Schedule-Based Cooperative Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning for Multi-channel Communication in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become an important component in the Internet of things (IoT) field. In WSNs, multi-channel protocols have been developed to overcome some limitations related to the throughput and delivery rate which have become necessary for many IoT applications that require sufficient bandwidth to transmit a large amount of data. However, the requirement of frequent negotiation for channel assignment in distributed multi-channel protocols incurs an extra-large communication overhead which results in a reduction of the network lifetime. To deal with this requirement in an energy-efficient way is a challenging task. Hence, the Reinforcement Learning (RL) approach for channel assignment is used to overcome this problem. Nevertheless, the use of the RL approach requires a number of iterations to obtain the best solution which in turn creates a communication overhead and time-wasting. In this paper, a Self-schedule based Cooperative multi-agent Reinforcement Learning for Channel Assignment (SCRL CA) approach is proposed to improve the network lifetime and performance. The proposal addresses both regular traffic scheduling and assignment of the available orthogonal channels in an energy-efficient way. We solve the cooperation between the RL agents problem by using the self-schedule method to accelerate the RL iterations, reduce the communication overhead and balance the energy consumption in the route selection process. Therefore, two algorithms are proposed, the first one is for the Static channel assignment (SSCRL CA) while the second one is for the Dynamic channel assignment (DSCRL CA). The results of extensive simulation experiments show the effectiveness of our approach in improving the network lifetime and performance through the two algorithms.

     

New formulation of GNSS acquisition with CFAR detection

This paper deals with the analysis of the acquisition process performed by a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver with a pilot and data channel or in case of GNSS hybrid receiver. Signal acquisition decides the presence or absence of GNSS signal by comparing signal under test with a fixed threshold and provides a code delay and a Doppler frequency estimation, but in low signal conditions or in a noisy environment; acquisition systems are vulnerable and can give a high false alarm and low detection probability. Firstly, we introduce a cell‐averaging‐constant false alarm rate (CFAR) then a data‐pilot cell‐averaging‐CFAR detector fusion based to deal with these situations. In this context, we use a new mathematical derivation to develop a closed‐form analytic expressions for the probabilities of detection and false alarm. The performances of the proposed detector are evaluated and compared with a non‐CFAR case through an analytical and numerical results validated by Mont Carlo simulations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new code construction with zero cross correlation based on BIBD

This paper presents a newly constructed zero cross correlation code (ZCC) which is based on BIBD (balanced incomplete block design) code. The ZCC (C, w) code is a family of binary sequences of length C and constant Hamming-weight w. Such codes find applications in spectral amplitude-coding optical code division multiple access (SAC-OCDMA). The constructing ZCC codes have a size of C ? N ÿ w + 1, where N is the number of users and C is any prime number. The proposed construction method is not complicated compared to the existing ones.     

Evaluating Regression Models for Temporal Prediction of Wi-Fi Device Mobility

Wireless Personal Communications - The ability to predict the arrival and residence time of mobile users at a particular place is essential for the development of a wealth of new applications and...     

Multi-dimensional Capon spectral estimation using discrete Zhang neural networks

The minimum variance spectral estimator, also known as the Capon spectral estimator, is a high resolution spectral estimator used extensively in practice. In this paper, we derive a novel implementation of a very computationally demanding matched filter-bank based a spectral estimator, namely the multi-dimensional Capon spectral estimator. To avoid the direct computation of the inverse covariance matrix used to estimate the Capon spectrum which can be computationally very expensive, particularly when the dimension of the matrix is large, we propose to use the discrete Zhang neural network for the online covariance matrix inversion. The computational complexity of the proposed algorithm for one-dimensional (1-D), as well as for two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) data sequences is lower when a parallel implementation is used.     

Magnetic exchange coupling in imido bimetallic uranium(V) complexes. A relativistic DFT study

Magnetic exchange coupling between uranium U(V) ions, in the case of the two para- and meta-imido diuranium complexes, respectively [(C₅H₅)₃U]₂(μ-1,4-N₂C₆H₄) and [(C₅H₅)₃U]₂(μ-1,3-N₂C₆H₄) exhibiting the 5f¹-5f¹ configuration, have been investigated using relativistic DFT calculations, combined with the broken symmetry (BS) approach. Using the B3LYP functional, the singlet BS state of the para complex has been found of lower energy than the high spin (HS) triplet one, in agreement with the observed antiferromagnetic character of the complex. On the contrary the BP86 functional fails to predict this magnetic property. The spin density distributions and MO analysis explain well the antiferromagnetic character of the para complex and clarify the failure of the BP86 functional. The effective participation of the 5f metal orbitals in bonding with the imido ligand plays a key role for electronic and magnetic communication between the two active U(V) 5f¹ electrons. The same technique led us to explain the ferromagnetic character of the meta isomer in agreement with experiment. For both isomers the spin polarization mechanism explains well their observed magnetic behaviour.     

Community structure in real-world networks from a non-parametrical synchronization-based dynamical approach

This work analyzes the problem of community structure in real-world networks based on the synchronization of nonidentical coupled chaotic Rössler oscillators each one characterized by a defined natural frequency, and coupled according to a predefined network topology. The interaction scheme contemplates an uniformly increasing coupling force to simulate a society in which the association between the agents grows in time. To enhance the stability of the correlated states that could emerge from the synchronization process, we propose a parameterless mechanism that adapts the characteristic frequencies of coupled oscillators according to a dynamic connectivity matrix deduced from correlated data. We show that the characteristic frequency vector that results from the adaptation mechanism reveals the underlying community structure present in the network.     

5.18–7.42 GHz LC-VCO in subthreshold regime with low power low phase noise and immunity to PVT variations in 130 nm CMOS technology

In this paper, we propose an LC-VCO using automatic amplitude control and filtering technique to eliminate frequency noise around 2\(\omega _0\). The LC-VCO is designed with TSMC 130 nm CMOS RF technology, and biased in subthreshold regime in order to get more negative transconductance to overcome the losses in the LC-Tank and achieve less power consumption. The designed VCO operates at 5.17 GHz and can be tuned from 5.17 to 7.398 GHz, which is corresponding to 35.5% tuning range. The VCO consumes through it 495–440.5 \(\upmu\)W from 400 mV dc supply. This VCO achieves a phase noise of \(-\,122.3\) and \(-\,111.7\) dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from 5.17 and 7.39 GHz carrier, respectively. The calculated Figure-of-merits (FoM) at 1 MHz offset from 5.17 and 7.39 GHz is \(-\,199.7\) and \(-\,192.4\) dBc/Hz, respectively. And it is under \(-\,190.5\) dBc/Hz through all the tuning range. The FoM\(_T\) at 1 MHz offset from 5.17 GHz carrier is \(-\,210.6\) dBc/Hz. The proposed design was simulated for three different temperatures (\(-\,55\), 27, \(125\,^{\circ }\hbox {C}\)), and three supply voltages (0.45, 0.4, 0.35 V), it was concluded that the designed LC-VCO presents high immunity to PVT variations, and can be used for multi-standard wireless LAN communication protocols 802.11a/b/g.