Time Resource Allocation Research Articles

Optimal Power Control and Time Allocation for Wireless-powered Relay Networks

In this letter, optimal power control and time resource allocation schemes are considered in wireless relay network, which two users communicate with each other assisted by an energy harvesting relay that gathers energy from the received signal by applying a time switching scheme and forwards the received signal by using the harvesting energy. It is focused on the optimal power control and time resource allocation for the system to cooperate the power transfer and information transmission among three nodes in Decode-and-Forward (DF) mode. Specifically, time ratios for three transmission phases are firstly investigated. Then, we proposed to formulate the power optimization problem with energy constraint. Since the transmission duration of the transmitter is not fixed, the energy constraint instead of power constraint is more reasonable to evaluate the system performance. Through some variables substitution, we demonstrate that it is a convex problem. It can be solved efficiently by convex optimization technology. Simulation results are demonstrated that the performance of the proposed algorithm outperform than the fixed and semi-fixed traditional methods.

When Synchronizing to Rhythms Is Not a Good Thing: Modulations of Preparatory and Post-Target Neural Activity When Shifting Attention Away from On-Beat Times of a Distracting Rhythm.

Environmental rhythms potently drive predictive resource allocation in time, typically leading to perceptual and motor benefits for on-beat, relative to off-beat, times, even if the rhythmic stream is not intentionally used. In two human EEG experiments, we investigated the behavioral and electrophysiological expressions of using rhythms to direct resources away from on-beat times. This allowed us to distinguish goal-directed attention from the automatic capture of attention by rhythms. The following three conditions were compared: (1) a rhythmic stream with targets appearing frequently at a fixed off-beat position; (2) a rhythmic stream with targets appearing frequently at on-beat times; and (3) a nonrhythmic stream with matched target intervals. Shifting resources away from on-beat times was expressed in the slowing of responses to on-beat targets, but not in the facilitation of off-beat targets. The shifting of resources was accompanied by anticipatory adjustment of the contingent negative variation (CNV) buildup toward the expected off-beat time. In the second experiment, off-beat times were jittered, resulting in a similar CNV adjustment and also in preparatory amplitude reduction of beta-band activity. Thus, the CNV and beta activity track the relevance of time points and not the rhythm, given sufficient incentive. Furthermore, the effects of task relevance (appearing in a task-relevant vs irrelevant time) and rhythm (appearing on beat vs off beat) had additive behavioral effects and also dissociable neural manifestations in target-evoked activity: rhythm affected the target response as early as the P1 component, while relevance affected only the later N2 and P3. Thus, these two factors operate by distinct mechanisms. Rhythmic streams are widespread in our environment, and are typically conceptualized as automatic, bottom-up resource attractors to on-beat times-preparatory neural activity peaks at rhythm-on-beat times and behavioral benefits are seen to on-beat compared with off-beat targets. We show that this behavioral benefit is reversed when targets are more frequent at off-beat compared with on-beat times, and that preparatory neural activity, previously thought to be driven by the rhythm to on-beat times, is adjusted toward off-beat times. Furthermore, the effect of this relevance-based shifting on target-evoked brain activity was dissociable from the automatic effect of rhythms. Thus, rhythms can act as cues for flexible resource allocation according to the goal relevance of each time point, instead of being obligatory resource attractors.

3‐D quasi proportional fairness scheduling in relay‐assisted multicell LTE‐A downlink

AbstractThis paper presents a three‐dimensional (3‐D: space‐time‐frequency) quasi proportional fairness (QPF)‐based radio resource allocation and interference coordination scheme in multicell long‐term evolution‐advanced downlink. We formulate the resource allocation and interference coordination problem as a QPF‐based utility maximisation problem, wherein, QPF reduces the complexity compared with the conventional proportional fairness. Interference has been minimised through time, frequency and space domain resource allocation. The proposed 3‐D scheme utilises two time slots for intercell interference management, spatial position‐based frequency resource allocation for intracell interference mitigation, and frequency domain orthogonality across user equipment (UE) and relays for inter‐UE and UE‐relays interference management. It has been shown that the relaxed non‐convex primal problem and the dual problem have zero duality gap under the time‐sharing and tolerable interference constraints. The relaxed optimal problem has been solved through the Lagrange dual method. Simulation results show the efficacy of the proposed 3‐D scheme compared with the recently presented three slots time domain interference coordination with round robin and proportional fairness time domain interference coordination schemes. It has been observed that the proposed heuristic 3D with equal power scheme exhibits same performance as the heuristic 3D with water‐filling power allocation and retains the desired optimal level for more than 60% of the average users' throughput. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pilot-Study Exploring Time for Simulation in Academic and Hospital-Based Organizations

