text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Aug 16, 2011
|Filing date
|Mar 22, 2010
|Priority date
|Jun 7, 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Andrew James Wheeler, Dewitt Clinton Seward, IV, Jonathan Everett Avey
|Original Assignee
|Ember Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (26), Non-Patent Citations (24), Referenced by (3), Classifications (63), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/063,261, filed Feb. 22, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/457,205, filed Jun. 9, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/386,925, filed Jun. 7, 2002; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/063,261 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/546,041, filed Feb. 19, 2004; each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to monitoring network traffic.
Network devices such as network protocol analyzers (also known as "packet sniffers") are able to monitor traffic within a network from nodes of the network within the same network segment (or "broadcast domain") as the network protocol analyzer. For example, if the network protocol analyzer is attached to a shared medium (e.g., a bus or a hub) the network protocol analyzer can receive and decode all packets that are transmitted from nodes directly connected to the shared medium including packets addressed for other nodes. In some cases, if a device such as a switch lies between the network protocol analyzer and a transmitting node, the network protocol analyzer does not receive traffic from that node.
In one aspect, in general, the invention features a method, and an associated apparatus, for monitoring a network. The method includes, at a device including a communication interface coupling the device to a network, monitoring messages transmitted between the communication interface and the network, and outputting monitoring data associated with the monitored messages from the device.
The method can include one or more of the following features.
The network is a wireless network.
The messages include radio messages.
The messages include frames formatted according to a medium access control layer format.
The communication interface performs data link layer functions, and/or medium access control layer functions.
The communication interface includes a radio receiver.
Outputting monitoring data includes outputting the monitoring data onto a wired network.
The monitoring data includes a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
The monitoring data includes at least one of a time-stamp, a received signal strength indicator, a link quality indicator, or a receiver gain.
In another aspect, in general, the invention features a method for monitoring a network that includes: transmitting and receiving radio messages at nodes of a wireless network, linking the nodes using a second network, generating monitoring data associated with the radio messages at the nodes, and collecting the monitoring data from the nodes over the second network.
The method can include one or more of the following features.
The second network includes a wired network.
The monitoring data includes a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
The monitoring data includes at least one of a time-stamp, a received signal strength indicator, a link quality indicator, or a receiver gain.
In another aspect, in general, the invention features a system for monitoring a wireless network. The system includes a plurality of nodes each having a radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio messages, a communications medium linking the nodes, and a monitoring station coupled to the communications medium. The monitoring station is configured to receive monitoring data associated with radio messages among the nodes over the communications medium.
The system can include one or more of the following features.
The communications medium includes a wired communications medium.
The monitoring data includes a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
The monitoring data includes at least one of a time-stamp, a received signal strength indicator, a link quality indicator, or a receiver gain.
Aspects of the invention can include one or more of the following advantages:
Monitoring messages within a wireless network over a second network coupled to the nodes enables a monitoring station to determine which nodes transmitted and/or received those messages.
Displaying monitoring information associated with the same event enables a user to visualize the flow of information through the network based on events such as delivery of a packet from an origin to a destination.
Data collected from nodes of a wireless network over a second network is useful for monitoring and testing the wireless network.
A common format for network simulation messages and network monitoring messages facilitates debugging and performance modeling and evaluation.
Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description, and from the claims.
Referring to
In wireless network 100 shown in
As part of the routing protocol, each node 110 maintains a cost table 120. Each cost table has a number of records (rows) 122, each row being associated with different particular destination node. Cost table 120 includes two columns: one column 124 identifies the destination, and another column 126 represents a cost of sending a packet from the node maintaining the table to the corresponding destination. The costs are positive quantities that represent that node's estimate of the lowest cost path through the network to the destination. The cost of a path includes additive terms corresponding to each of the links along the path. The cost of a link is inversely related to the link reliability. Reliability of a link can be estimated using any of a variety of techniques. For example, reliability of a link can be estimated by keeping track of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of packets arriving at a node from a neighboring node over that link. In general, shorter links typically have lower cost because of the relatively higher signal strength than longer links. This version of the routing protocol does not rely on the link reliability being estimated as equal at the nodes of the link, and alternative versions of the protocol explicitly account for asymmetrical link reliability.
Any of a variety of physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layers may be used. In one implementation, nodes 110 communicate according to a proposed IEEE 802.15.4 standard. A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communication technique is used in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band. Use of spread spectrum communication avoids interference with other communication systems in the same band, including Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1) and Wireless LANS using the IEEE 802.11b standard. Alternative PHY and MAC layers that support concurrent transmission of packets from one node to multiple neighboring nodes can be used in an equivalent manner.
Referring to
Addressing section 220 includes information that is used for routing packets through the network. Addressing section 220 includes a mode 222, which includes an indicator whether the packet is a unicast packet, broadcast packet, or an acknowledgment packet, and an indicator of whether intermediate nodes should update their cost tables based on this packet. As shown in the lower portion of
For a unicast packet, addressing section 220A includes an identification of the origin node 224 and the destination node 226 for the packet, a sequence number 232 for packets sent from the origin node and an identification of source node 223 which transmitted the packet on the last link. In this version of the protocol nodes are identified in the header by unique node numbers in a range 1-255. Addressing section 220 also includes an accrued cost 228 from the origin to the source and a remaining cost 230 from the source to the destination for the packet. The costs are represented as integers in a range 0-255. The procedure for setting the accrued and remaining costs is described further below.
For a broadcast packet, addressing section 220B does not include a destination, but rather includes a radius 227 is used to count the number of hops the packet has taken from its origin. As the broadcast packet is not addressed to a particular destination, the addressing section does not include a remaining cost field.
