lind 2000; Luck et al. 2003). This research contributes to the evolution of AOSE by proposing a comprehensive ontology-based methodology for the analysis and design of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). The methodology is named MOBMAS, which stands for ???Methodology for Ontology-Based MASs???. A major improvement of MOBMAS over the existing agentoriented MAS development methodologies is its explicit and extensive support for ontology-based MAS development. Ontologies have been widely acknowledged for their significant benefits to interoperability, reusability, MAS development activities (such as system analysis and agent knowledge modelling) and MAS operation (such as agent communication and reasoning). Recognising these desirable ontology???s benefits, MOBMAS endeavours to identify and implement the various ways in which ontologies can be used in the MAS development process and integrated into the MAS model definitions. In so doing, MOBMAS has exploited ontologies to enhance its MAS development process and MAS development product with various strengths. These strengths include those ontology???s benefits listed above, and those additional benefits uncovered by MOBMAS, e.g. support for verification and validation, extendibility, maintainability and reliability. Compared to the numerous existing agent-oriented methodologies, MOBMAS is the first that explicitly and extensively investigates the diverse potential advantages of ontologies in MAS development, and which is able to implement these potential advantages via an ontology-based MAS development process and a set of ontology-based MAS model definitions. Another major contribution of MOBMAS to the field of AOSE is its ability to address all key concerns of MAS development in one methodological framework. The methodology provides support for a comprehensive list of methodological requirements, which are important to agent-oriented analysis and design, but which may not be wellsupported by the current methodologies. These methodological requirements were identified and validated by this research from three sources: the existing agent-oriented methodologies, the existing evaluation frameworks for agent-oriented methodologies and conventional system development methodologies, and a survey of practitioners and researchers in the field of AOSE. MOBMAS supports the identified methodological requirements by combining the strengths of the existing agent-oriented methodologies (i.e. by reusing and enhancing the various strong techniques and model definitions of the existing methodologies where appropriate), and by proposing new techniques and model definitions where necessary. The process of developing MOBMAS consisted of three sequential research activities. The first activity identified and validated a list of methodological requirements for an Agent Oriented Software Engineering methodology as mentioned above. The second research activity developed MOBMAS by specifying a development process, a set of techniques and a set of model definitions for supporting the identified methodological requirements. The final research activity evaluated and refined MOBMAS by collecting expert reviews on the methodology, using the methodology on an application and conducting a feature analysis of the methodology.

???Agent-based systems are one of the most vibrant and important areas of research and development to have emerged in information technology in the 1990s??? (Luck et al. 2003). The use of agents as a metaphor for designing and constructing software systems represents an innovative movement in the field of software engineering: ???Agent- Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE)??? (Lind 2000; Luck et al. 2003). This research contributes to the evolution of AOSE by proposing a comprehensive ontology-based methodology for the analysis and design of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). The methodology is named MOBMAS, which stands for ???Methodology for Ontology-Based MASs???. A major improvement of MOBMAS over the existing agentoriented MAS development methodologies is its explicit and extensive support for ontology-based MAS development. Ontologies have been widely acknowledged for their significant benefits to interoperability, reusability, MAS development activities (such as system analysis and agent knowledge modelling) and MAS operation (such as agent communication and reasoning). Recognising these desirable ontology???s benefits, MOBMAS endeavours to identify and implement the various ways in which ontologies can be used in the MAS development process and integrated into the MAS model definitions. In so doing, MOBMAS has exploited ontologies to enhance its MAS development process and MAS development product with various strengths. These strengths include those ontology???s benefits listed above, and those additional benefits uncovered by MOBMAS, e.g. support for verification and validation, extendibility, maintainability and reliability. Compared to the numerous existing agent-oriented methodologies, MOBMAS is the first that explicitly and extensively investigates the diverse potential advantages of ontologies in MAS development, and which is able to implement these potential advantages via an ontology-based MAS development process and a set of ontology-based MAS model definitions. Another major contribution of MOBMAS to the field of AOSE is its ability to address all key concerns of MAS development in one methodological framework. The methodology provides support for a comprehensive list of methodological requirements, which are important to agent-oriented analysis and design, but which may not be wellsupported by the current methodologies. These methodological requirements were identified and validated by this research from three sources: the existing agent-oriented methodologies, the existing evaluation frameworks for agent-oriented methodologies and conventional system development methodologies, and a survey of practitioners and researchers in the field of AOSE. MOBMAS supports the identified methodological requirements by combining the strengths of the existing agent-oriented methodologies (i.e. by reusing and enhancing the various strong techniques and model definitions of the existing methodologies where appropriate), and by proposing new techniques and model definitions where necessary. The process of developing MOBMAS consisted of three sequential research activities. The first activity identified and validated a list of methodological requirements for an Agent Oriented Software Engineering methodology as mentioned above. The second research activity developed MOBMAS by specifying a development process, a set of techniques and a set of model definitions for supporting the identified methodological requirements. The final research activity evaluated and refined MOBMAS by collecting expert reviews on the methodology, using the methodology on an application and conducting a feature analysis of the methodology.

<p> </p><p>Nowadays, as the use of computers is rapidly spreading to our life, software is getting more and more complex and large in computer systems. Therefore, the software configuration management (SCM) is playing an increasingly important role in the software development process. One of its significant activities is change management, which has an outstanding role in dealing with the continued and concurrent change requirements during the system development and use.</p><p>In this report, we describe some basic activities of SCM, overview some representative SCM CASE tools with emphasizing on change management and analyze a possibility of integration of SCM version management tool (e.g., Subversion) and error management tool (e.g., Bugzialla) in order to provide an integrated software configuration management and change management. Moreover, a set of exercises based on RCS are developed, which illustrate some SCM simple activities and their modification to facilitate version management and change management.</p><p> </p>

<p>In recent years multiprocessor architectures have become mainstream, and multi-core processors are found in products ranging from small portable cell phones to large computer servers. In parallel, research on real-time systems has mainly focused on traditional single-core processors. Hence, in order for real-time systems to fully leverage on the extra capacity offered by new multi-core processors, new design techniques, scheduling approaches, and real-time analysis methods have to be developed.</p><p>In the multi-core and multiprocessor domain there are mainly two scheduling approaches, global and partitioned scheduling. Under global scheduling each task can execute on any processor at any time while under partitioned scheduling tasks are statically allocated to processors and migration of tasks among processors is not allowed. Besides simplicity and efficiency of partitioned scheduling protocols, existing scheduling and synchronization methods developed for single-core processor platforms can more easily be extended to partitioned scheduling. This also simplifies migration of existing systems to multi-cores. An important issue related to partitioned scheduling is distribution of tasks among processors which is a bin-packing problem.</p><p>In this thesis we propose a partitioning framework for distributing tasks on the processors of multi-core platforms. Depending on the type of performance we desire to achieve, the framework may distribute a task set differently, e.g., in an application in which tasks process huge amounts of data the goal of the framework may be to decrease cache misses.Furthermore, we propose a blocking-aware partitioning heuristic algorithm to distribute tasks onto the processors of a multi-core architecture. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to decrease blocking overhead of tasks which reduces the total utilization and has the potential to reduce the number of required processors.Finally, we have implemented a tool to facilitate evaluation and comparison of different multiprocessor scheduling and synchronization approaches, as well as different partitioning heuristics. We have applied the tool in the evaluation of several partitioning heuristic algorithms, and the tool is flexible to which any new scheduling or synchronization protocol as well as any new partitioning heuristic can easily be added.</p>