BackgroundOrganizations are embracing innovative learning activities, particularly simulation, because it is learner focused, grounded in adult learning theory, and engages various learning styles. Allotting appropriate time for work in simulation is a challenge for many organizations. The use of simulation has increased; therefore, understanding the amount of time necessary for best-practice simulation is essential to assure programs meet the increased demand and clinical and professional development objectives. MethodA nonexperimental explorative study was designed to quantify the time needed for simulation activities. ResultsApproximately 26.9% of time was spent conducting prescenario learning activities (immediately preceding the simulation), simulation scenarios, and debriefing. Other presimulation and postsimulation activities related to simulation design, evaluation, and cleanup were more time intensive, together accounting for 73.1% of time reported. ConclusionThis study enabled the researchers to identify simulation processes with correlations to time highlighting the patterns of activity usage and quantifying time commitments related to simulation. It lends useful information to help resolve difficulties in the allocation of staff time and other resources for simulation. Understanding the time necessary for specific simulation activities can allow organizations to budget resources and potentially improve the process for simulation development and execution.

Resource Allocation Optimization for Time and Wavelength Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Network Enabled Mobile Fronthaul With Bitrate-Variable Compressed Common Public Radio Interface

Recently, a cloud radio access network (C-RAN) has been proposed as a candidate architecture for fifth-generation mobile communication. Fronthaul is a new segment in C-RAN. In this paper, we investigate the algorithms for resource allocation in time and wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network enabled front-haul. We formulate an integer nonlinear programming (INLP) model, considering the operation mode of the small cell. A heuristic method is also proposed based on an adaptive parallel genetic algorithm (GA). Three optimization objectives are considered when we implement the resource allocation schemes in the fronthaul: 1) minimize the total number of used wavelengths, 2) minimize the load imbalance of the fronthaul, and 3) minimize the amount of traffic influenced by fronthaul virtual topology change. The results show that INLP and adaptive parallel GA have good performance for resource allocation in the fronthaul. Wavelength resources can be significantly saved in different load scenarios, so that the load difference can be minimized with minimal topology adjustment. Furthermore, the adaptive parallel GA obtains more efficient resource allocation than the traditional GA with much less running time, which makes it applicable for the large-scale fronthaul network optimization with fast convergence.

Resource Allocation Techniques for Wireless Powered Communication Networks With Energy Storage Constraint

This paper studies multiuser wireless powered communication networks, where energy constrained users charge their energy storages by scavenging energy of the radio frequency signals radiated from a hybrid access point (H-AP). The energy is then utilized for the users' uplink information transmission to the H-AP in time division multiple access mode. In this system, we aim to maximize the uplink sum rate performance by jointly optimizing energy and time resource allocation for multiple users in both infinite capacity and finite capacity energy storage cases. First, when the users are equipped with the infinite capacity energy storages, we derive the optimal downlink energy transmission policy at the H-AP. Based on this result, analytical resource allocation solutions are obtained. Next, we propose the optimal energy and time allocation algorithm for the case where each user has finite capacity energy storage. Simulation results confirm that the proposed algorithms offer about 30% average sum rate performance gain over conventional schemes.

Note on a unified approach to the single-machine scheduling problem with a deterioration effect and convex resource allocation

In many resource allocation problems in physical or economic systems, a linear resource consumption function is commonly considered, and job processing times are assumed to be fixed parameters. However, the former assumption fails to reflect the law of diminishing returns, and the latter may be controlled by changing the allocation of resources to jobs. Motivated by these observations, we provide a unified model for solving single-machine scheduling problems in which each job's processing time is a function of its starting time and convex resource allocation. The objective is to find the optimal sequence of jobs subject to a limited resource consumption. We first show how this unified model can be useful in solving scheduling problems under due date assignment considerations. We analyze the problem with four different due date assignment methods, and our objective function includes costs for earliness, tardiness and due date assignments. We also consider scheduling problems without involving due date assignment decisions. The objective function is to minimize the makespan, total completion time, total absolute variation in completion times, and total absolute variation in waiting times. We show that several existing well-known problems can be reduced to a special case of our unified model and solved in O(nlogn) time.

