10379830
Extended Query Answering Using Integrity Rules
The conventional use of databases is commonly restricted to the retrieval of factual data in the form of tuples or records. However most databases also contain metadata in the form of integrity rules which can provide a rich source of additional information not normally available to the user. Integrity rules define what data values and relationships may exist within the database and so their interrogation can provide answers as to whether a certain database state is possible. Our paper describes how this may be achieved and specifies a formal approach to implementing such an enquiry system.
9837737
Attribute-Pair Range Rules
This paper examines the properties of metadata in the form of IF THEN rules which contain two predicates on attributes of a relational database table. For example: a(15. 30) ⟹ d(243. 271), which means “if the value of attribute ‘a’ in a tuple is in the range 15 to 30 then the value of attribute ‘d’ will be in the range 243 to 271.” Metadata of this kind is useful in Semantic Query Optimisation and Remote Cache Management. The two predicates (antecedent and consequent) in each rule are Selection Conditions or constraints of the type found in database queries. Each condition therefore denotes a subset of a database table. Rules can be cascaded, using subrange containment as the link between successive rules. The set of rules can therefore be regarded as a set of edges in a Condition Dependency Graph, and using the rule-set is path discovery in the graph. The purpose of the current paper is to introduce some of the properties of attribute-pair range rules.
14933774
Using a Network of Workstations to Enhance Database Query Processing Performance
Query processing in database systems may be improved by applying parallel processing techniques. One reason for improving query response time is to support the increased number queries when databases are made accessible from the Internet.
6479052
Data Analysis for Query Processing
Data analysis is needed in connection with query processing, to produce data summary information in the form of rules or assertions that allow semantic query optimisation or direct query answering without consulting the data itself. The goal of an intelligent analyser in this context is to produce robust rules, stable in the presence of data changes, which allow easy rule maintenance as data changes, and provide rapid query reformulation, refutation or answering. It must also limit the rule set to rules useful for query processing.
34571067
Data Extraction from Web Database Query Result Pages via Tagsets and Integer Sequences
The World Wide Web is a collection of databases as well as web sites. Databases associated with web sites provide public access via query forms on web pages. They constitute an enormous repository of searchable data on an extremely diverse collection of subjects, ranging from multimedia collections through archives of subject-specific data to current information such as currency conversion or interest rates and news or weather reports. Many interesting and valuable Database Applications could be developed if these databases were easily and reliably accessible to programs. The difficulty in extracting data is the number of different web page formats and the tendency to change format suddenly. A rapid page analysis and wrapper creation system is needed to generate and maintain a data extraction facility for any required web sites. This important goal has been the subject of substantial recent research, modelling the web results page in various ways. The purpose of the current paper is to introduce a new method for rapid page analysis using the recurrence patterns of tagSet occurrence in the page.
12408680
Utilising Multiple Computers in Database Query Processing and Descriptor Rule Management
A fundamental problem to be solved in systems that derive rules from database tables to use in query optimisation is the workload involved. If the data server has to do the work it can interfere with query processing and cause slower query answering, which is the opposite of the required effect. This paper reports our investigation of the use of multiple workstations in the same local network as the data server to derive and maintain sets of rules describing data subsets. These rules are used in query optimisation. In a local area network of workstations, one computer accepts SQL queries and data manipulation commands from networked clients. This computer provides an interface to one or more database management systems located on computers in the network. It uses a collection of subset-descriptor rules for query reformulation before forwarding the semantically optimised query. It manages a set of workstations in the network, to derive and maintain the rules. The workstations are ordinary networked computers whose spare computing capacity is utilised by spawning background programs on them.
17448440
Effective implementation of cycle time reduction strategies for semiconductor back-end manufacturing
Using discrete event simulation models, a study was conducted to evaluate the current production practices of a high volume semiconductor back-end operation. The overall goal was to find potential areas for productivity improvement that would collectively yield a 60% reduction in manufacturing cycle time. The paper presents the simulation methodology and findings pertaining to analysis of the Assembly, Burn-In, and Test operations. Many of the recommendations identified can be implemented at no additional cost to the factory. The most significant opportunities for improvement are in the Test area, the system constraint. Additionally, the model is extremely sensitive to changes in operator staffing levels, an accurate reflection of many back-end operations. The model shows that the cumulative impact of these recommendations is a 41% reduction in average cycle time, a significant contribution to the overall goal.
2266734
Procedures for Integrating Knowledge in a Speech Understanding System
T h i s paper d e s c r i b e s t h e p r o c e d u r e s f o r i n t e g r a t i n g knowledge f rom d i f f e r e n t s o u r c e s i n t h e SRI speech u n d e r s t a n d i n g s y s t e m . A language d e f i n i t i o n sys tem c o o r d i n a t e s — a t t h e ph rase l e v e l — i n f o r m a t i o n f rom s y n t a x , s e m a n t i c s and d i s c o u r s e i n t h e cou rse o f t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f a n u t t e r a n c e . The sys tem e x e c u t i v e uses t h e s e c o n t e x t u a l c o n s t r a i n t s i n a s s i g n i n g p r i o r i t i e s t o a l t e r n a t i v e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , c o m b i n i n g t o p d o w n , b o t t o m u p , and b i d i r e c t i o n a l s t r a t e g i e s a s r e q u i r e d E x p e r i m e n t a l r e s u l t s t h a t d e m o n s t r a t e t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f c o n t e x t c h e c k i n g a r e d i s c u s s e d .
6898048
Supporting manufacturing with simulation: model design, development, and deployment
In this paper, we identify and discuss the features we believe are key to the successful use of simulation as a manufacturing support tool. The discussion begins with three sample projects drawn from the authors' industrial and consulting experiences. Using these projects as motivation, we discuss the ideal project lifecycle model design, development, and deployment. For model design, we emphasize the importance of a clear and consistent specification, articulated in a written document. This specification should identify project customers, goals, and deliverables. We next review a range of model development options, stressing the existence of many non-simulation alternatives. We also discuss methods for model verification and validation. Finally, we consider the difficulties of model deployment, including simulation output analysis, data maintenance, and model integration. We close with several suggestions on how best to present simulation results to a management audience.
15957762
Sensor networks and grid middleware for laboratory monitoring
By combining automatic environment sensing and experimental data collection with broker based messaging middleware, a system has been produced far the real-time monitoring of experiments whilst away from the lab. Changes in the laboratory environment are encapsulated as simple messages, which are published using an MQTT compliant broker. Clients subscribe to the MQTT stream, and perform a data transform on the messages; this may be to produce a user display or to change the format of the message for republishing. For example, an MQTT client written for the Java MIDP platform can be run on a smart-phone with a GPRS Internet connection, freeing us from the constraints of the network. We present an overview of the technologies used, and how these are helping chemists make the best use of their time
27367510
Genetic search for Golomb arrays
Genetic search with a decision level chromosome is used to search efficiently for Golomb (1982) arrays. A Golomb array A is a binary array with three values for its discrete autocorrelation function; M, the number of ones in A for no offset, 1 when there is partial overlap, and 0 otherwise. In one dimension, A is known as a Golomb ruler. The method yields improvement because the genetic search considers only feasible solutions in the most likely portion of the search space. Each chromosome bit represents a decision to place a one in an iterative construction. The representation includes all possible arrays. Since the chromosome bits represent binary decisions in the search space, genetic operations (such as crossover and mutation) always result in feasible descendent chromosomes. Experimental results include comparison to previously known search methods and several new arrays. These results indicate that the proposed search is significantly more efficient than prior methods.