Code Parameterization for Satisfaction of QoS Requirements in Embedded Software
The rapid growth of embedded systems urgently requires methods of improving the development process for these systems. Component-based development (CBD) techniques have been widely studied to enhance the productivity of developing complex applications. These techniques can benefit the software development process for embedded systems as well as other application domains. However, applying CBD techniques to embedded software development faces additional challenges. For embedded systems, it is crucial to consider the QoS attributes, such as timeliness, memory limitations, output precision, battery constraints, etc. However, it is often difficult to adjust the QoS properties of a system integrated from components that do not consider QoS properties in the first place. In this paper, we present an overview of a repository-based embedded software development methodology and then focus on component parameterization techniques. The basic concept of the parameterization process is to identify configurable parameters in a component that can be parameterized to achieve QoS tradeoffs. The component is then modified to a reconfigurable one such that its configurable parameters can be adjusted to satisfy different QoS requirements for various applications or for dynamical changing execution environment. A rule base is used to assist the parameter identification process. We also develop delta file technique to facilitate component adaptation and testing tools for QoS data collection. Keywords-embedded system, component parameterization, QoS, Repository system

title: A software enhancement system for embedded software development
abstract: This paper proposes a rule-based expert system model to assist developers in enhancing the quality of embedded software. The expert system supports semi-automated source code enhancements from multiple perspectives including optimization, reconfiguration to achieve quality of service (QoS) trade-offs, conformance to coding standards, etc., by defining a rule base that is composed of modularized and extensible rule sets. The rule sets are composed of re-usable rules; the rules capture the in-depth knowledge of different software experts. The expert system also adopts a technique to support automated fact generation. This allows the expert system to support processing programs developed in different programming languages

title: Verification - a method of enhancing the recognizers of isolated and touching handwritten numerals
abstract: This paper investigates verification schemes and their applications to the recognition of both isolated and touching handwritten numerals. Definitions and functionality analyses of the verifiers are given. The measurement of precision rate is used to assess the system reliability in a class-specific manner. Verification-enhanced systems are proposed with extensive experiments conducted on both isolated and touching numerals. Two databases for touching numerals are built/organized to serve as standard data sets. Experimental results indicate a substantial improvement in system precision rates by the verification scheme, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed systems and justifies the important role of verifiers in OCR systems.

title: Improving Database Performance on Simultaneous Multithreading Processors
abstract: Simultaneous multithreading (SMT) allows multiple threads to supply instructions to the instruction pipeline of a superscalar processor. Because threads share processor resources, an SMT system is inherently different from a multiprocessor system and, therefore, utilizing multiple threads on an SMT processor creates new challenges for database implementers.We investigate three thread-based techniques to exploit SMT architectures on memory-resident data. First, we consider running independent operations in separate threads, a technique applied to conventional multi-processor systems. Second, we describe a novel implementation strategy in which individual operators are implemented in a multi-threaded fashion. Finally, we introduce a new data-structure called a work-ahead set that allows us to use one of the threads to aggressively preload data into the cache.We evaluate each method with respect to its performance, implementation complexity, and other measures. We also provide guidance regarding when and how to best utilize the various threading techniques. Our experimental results show that by taking advantage of SMT technology we achieve a 30% to 70% improvement in throughput over single threaded implementations on in-memory database operations.

title: An Evenhanded Certified Email System for Contract Signing
abstract: Certified email is a system which enables a sender to prove a receiver’s receipt of email. Such a system can be used for applications related to electronic commerce on the Internet. This paper considers a situation where a sender or a receiver wants to change his/her mind due to the change of mail content value (e.g., stock, auction, gambling) during the transaction. We point out that no traditional certified email systems have been designed for such a case, thus one of the participants can be at a disadvantage. To avoid this problem, we propose an evenhanded certified email system in which each participant can change his/her choice, either cancel or finish the transaction, at any time during the transaction.

title: A multi-resolution block storage model for database design
abstract: We propose a new storage model called MBSM (multiresolution block storage model) for laying out tables on disks. MBSM is intended to speed up operations such as scans that are typical of data warehouse workloads. Disk blocks are grouped into "super-blocks," with a single record stored in a partitioned fashion among the blocks in a superblock. The intention is that a scan operation that needs to consult only a small number of attributes can access just those blocks of each super-block that contain the desired attributes. To achieve good performance given the physical characteristics of modern disks, we organize super-blocks on the disk into fixed-size "mega-blocks." Within a megablock, blocks of the same type (from various super-blocks) are stored contiguously. We describe the changes needed in a conventional database system to manage tables using such a disk organization. We demonstrate experimentally that MBSM outperforms competing approaches such as NSM (N-ary storage model), DSM (decomposition storage model) and PAX (partition attributes across), for I/O bound decision-support workloads consisting of scans in which not all attributes are required. This improved performance comes at the expense of single-record insert and delete performance; we quantify the trade-offs involved. Unlike DSM, the cost of reconstructing a record from its partitions is small. MBSM stores attributes in a vertically partitioned manner similar to PAX, and thus shares PAX's good CPU cache behavior. We describe methods for mapping attributes to blocks within super-blocks in order to optimize overall performance, and show how to tune the super-block and mega-block sizes.

title: Efficient Signature Validation Based on a New PKI
abstract: Digital signatures usually serve as irrefutable cryptographic evidence to support dispute resolution in electronic transactions. Trusted time-stamping and certificate revocation services, although very costly in practice, must be available to prevent big loss due to compromising of the signing key. In this paper, we employ a revocation-free public-key framework to improve the efficiency in maintaining the validity of digital signatures as non-repudiation evidence. The new PKI allows an end user to control the validity of his own public-key certificate and enables certificate verification without retrieving the revocation information from the CA. Based on this new PKI, we could validate generic digital signatures using a TSA only. Moreover, we could validate forward-secure digital signatures without the TTP’s involvement.