Addressing section 220C for an acknowledgment packet includes source 223, origin 224, remaining cost 230, and sequence number 232.
Several examples of packet forwarding according to the gradient routing approach are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7A-B. These examples illustrate the procedures that are followed in transmitting and receiving packets. For simplicity, in the discussion below, a single "packet" is associated with a particular origin node and sequence number at that node. When a node is said to receive a packet, or multiple copies of the packet, this means that the node has received an instance of a packet with the particular origin node and sequence number. When important, the various instances (i.e., transmissions or retransmissions) of the packet are distinguished in the discussion. Note also that the procedures shown in FIGS. 3 to 7A-B each relate to processing a single packet. However, each node may concurrently process multiple packets according to the procedures.
In a first example, a node A 110 transmits a unicast packet destined for node E 110. The packet is not flagged to update the cost tables as the packet traverses the network. In this example, each node of the network includes an record 122 in its cost table 120 for destination E. For illustration, link costs for the links are indicated in
Source node A 110 initializes addressing section 220 of packet 200A destined for node E with its own identification in source node 223 and origin node 224 and node E's identification in destination node 226. Node A initializes accrued cost 228 to zero and remaining cost 230 to the cost to destination E retrieved from its cost table 120, which in this example is a cost of 10. This packet is flagged as a unicast packet that is not to be used to update cost tables. Node A increments its packet sequence number and puts that sequence number in sequence number field 232 and enqueues the packet in an outbound packet queue.
Referring to the procedure shown in
The MAC layer does not provide a guarantee that the packet has been received by any neighboring node. Therefore, node A waits a retransmission time (line 0150). If before the expiration of the retransmission time, node A has either detected that another node closer to the destination has already forwarded the packet, or has received an explicit acknowledgement that the packet was forwarded by some node close to the destination (line 0170) then the node dequeues the packet (line 0250). As is discussed below, when a node forwards the packet, it re-writes the remaining cost field 230. By examining this field, node A can determine whether the node has indeed been forwarded by a closer node to the destination than itself. Similarly, explicit acknowledgement packets include a remaining cost field which is used for the same purpose. Node A repeats the steps of transmitting the packet and waiting (lines 140-150) until it detects the suitable forwarding or acknowledgment, or a retry limit is reached.
In this example, nodes B and C are in range of transmission from node A and both receive the packet. Referring to the procedure shown in
If the packet is flagged to update the cost tables at receiving nodes (line 0320), the receiving node may update its cost table based on the cost of the reception. This updating procedure and the circumstances under which the node updates its cost table are discussed further below. In this example, the packet from node A is not flagged to update the cost tables and nodes B and C are not the ultimate destination of the packet and therefore processing of the receiving packet at each of nodes B and C continues at line 0350 with execution of the procedure to process a unicast packet at an intermediate node (line 0390).
Referring to the procedure shown in
At this point in the example, on receiving the first transmission of the packet, neither node B nor node C has already forwarded the packet nor detected another node acknowledging the packet (line 0620) therefore processing of the received packet continues at line 0680.
Next each node computes the progress of the packet on its last hop (line 0680). The progress is defined as the difference between the remaining cost indicated in the received packet and the remaining cost in the cost table of the node computing the progress. A packet that has traveled on a higher cost link will in general have a higher computed progress. The progress of a packet is generally related to the cost of the reception on the last link (i.e., greater progress for lower SNR is typically corresponding to a longer distance), although due to variation in signal characteristics or dynamic changes in the cost tables, the progress is not necessarily equal to the last link cost.
Having computed the progress, nodes B and C then both enqueue the packet (line 0690). The accrued cost in the enqueued packet is incremented according to the last link cost, and the remaining cost is set equal to the node's entry in its cost table for the ultimate destination of the packet. Note that because the accrued cost is not actually used for routing decisions, updating the accrued cost is an optional step if the update costs flag is not set.
As introduced above, the packet is typically not transmitted immediately. Rather, each node next independently computes a maximum delay according to the progress made by the packet on the last transmission (line 0720). In this example, node B has a remaining cost of 7 to node E and therefore the progress of the packet, which has the remaining cost set to 10, is 3. Similarly, the progress of the packet at node C is 5. This maximum delay is based on the progress such that generally, the maximum delay is smaller when the progress is larger. This approach generally gives preference to paths with the fewer hops and reduces end-to-end latency. Note that nodes B and C do not have to coordinate their retransmission of the packet, and neither is necessarily aware that the other has also received and can forward the packet.
Each of the intermediate nodes B and C next performs a loop (lines 0710-0800) that is similar to the steps executed by the originating node (see lines 0130-0170 in
In this example, we assume that the actual delay for node C, which is chosen randomly, is indeed smaller than the chosen delay for node B. Therefore node C executes the test at line 0730 before node B to check whether it has detected any other node forwarding or acknowledging the packet. Because node C has not detected such a forwarding or acknowledgment, it transmits the packet (line 0740) and begins to wait for one retransmission time (line 0750) before determining whether to proceed with further retransmissions.
When node C forwards the packet, under the assumption that node B's chosen delay is longer than node C's, node B is still waiting to do so (line 0720). We assume that node B is in range to detect node C's forwarding of the packet. Therefore, at the end of the delay when node B would have transmitted the forwarded packet, it has detected the forwarding by node C. The remaining cost in that detected forwarding from node C is 5, the cost entry in node C's cost table for destination E. Because node B's entry for destination E is 7, which is greater than 5(line 0750) node B is aware that a closer node to the ultimate destination has already forwarded the node, and that therefore it does not have to.