Cumulative sum: An individualized proficiency metric for laparoscopic fundamentals

BackgroundA reliable metric of technical proficiency is indispensable to the training of fellows and residents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cumulative sum (Cusum) has predictive validity in laparoscopic training. We hypothesized that Cusum would be a better predictor of technical ability in fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) than traditional practice volume metrics. MethodsTwenty medical students were recruited to practice three FLS tasks: peg transfer, circle cut, and intracorporeal knot tie. Up to 7hours of self-directed practice was allotted to each participant. Practice attempts were scored by standard FLS criteria and monitored via Cusum. Each participant’s terminal Cusum performance was analyzed retrospectively. Posttests were conducted by faculty blinded to practice performance. ResultsEighteen participants completed the study (90%). Median adjusted posttest scores were 102.3, 84.1, and 78.6 for peg transfer, circle cut, and knot tie, respectively. For the knot tie task, participants who exceeded the Cusum decision interval during their final practice attempts performed significantly higher on posttesting (81.2 vs 71.5, p=0.015). Knot tie terminal Cusum score was positively associated with posttest performance after adjusting for practice volume (p=0.031). Total practice volume and practice time were not significantly associated with posttest performance for any FLS task. ConclusionCusum score is a more valid representation of FLS proficiency than practice volume or practice time. Incorporating Cusum in a clinical setting may promote more efficient allocation of time resources and operative volume.

From a well-prepared teacher to an on-the-spot facilitator: a reflection on delivering an active learning course

Abstract In this article, I describe my experience of preparing and delivering a brand new computing undergraduate course in a new university and in doing so, share how the special institutional push of the active learning pedagogy of the university changed the way I prepared and delivered the course, and ended up transforming my own view of teaching. I was faced with an unusual cohort of students who were already familiar with active learning styles in classes, were proactive, vocal, and argumentative, were not afraid of making mistakes and of challenging the authorities, were extremely articulate expressing themselves and who had worked in a project- and team-based setting throughout the programme. As such, a very different method of teaching needed to be in place, not for the purpose of improving the in-class engagement, but out of necessity. In the process of creating and running this course, I witnessed a major shift in the allocation of my time, efforts and other resources: from general to specific, from teaching to advising to observing, from elaborate preclass preparations to impromptu, in-class discussions, thus bringing all my design skills and experiences to the table.

Optimal time allocation for multi-antenna wireless powered heterogeneous sensor network communications under imperfect CSI

Energy harvesting is a promising technology to overcome the energy bottleneck in battery-powered heterogeneous sensor networks (HSNs). In an energy harvesting HSN, heterogeneous sensor nodes harvest energy to power themselves, and use the harvested energy for data transmission. This paper investigates a multiple-input single-output wireless powered HSN with imperfect channel state information (CSI). The receiver harvests energy from the power transmitter via radio-frequency wireless power transfer (WPT) in the downlink to support wireless information transfer (WIT) in the uplink. To improve WPT efficiency, the power transmitter employs energy beamforming by using instantaneous CSI. Under imperfect CSI, the receiver performs channel estimation and feeds the CSI back to the transmitter. We focus on balancing the time duration for channel estimation, WPT, and WIT, so as to maximize the throughput while satisfying the time duration constraint. By solving this optimizing problem, we derive the optimal time resource allocation scheme. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Effective reconstruction of insufficient JEM signals based on the CS method

One of the major issues in multifunction radar is the allocation of time resources to maximize the ability of the radar. If jet engine modulation (JEM) is analyzed correctly in an insufficient dwell time environment, the remaining time can be allocated for other tasks. This paper presents effective reconstruction of insufficient JEM signals based on compressed sensing (CS) method. The CS method was employed to extract a refined spectrum from insufficient JEM signals. In the process of applying the CS method to JEM signals, we utilized the modified linear programming (LP) standard form of an optimization method. The approach proposed in this paper is significant because it enables reliable estimation in spite of the insufficient JEM signal. Its application to insufficient JEM signals demonstrated that the reconstruction method presented in this paper improved the accuracy of JEM analysis and is expected to be effective from the perspective of radar resource management.