Returning to originating node A, and referring again to
Following the packet to its ultimate destination at node E, we assume that the destination node E, as well as other intermediate nodes A, B, and D are within range of node C's forwarding of the packet. Referring to
Referring to
Nodes A and B each receive the packet forward by node C. However, both of these nodes have costs to node E that are greater than node C, and therefore both nodes discard the detected forwarded packet (line 0610,
Node D receives the packet forwarded by node C. Node D has not detected the packet being forwarded by a closer node (line 0620) and therefore may need to forward the packet. Node D's cost to node E is 4, one less than the cost from node C, and therefore the progress is 1 (line 0680). The progress is relatively small, so the delay is relatively large (line 0700). Therefore, by the time that delay has expired (line 0720), node D has detected the acknowledgement packet sent by node E, with the remaining cost of zero, which by necessity is less than node D's cost to node E (line 0730). The packet node D received from node C does not indicate than an acknowledgment is required (line 0770) and therefore node D next dequeues the packet (line 0810).
At this point, in this example the packet has traversed from node A through node C to node E, without any unnecessary transmissions.
In the first variant of Example 1, we assume that node E actually managed to receive node A's original transmission, for example, because of a momentarily favorable transmission environment. We also assume that node E transmits an acknowledgement (line 0520,
Nodes C and D have already received the acknowledgement for the packet with a remaining cost of zero, and therefore discard node B's forwarded packet. However, because nodes C and D have already received acknowledgement for the packet, each node transmits an acknowledgement packet in response to receiving B's forwarded packet (line 0630). Node B receives these acknowledgments and therefore dequeues the packet (line 0810). Node A receives node B's forwarded packet, and therefore dequeues the packet as having been forwarded (line 0250).
In a second variant of Example 1, node D receives node A's original transmission along with nodes B and C. Node D then forwards the packet before the other nodes and this forwarded packet is received by B, C, and E. Therefore nodes B and C do not forward the packet. We assume that node E's acknowledgment is received by nodes B, C, and D, but not by the originating node A. Therefore, at the end of the delay of the retransmission time (line 0150), node A does not know that the packet has made it to its destination, or that it has even been transmitted one hop. Therefore node A retransmits the original packet (line 0140).
When nodes B and C receive the retransmitted packet, they have already received the forwarded packet from node D with a lower remaining cost (line 0620,
Next consider an example of a broadcast packet originating at node A with the update cost flag not set. Referring back to
Referring to
Each receiving node processes the packet according to the procedure shown in
In this example, when nodes B and C each first receive the packet, because received radius is greater than 1 and the update costs flag is not set processing starts at line 1040. Nodes B and C have not previously received a copy of this packet, therefore both enqueue the packet after incrementing the accrued cost and decrementing the radius (line 1070) and initiate a loop (lines 1080-1110) retransmitting the packet. After forwarding the packet the fixed number of times, each node dequeues the packet.
Node D first receives the forwarded packet from one of nodes B and C first, and initiates the same forwarding procedure. When it receives the forwarded packet from the other of nodes B and C, it discards the packet (line 1050).
Next consider an example in which a broadcast packet sent from originating node A with the update costs flag set. The procedure carried out by originating node A is as in the case when the update cost flag is set in Example 4.
In this example, when nodes B and C each first receives the packet, because received radius is greater than 1 and the update costs flag is set processing starts at line 0910. Nodes B and C have not previously received a copy of this packet, therefore processing continues at line 0935.
Each node updates its cost table for the cost of sending a packet from that node to the origin based on the received link cost plus the accrued cost from the origin node (line 0935). In this example, on this reception, the accrued cost in the received packets from node A at nodes B and C is zero, and therefore nodes B and C both set their cost to A to be the received link cost of the packet just received from node A.
Each receiving node sets a delay according to the received link cost. Recall that the link cost is computed based on the signal characteristics of the transmission, and in this version is quantized to integer values from 1 to 7, with lower cost corresponding to a more reliable link. In this version of the system, the maximum delay is set to the cost minus 1 times a time constant of 4 ms. (line 0940). Therefore, delay for a cost of 1 is equal to 0 ms. while the delay for a cost of 7 is equal to 24 ms. Each node enqueues the packet (line 0950) and then waits for a random duration chose from a uniform distribution in the range from zero to the computed delay (line 0960).
During the process of forwarding a broadcast packet, the node may receive another copy of the packet. That second copy may have a different accrued cost indicated, and the link cost may be different than the first. In this version of the routing approach, if the node would forward the second copy with a lower accrued cost than the forwarding of the previous packet, the forwarding of the previously received copy of the packet is aborted if it has not already been completed. If the second copy would be forwarded with a higher or equal accrued cost, the packet is not forwarded. For example, if the node first receives the packet with an accrued cost a1 with a link cost of c1, forwarding of the packet indicates an accrued cost of a1+c1. If later, the node receives another copy of the broadcast packet which indicates an accrued cost of a2 with a link cost of c2, then that packet would be forwarded indicating an accrued cost of a2+c2. But if a2+c2≧a1+c1, then not only would the neighboring nodes have already received the packet, the second accrued cost from the origin node would be no lower and therefore the second copy of the packet is not forwarded.
Returning to the specific procedure illustrated in
In this example, assume that node B receives the packet with cost 3 and node C receives the packet with cost 5. The maximum delay for node B is therefore 8 ms. while the maximum delay for node C is 16 ms. Assume that based on the randomly chose durations, node B forwards the packet first (line 0980) and node C receives the forwarded packet.
In this example, node C receives the second copy of the packet from node B with a cost of 3 and an accrued cost of 3 indicated in the packet. Therefore the new accrued cost of the packet if node C were to forward it is 6. But node C already has the packet queued with an accrued cost of 5, and therefore node C discards the packet from node B (line 0920).
Note that in principle, a unicast packet can also be sent with the update flag set. The result is that the cost entries for the origin node at a set of nodes "near" the shortest route to the destination are updated.
The routing approach described above does not guarantee delivery of packets to their destination. Higher level protocols built on top of the network layer are responsible for features such as end-to-end acknowledgements it they are needed by an application. For example, request for an end-to-end acknowledgement may be included in the NPDU 240 (
At layers above the network layer, which is responsible for routing, a concept of a session is supported. If in the example network shown in
4.1 Routing Layer and MAC Layer Interaction
The MAC layer accepts one packet at a time for transmission, and returns a status code upon completion (either successful transmission or failure, for example, maximum CSMA back off reached). When transmitting a packet from the originating node, the MAC layer is allowed to transmit immediately. When transmitting a packet at an intermediate node, the MAC layer is instructed to select an initial random back off in order to avoid transmitting simultaneously with neighboring nodes. The initial backoff is treated independently of the progress-based forwarding delay. A useful, though not necessary, feature of the MAC is the ability to cancel a previously requested transmission. This feature is used by the routing layer to reduce unnecessary transmissions, for example, if an acknowledgement is heard for the packet being processed by the MAC (e.g., avoiding transmission at line 0740 if an acknowledgment is detected at line 0730).
4.2 Cost Averaging
In the cost updating approach described above, a node computes the received link cost based on the received signal-to-noise ratio of a single packet that is flagged to update costs. As an alternative, each node maintains a longer-term average of the cost of receiving packets from its neighboring nodes, and uses this average when it receives a packet flagged for it to update is cost table and to increment the accrued cost field of forwarded packets.
4.3 Proactive Cost Table Updates
Nodes can optionally exchange cost table information with their neighboring nodes, and use the received cost tables and received link costs to update their own tables. For example, rather than waiting for a packet with the update flag set to update an entry in its cost table to the origin node of that packet, the node receives one or more entries of a neighboring node's cost table. The receiving node adds the link cost for packets from the node that sent the entries to each of the costs in the entries. It then replaces any of the costs in its table for which the incremented received costs are lower.
4.4 Unidirectional Costs
In the cost update approaches described above, the cost at an intermediate node B for transmitting a packet to node A is set based on the accrued cost of sending packets from node A to node B. In systems in which the cost of transmitting packets is not symmetrical, an alternative approach may be desirable. Asymmetrical costs can occur for a number of reasons, including differences in transmission power at different nodes, or interference that is localized and affects different receivers to different degrees.
In this approach, each node periodically broadcasts a message with its radius field set to 1 that is received by its neighbors. Because the radius is set to 1, this message is not forwarded by these nodes. The message body includes a cost of receiving packets from each of the neighbors based on previous messages sent from those neighbors.
Each node maintains a table of link costs of receiving a packet transmitted by it at each of its neighbors. When a node B receives a packet from a node A that is flagged with the update costs flag, rather than adding the cost of the reception of that packet to the accrued cost indicated in the packet, it adds the cost of receiving packets at node A from node B from its table.
With this change in the update to the accrued cost, the cost table truly reflects the unidirectional cost of sending a packet to the destination node.
4.5 Communication Backbones
In an alternative approach, nodes may be linked by non-wireless links. For example, referring to
Note that should the wired network fail, connectivity between nodes B and F is maintained via the link between nodes C and F. In this way, a wireless network can serve as a backup for other nodes linked by a wired network. A non-wireless network can also serve as a monitoring and testing system for a wireless network as described in section 5 below.
4.6 Service Addressing and Service Discovery
In the approaches described above, addressing is according to identities of nodes in the network. In an alternative approach in which each node can host one or more of services, and packets are addressed to services rather than to nodes. Furthermore, the same service may be hosted at a number of different nodes. In this alternative, cost tables include entries that identify costs to send packets to the particular services. The routing algorithm then functions as described above. When a node needs a particular service, it sends a broadcast packet to that service, and a node listing that service replies, thereby locating the nearest node hosting the service.
4.7 Zoned Addressing
In another approach, nodes are arranged in zones. For example, part of a node identification (e.g., a prefix of a numerical address) may identify the zone that the node is a member of. In such an approach, a node may not explicitly maintain a cost to every possible destination node. Referring to
The routing algorithm and cost update algorithm described above functions similarly, with an entry in a cost table for a zone reflecting the minimum cost to a node in that zone. That is, when a node wants to transmit a packet to a node in another zone, it uses the node's identification to determine that node's zone identification, and looks up the record in the cost table according to the zone identification.
In another variant of this approach, there may be multiple level hierarchy of zones, and the cost table at a node may include zones at different levels of the hierarchy.
4.8 Link Costs and Delay Computation
Other measurements of received signals can be used as the basis for computing link costs. In CDMA systems, the signal correlation values can be used instead of a direct measurement of signal-to-noise ratio. Similarly, an absolute signal level can alternatively be used. Digital error rates, such as bit or packet error rates, can also be used as the basis for determining link costs.