Emergency department on-call status for pediatric orthopaedics: a survey of the POSNA membership.

The emergency room on-call status of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons is an important factor affecting their practices and lifestyles and was last evaluated in 2006. The entire membership of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) was surveyed in 2010 for information regarding their emergency room on-call status with 382 surveys returned of over 1000 e-mailed to members of POSNA. Detailed information about on-call coverage, support, and frequency was obtained in answers to 14 different questions. Compared with the prior survey in 2006, the 2010 survey indicated that a higher percentage of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons receive compensation for taking emergency room call; a higher percentage cover pediatric patients only when on-call; and accessibility to operating rooms in a timely manner for trauma cases, although limited, has improved for pediatric patients. Utilization of support staff to meet on-call trauma coverage demands, such as residents, physician's assistants, and nurse practitioners, is becoming more common. Concentration of pediatric orthopaedic trauma has increased the coverage demands on pediatric orthopaedists. This has resulted in a change in reimbursement strategies, and allocation of OR time and hospital staffing resources.

ETransplant - App to Improve Transplant Process in São Paulo - Brazil

The literature on organ transplantation shows the consolidation of the success of this motivation as the growing demand for treatment, which however is not supplied, since the number of donated organs is insufficient. This shortage of organs also increases the importance of better use of donations. The current Transplant Center of the system of São Paulo State needs improvement in the ergonomic and technological aspect, because the organizational ergonomics improves job performance by reducing errors, setting standards for the organizational strategy. This study, with exploratory objective and qualitative approach aims to apply reengineering the Transplant Center of the transplant process, contributing to organizational ergonomics, adapting the selection process and the creation of distribution processes for medical personnel and the process receptor. The first aims to reduce the response time between the doctors and the transplant center for distributing organs, application has been developed and is being ratified by it. The second under construction, aims to map the location of the receiver for the distance and travel time to the transplantation of these sites are evaluated before execution of the receptor to be transplanted. At the end of this exploratory research was found the reengineering process benefited the organizational ergonomics in order to increase productivity by sending the data to medical personnel, assisting the decision-making process. It is believed that the productivity, use of the body will be increased with the transmission of data and confirmation by the medical staff and the transplant process will be optimized as the active participation of the receiver and its location by the team, reducing the time resource allocation.

‘Learner-centred’ assessment policies in further education: putting teachers’ time under pressure

Since incorporation of further education (FE) in England in 1992, much research has critiqued the performative pressures on FE teachers created by a managerialist audit culture. These critiques have demonstrated the detrimental effects of the technicised delivery of learning outcomes on more learner-centred pedagogies. However, FE policies now purport to place greater emphasis on learner-centredness. In this article, we question the meanings such policies give to this notion, and examine how they are shaping teachers’ practice. Drawing on findings from an ethnographic study of trainee and newly qualified FE teachers, we innovatively apply a social theory of time to analyse the resulting time pressures that teachers encountered. In particular, the distinction between ‘clock time’ and ‘process time’ is used as a specific lens through which to interpret the data. We argue that FE policies misappropriate and subvert the notion of learner-centredness by focusing on assessment outcomes and that they expect teachers to devote more time to learners, but without an associated allocation of adequate time resources. As a result, there may be a danger of losing more teachers from the profession. These findings may have cross-sector relevance in schools and higher education, as well as internationally.

Ethical and Professional Challenges Encountered by Laboratory Genetic Counselors.

Laboratory-based genetic counseling is a growing and yet under researched specialty. In this study, 111 laboratory-based genetic counselors employed in various settings (commercial, academic, etc.) completed an online survey assessing demographics and frequency of encountering 16 domains of ethical and professional challenges encountered by clinical genetic counselors defined previously by McCarthy Veach et al. and validated by Bower et al. Forty-nine of the laboratory genetic counselors also provided anecdotes of particularly challenging situations and strategies for their resolution. Most respondents had less than 5 years' experience as laboratory counselors (71 %), worked full-time (75 %) in industry-based laboratories (91 %) with a focus on molecular diagnostics (84 %), and had limited patient contact (91 %). Similar to clinical counselors, every ethical and professional challenge was endorsed as occurring frequently by some respondents. The most common frequently occurring domains for the sample were: facing uncertainty, time and financial resource allocation, attaining and maintaining proficiency, and informed consent. Content analysis of respondents' anecdotes yielded themes that most commonly concerned: professional identity issues, value conflicts, confidentiality, and colleague error. One unique domain labeled professional communication (educating professionals with limited genetics knowledge), and three salient categories within the professional identity domain--gatekeeping, conflicts of interest, and professional image--were extracted from the anecdotes. The most prevalent strategy for resolving challenging situations was inform health care professional. Results suggest laboratory-based genetic counselors generally face similar ethical and professional challenges as clinical genetic counselors but their exact nature and relative frequency differ. These findings contribute to a greater understanding of common and unique experiences of genetic counselors in different professional specialties.