An alternative approach uses costs that are based on other factors than signal quality. For example, transmissions from a power-limited node may have a higher cost than similar transmissions from a node that is not power limited. In this way, packets are preferentially routed away from power-limited nodes. Other measures of link reliability can also be used. For example, if a link is known to be periodically unavailable or known to be unreliable, its link cost can be set higher than a continuously available link.
In the approaches described above, packet retransmission is typically delayed, in part to avoid unnecessary retransmissions or to avoid collisions. Alternative approaches can be used to compute the amount to delay a packet. For instance, a deterministic rather than random delay can be used. Also, the delay or its probability distribution can be based on factors such as the absolute cost to reach the destination, a next-link cost to the destination, a geographic distance of the last link or of the distance to the destination, available power at the node, pre-configured parameters such as parameters related to the desirability of forwarding packets, or characteristics of the packet such as a priority,
4.9 Combination with Other Routing Approaches
The gradient routing approach described above can alternatively be combined with explicit routing. For example, unicast packets can be explicitly addressed to a next node on the shortest path to the destination, and a receiving node that is explicitly addressed in this way then forwards the packet without delay. Because only one node is explicitly addressed in this way, multiple nodes will not immediately forward the node and therefore immediate collisions are avoided.
In this approach, nodes that receive the packet but that are not explicitly addressed act as backups to the node on the shortest path. Should the explicitly addressed node on the shortest path fail to forward the packet, these nodes that act as backups will forward the packet to make up for the addressed node's failure to forward the packet.
In some implementations, the nodes of a wireless network include a wireless channel and a second communications channel. For example, a node includes a radio transceiver and a "backchannel module" that provides an interface to a second communications channel. A wireless network of such nodes are linked to a "backchannel network" that serves as a monitoring and testing system for the wireless network. The backchannel network can include, for example, a wired shared medium, such as an Ethernet bus.
The backchannel module generates messages in response to events occurring in the nodes. The events can include events associated with a packet, for example, when a packet is: queued, dequeued, transmitted, or received. Messages associated with such events can include a copy of a frame transmitted or received (e.g., a MAC layer frame), time-stamps, the mode of the packet, the sequence number, or other information (e.g., information associated with the transport or higher layers). The events can also include events associated with the state of the node, for example, resets or reboots. The messages generated by the backchannel module can be immediately sent over the backchannel network or stored at the node for a period of time and accessed later via the backchannel network.
The messages generated by the backchannel module can also be used to compare a measured performance of a wireless network to a predicted performance based on a simulation of the wireless network. For example, a simulation of a wireless network generates a log of simulation information characterizing radio messages transmitted and received at the nodes of the wireless network (e.g., according to the gradient routing approach described above). The backchannel module generates test information from real-time monitoring of an actual wireless network corresponding to the simulated wireless network. A common data format is used for the simulation information and the test information. The test information and/or simulation information can be presented as a graphical representation of the packet flow between nodes.
Referring to
The backchannel module 1006 also provides node status information status information that can be sent over the bus 1010. For example, the available battery power or available memory at the node 1000, the state of the wireless transceiver 1004 (e.g., power level, frequency), or the state of other hardware in the node can be sent to a device coupled to the bus 1010 or a device connected to the serial port 1012.
The backchannel module 1006 can also read or write arbitrary memory locations in the communications module 1002. For example, memory locations can be read to examine entries of cost tables, a node identification number, or protocol stack information. Data can be download into the communications module 1002 over the bus 1010 or serial port 1012 via the backchannel module 1006, for example, to update or load software or firmware.
Data can also be sent to the node 1000 over the bus 1010 to control or modify the networking functions of the node 1000. For example, commands can be sent to change a power level of the wireless transceiver 1004. Control messages can include packets to insert into a queue for transmission over the wireless transceiver 1004. Data can be sent to simulate or emulate input from devices that can be interfaced with the node 1000 (e.g., temperature or motion sensors).
5.1 Backchannel Network Example
Referring to
The wireless network 1100 also includes a backchannel network arranged so that the nodes 1100A-1100D are in communication over an Ethernet bus 1104. A monitoring station 1106 is connected to the backchannel network. The monitoring station 1106 combines the test information of multiple nodes, processes the information (e.g., sorting by time), and displays the information in a human readable manner (e.g., a combination of textual and graphical representations).
Alternatively, the nodes and/or monitoring station can be connected via switches, routers, or other network devices. So the backchannel network can have a topology different from the bus topology shown in
5.2 Monitoring Station Information Processing
The monitoring station 1106 is configured to process the information gathered over the backchannel network. Some of the processing that the monitoring station performs includes functions of a standard network protocol analyzer including, for example, decoding the protocols used in constructing a packet and displaying the names and corresponding values of the protocol fields. In addition to performing these functions, the monitoring station 1106 is configured to process the information gathered over the backchannel network in a way that enables a user (e.g., a network administrator) to identify "events" occurring at various protocol layers.
The monitoring station 1106 is able to assemble multiple packets that belong to a particular event associated with one or more layers including the MAC layer, the network layer, the transport layer, or any other layers of the network. For example, when a packet having a particular sequence number 232 is unicast across a network, multiple packet instances having the same sequence number 232 (but potentially having different values of other fields such as remaining cost 230) are transmitted between the nodes along the route to the destination. These packet instances are all associated with the same event (i.e., transmitting a packet with a particular sequence number to a particular destination node). Other information can be associated with this event including, for example, network layer and/or MAC layer acknowledgements. The monitoring station 1106 assembles this information for the event, and displays summary information for that event, such as whether the event was successful, end-to-end latency, total number of packets included in the event, etc.
Referring to
For example, a MAC layer packet transmission is displayed as an arrow 1204 from the sending node 1202D to the receiving node 1202C. A network layer event associated with unicasting a packet is displayed as a path 1206 through the network along the route from the source node 1202D to the destination node 1202B
The events that are displayed can change according to a selected time. For example, the displayed time can be selected by moving a slider 1208. All events having associated activity within a window around the selected time are displayed. Alternatively, displayed events can be selected from a summary table 1210 listing all monitored events. Additionally, a user can select what type of events to display so that the user can visualize the flow of information through the network, for example, only at a selected layer, or at all layers simultaneously. The monitoring station 1106 can also step through time to show the flow of network traffic as a movie.
The diagram 1200 can include other types of information. For example, nodes that have been in communication but are not associated with any events during a selected time interval can be linked with a dashed line 1212.
These techniques for grouping and displaying monitored network data are especially useful for wireless mesh networks, however, these techniques can be used for any network, wired or wireless, regardless of topology. These techniques are also useful for visualizing data collected from conventional network protocol analyzers (or "packet sniffers") or for visualizing simulated data. When data is collected from multiple devices (e.g., a combination of stand-alone packet sniffers and backchannel modules), the devices synchronize their clocks with each other to assist in associating network activity with a desired event (e.g., assembling a packet trace).
5.3 On-Chip Traffic Monitoring Example
In some implementations, it is desirable to include a backchannel module on the same integrated circuit as a radio transceiver for on-chip traffic monitoring. The following example illustrates a design in which the backchannel module is able to directly monitor traffic received and transmitted from a radio transceiver.
Referring to
The IC 1300 implements a radio transceiver containing analog circuitry 1301 including a super heterodyne receiver 1303 other frequency synthesis and timing circuitry, and digital circuitry 1305 including baseband (BB) signal processing circuitry 1307 and other data processing control circuitry. Various control signals and analog/digital conversion components provide an interface between the analog circuitry 1301 and digital circuitry 1305, as described in more detail below.
The analog circuitry 1301 includes an interface 1309 to an RF antenna 1311 for reception and transmission of RF signals. The RF antenna 1311 is provided, for example, as part of the device that incorporates the IC 1300. For RF reception, the super heterodyne receiver demodulates a received RF signal for one of a set of channels with RF frequencies near 2.4 GHz to an IF signal at approximately 4 MHz. The analog circuitry converts this IF signal to a digital signal that is further demodulated to a BB signal by the digital circuitry 1305. For RF transmission, the analog circuitry 1301 modulates an RF signal at one of the channel frequencies using Minimum Shift Key (MSK) modulation with direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) modulated data provided by the digital circuitry 1305.
The digital circuitry 1305 includes a microprocessor 1320 that includes a memory controller to access a flash memory module 1321 (e.g., for storing executable software) and a RAM memory module 1323 (e.g., for storing data). The microprocessor 1320 includes a serial interface 1313 that can be used to test and characterize various functions of the IC 1300. Also, the serial interface 1313 can be used to load executable software into the flash memory module 1321 either directly, or optionally, by downloading a boot program into the RAM memory module 1323 which the microprocessor 1320 uses to first download software blocks into the RAM memory module 1323 and then copy the blocks into the flash memory module 1321.
The digital circuitry 1303 also includes a lower MAC module 1318 that interfaces with the microprocessor 1320 sending and receiving packet data, and with the BB signal processing circuitry 1307 sending and receiving packets with MAC layer information (called "frames"). The lower MAC module 1318 handles various MAC layer functions including, for example, cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes, packet acknowledgements, and backoff timing.
A backchannel module 1315 outputs copies of all of the frames sent between the lower MAC module 1318 and the BB signal processing circuitry 1307. This output enables external monitoring of traffic that is useful for debugging, for example.
The backchannel module 1315 monitors the frames sent from the lower MAC module 1318 to the BB transmitter 1322 and the frames sent from the BB receiver 1316 to the lower MAC module 1318. Referring to
In the implementation illustrated in
The backchannel module 1315 stores data frames that include overhead fields (e.g., a length field and a CRC field) and an encapsulated data packet. The backchannel module 1315 also stores frames without an encapsulated data packet (e.g., acknowledgement frames). The backchannel module 1315 also optionally stores information associated with each frame including dropped frames (e.g., correlator error). Thus, the backchannel module 1315 is able to output any information transmitted or received over the radio transceiver of a network node containing the IC 1300.
The output of the backchannel module 1315 can be coupled to the backchannel network. A wireless network of nodes including IC 1300 are linked to the backchannel network that serves as a monitoring and testing system for the wireless network. The backchannel network can include, for example, a wired shared medium, such as an Ethernet bus.
In an exemplary implementation of the backchannel module, the controller 1406 appends additional fields of information to each frame in the buffer 1402 and outputs the resulting augmented frames over the output interface 1404. The fields include the following six 1-byte fields: (1) received signal strength indicator (RSSI), (2) link quality indicator (LQI), (3) gain including (a) receiver RF gain (2 bits) and (b) receiver IF gain (4 bits), (4) MAC timer capture lower byte, (5) MAC timer capture middle byte, and (6) MAC timer capture upper 4 bits. Field 3 includes 2 available bits and field 6 includes 4 available bits. These total 6 available bits include the following 1-bit (Boolean) values: (i) RX or TX, (ii) filtered by MAC, (iii) RX_error, (iv) BB_RX_length error, (v) receive error overflow, (vi) CRC passed.