Opportunistic Stable Two-Way Relaying: With or Without Direct Link

In this paper, we investigate a three-node two-way relaying network over fading channels. The stability of this system is first discussed. Three protocols are then investigated in this work in terms of throughput, including the opportunistic digital network coding (ODNC) scheduling protocol, the physical network coding (PNC) protocol, and the cooperation protocol of DNC with direct link (CDNC-DL). For the first two protocols, we assume that the direct link is not available. For the third protocol, the direct link is available and can support data rates. The problems of maximizing the long-term totally fair optimal throughput with the three protocols, with respect to the stability constraints, are formulated and solved by allocating power resources with respect to channel fluctuations. To complement this work, optimal time resource allocation for each phase of the three protocols as well as the associated end-to-end throughput are investigated. In the end, it is shown in simulation that ODNC performs better than the conventional DNC and that CDNC-DL outperforms the other two proposed protocols as long as the direct link is in relatively good condition.

Research on the Model of Emergency Fire Rescue Vehicle Routing Selection and Resource Allocation

In order to arrive at the scene of the fire in the shortest time dealing with the accident, considering two fires occurred at the same time, taking optimal allocation of resources at the center of the fire fighting and the least time of driving to fireground as objective functions, based on automobile brake model and two-stage scheduling mechanism, to build the total time optimal model and resource allocation optimization model. Models obtain vehicle shortest transit time and the optimal resource allocation amount, it can effectively solve routing problem of the emergency rescue vehicle, resources shortage also can be solved when many accidents happen at the same time, to avoid the waste of resources and to ease the pressure of maintenance cost.

A Low Complexity Approach of Combining Cooperative Diversity and Multiuser Diversity in Multiuser Cooperative Networks

In this paper, we investigate the scheduling scheme to combine cooperative diversity (CD) and multiuser diversity (MUD) in multiuser cooperative networks under the time resource allocation (TRA) framework in which the whole transmission is divided into two phases: the broadcast phase and the relay phase. The broadcast phase is for direct transmission whereas the relay phase is for relay transmission. Based on this TRA framework, a user selection based low complexity relay protocol (US-LCRP) is proposed to combine CD and MUD. In each time slot (TS) of the broadcast phase, a “best” user is selected for transmission in order to obtain MUD. In the relay phase, the relays forward the messages of some specific users in a fixed order and then invoke the limited feedback information to achieve CD. We demonstrate that the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) of the US-LCRP is superior to that of the existing schemes, where more TSs are allocated for direct transmission in order to jointly exploit CD and MUD. Our analytical and numerical results show that the US-LCRP constitutes a more efficient resource utilization approach than the existing schemes. Additionally, the US-LCRP can be implemented with low complexity because only the direct links' channel state information (CSI) is estimated during the whole transmission.

Real Time Resource Allocation Methodology and Quality based Framework in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing provides resources and services as per user’s demand. User can pay for these services as per their use. Many cloud users can request no. of resources or services simultaneously. So resource allocation should be cost effective, reliable and efficient. There are lots of criteria which should be considered while allocating resources to the users. This paper shows resource demand categories and requirements to be considered while allotting resources to the customer. A quality based framework is proposed in this paper.

Intra-Household Competition for Care: The Role of Bequest-Regulating Social Norms

We model the allocation of time resources by adult children between competing caring activities - those towards co-residing elderly and those towards co-residing children. We test the implications of our model for children’s school performance by focusing on Indonesia, a country characterized by heterogeneity in social norms, population aging and reliance on the family for elderly support. Specifically, we exploit the unique richness of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) (Wave 2 to Wave 4) to find robust evidence of a negative impact on children’s school achievement of social norms regulating elderly bequests to co-residing adult careers.