In this exemplary implementation, the output interface 1404 includes a DATA pin and a ENABLE pin. The DATA pin provides an output data signal at a baud rate of 500 kbps. The controller 1406 defines start, stop, and parity bits for the output data signal. The ENABLE pin provides an ENABLE signal that indicates when valid augmented frame data is present on the DATA pin. For example, the controller 1406 can account for an invalid frame that has been dropped by the BB receiver 1316 (e.g., due to correlator error). If the RX_error bit or the BB_RX_length bit is true then the controller 1406 deasserts the ENABLE signal.
Referring to
It is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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|Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
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|Feb 19, 2013
|Mar 21, 2017
|National Science Foundation
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|Apr 16, 2015
|Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
|Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving access information of broadcast service in a broadcasting system, and system thereof
|U.S. Classification
|370/328, 370/338, 370/401, 709/224
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Oct 9, 2012
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text:
Paul Mendelle QC, Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, said today in The Times that there are not too many barristers, there are too many laws and that Jack Straw's plan to cut legal aid by 18% would lead to members of the Criminal bar earning less than a car mechanic. He went on to say that unless barristers are paid more we are going to end up with a second tier service and injustice – which will cost a lot more in the long term. His letter, as one would expect from an advocate, is tightly drawn and makes a number of 'politically persuasive' points. It is worth reading.
At first blush, this view is not going to elicit any sympathy whatsoever from members of the public. I could add that some members of the public would be more than happy to have cheaper, or even better – no trials, 'bang villains up' in a prison with no TV and no amenities and 'throw away the key' – but that would be facile.
Or is it? The fact of the matter is that criminal law is in the public sector domain, paid for by tax payers – and the legal sector will be subject to the same cuts as the rest of the tax payer funded economy in the coming years. While it is certainly true that a number of leading QCs have managed to relieve the tax payer of £0.5 – 1 million for criminal law work – they are a very small majority – a minority Jack Straw is quite happy to brief about for political election advantage. Frankly, The Tories are even quieter about their plans for Law than they are on the economy – but I can't see a Tory government rushing to do anything other than provide more and cheaper prison places and cut the costs of banging the villains up in the first place. I have seen nothing from Conservative CCHQ or Mr Grieve to persuade me otherwise.
While there will be some 'villains' or those charged with serious criminal offences who are able to pay to hire the 'best briefs' – they are not, in the criminal sector, in the majority. Big business will always pay lawyers more for advice – but even they are now railing against some of the fees charged by the big City firms. Family lawyers specialising in the rarified atmosphere of relieving popular music stars and footballers of large fees for advising them on the 'financial arrangements' following divorce, enjoy lavish fees compared to family lawyers dealing at the lower end of the economic pyramid – it was ever thus. The market rules – but you don't always get what you pay for, simply because of the professionalism of the lawyers involved in tax payer funded criminal law who provide a high quality service and advice for little money. It is right that Mr Mendelle raises these issues but, I suspect, until the country is out of the financial 'merde', barristers, as with others, will just have to wait in line for the good times to return… unless they wish to retrain as plumbers and car mechanics or become Unite sponsored British Airways cabin crew and go into far more lucrative sectors.
I did enjoy this passage from Mr Mendelle's letter to the Times…
There aren't too many barristers but there certainly are too many laws. Too many ill-considered and appallingly drafted laws are passed, as one bloated Bill after another is extruded from the sausage factory that Parliament has become. It is not barristers who drive up the cost of legal aid but the increases in the numbers of those prosecuted and jailed, a good few for crimes that never existed until this Government created them."
He's probably right – but, in these difficult days at least there are more crimes for people to commit. What would we do if villains and NuLabour criminals didn't oblige by breaking the law? If you are a student thinking of a career in the criminal law field – you now know what the score is. Cabin doors to manual?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A small earthquake was recorded in central Oklahoma on Nov. 21 — on a day that executives from the California Earthquake Authority met with officials from the Oklahoma Insurance Department to discuss earthquake response and statewide preparation for future seismic activity.
The meeting was arranged by Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak in the wake of a state-record 5.6-magnitude earthquake that shook central Oklahoma on Nov. 4, damaging hundreds of homes particularly in Lincoln County near the towns of Prague and Meeker.
The Nov. 21 magnitude 2.8 quake was recorded at 1:36 a.m. about two miles northeast of Luther — about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
"Oklahomans are accustomed to dealing with all sorts of catastrophes, from tornadoes and hailstorms to wildfires and blizzards, but earthquake response is new to us," Doak said. "The California Earthquake Authority has 15 years of history in providing insurance to homeowners and educating the public about earthquake preparedness. As Oklahomans come to grips with the fact that damaging earthquakes are now a reality in our state, it's wise to seek advice from experts in a state where earthquakes are more common. There's no sense in reinventing the wheel."
Four officials from the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) were in Oklahoma for the meetings, while four others joined via conference call for a morning discussion with Oklahoma Insurance Department personnel. The West Coast contingent was led by California Earthquake Authority CEO Glenn Pomeroy. Pomeroy previously served as insurance commissioner of North Dakota.
The CEA is a privately funded nonprofit insurance company, launched in the wake of the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake — a $15 billion disaster that saw insurers pay out more in claims from a few seconds of shaking than they had collected in premiums over the previous 50 years.
Its first involvement in Oklahoma's earthquake response came just a few days after the damaging event. OID personnel contacted the CEA, which sent a journalistic team to interview Oklahoma quake victims and shoot video at their damaged homes, to document the catastrophe and illustrate future earthquake awareness efforts in Oklahoma. Pomeroy accompanied that team.
The CEA also has funded research that produced a technical manual, "General Guidelines for the Assessment and Repair of Earthquake Damage in Residential Wood Structures."
In terms of earthquake preparedness, the CEA has found that consumers need to be told not only what they should do to prepare for earthquakes — whether that be purchasing insurance, mitigating risk by securing their property or developing family survival kits and emergency plans — they also need to be told why each of those actions is vital.
Source: Oklahoma Insurance Department, Associated Press


text:
rockercwrote a review of Alpinestars Morzine Elbow Guards on June 11, 2011
Not very good at all, not recommended
I have written about the matching knee guards, and those were not impressive. These things are really no good, at least for me. I have worn them on a couple of rides, and thought they would give me some protection in the rocks and cactus here, but without the bulk of my full Raceface armor. They are fairly comfortable, but sadly, on all the rocky and bumpy downhill sections I rode, they would slip down my arm within minutes with any sweat. I tried tightening them up so much they were uncomfortable, and even then they would still slip, leaving the elbows unprotected. These are maybe a good buy if your riding is gentle, but anything even a little bit technical, and these are just a waste of money. I just wonder if I can get my money back if they are used?


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Many readers are getting FREE Shop Your Way Reward points from Sears/Kmart – Some as little as 4,000 points and others as many as 15,000 points ($15). These would be deposited into your account already. Look for an email that is titled "A small gesture from Sears to help with recovery".
Even though it says 'recovery' (presumable the tornado victims) – many readers outside of that area are getting them too. Check your Shop Your Way account now and let us know what you scored!
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text:
A Study to Compare the Effect of Giving Dulaglutide Using an Auto-injector Versus a Manual Syringe
This study has been completed.
Eli Lilly and Company
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First Posted: February 2, 2012
Last Update Posted: October 22, 2014
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Eli Lilly and Company
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The study involves 2 injections of 1.5 milligrams (mg) dulaglutide, 1 given by a pre-filled manual syringe, the other given by an auto-injector. Injections will be separated by a minimum 28-day washout period. The study will evaluate if the levels of drug in the blood are similar when given by each method. Participation in the study is likely to take approximately 7 weeks, not including screening.
|Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
|Biological: Dulaglutide
|Phase 1
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Dulaglutide After Administration Via an Auto-injector and a Manual Syringe in Healthy Subjects
Resource links provided by NLM:
Drug Information available for: DulaglutideU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Eli Lilly and Company:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Pharmacokinetics: Area Under the Concentration Curve (AUC[0-336]) for Dulaglutide [ Time Frame: Predose to 336 hours postdose ]
- Pharmacokinetics: Maximum Concentration (Cmax) for Dulaglutide [ Time Frame: Predose to 336 hours postdose ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Pharmacokinetics: Time to Maximum Concentration (Tmax) for Dulaglutide [ Time Frame: Predose to 336 hours postdose ]
|Study Start Date:
|March 2012
|Study Completion Date:
|June 2012
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Active Comparator: Manual syringe
Dulaglutide: Single dose of 1.5 milligrams (mg) dulaglutide administered subcutaneously (SC) by manual syringe in one of two study periods separated by a 28-day minimum washout period.
Biological: Dulaglutide
Administered by subcutaneous (SC) injection
Other Name: LY2189265
Experimental: Auto-injector
Dulaglutide: Single dose of 1.5 milligrams (mg) dulaglutide administered subcutaneously (SC) by auto-injector in one of two study periods separated by a minimum 28-day washout period
Biological: Dulaglutide
Administered by subcutaneous (SC) injection
Other Name: LY2189265
Information from the National Library of Medicine
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Are overtly healthy males or females, as determined by medical history and physical examination
- Male participants with female partners of child-bearing potential or partners who are pregnant or breastfeeding agree to use a reliable method of contraception from the time of the first dose until 3 months after the last dose of investigational product, as determined by the investigator
The method may be one of the following:
- condom with spermicidal agent
- male participant sterilization
- true abstinence (which is in line with the participant's usual lifestyle choice; withdrawal or calendar methods are not considered acceptable)
- Female participants not of child-bearing potential (that is, are postmenopausal or permanently sterilized [such as, tubal occlusion, hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, bilateral oophorectomy]). Such participants will not be required to use contraception but must test negative for pregnancy at the time of enrollment
- Postmenopausal is defined as at least 1 year post cessation of menses (without an alternative medical cause) or spontaneous amenorrhea for 6 to 12 months, with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) ≥40 milli-international units per milliliters (mIU/mL)
- Female participants who have undergone sterilization by tubal ligation agree to use a condom in conjunction with spermicidal gel, foam, cream, film or suppository from the time of screening until 3 months after the last dose of investigational product. Such participants must also test negative for pregnancy at the time of enrollment
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 32.0 kilograms per meters squared (kg/m^2), inclusive, at screening
- Have clinical laboratory test results within the normal reference range for the population or investigator site, or results with acceptable deviations that are judged to be not clinically significant by the investigator
- Have venous access sufficient to allow for blood sampling as per the protocol
- Are reliable and willing to make themselves available for the duration of the study and are willing to follow study procedures and are willing to follow study restrictions
- Have given written informed consent approved by Lilly and the ethical review board (ERB) governing the site
Exclusion Criteria:
- Are currently enrolled in or have completed or discontinued within the last 30 days from a clinical trial involving an investigational product, or are concurrently enrolled in any other type of medical research judged not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study
- Have known allergies to Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) -related compounds including dulaglutide, or any components of the formulation
- Are persons who have previously completed or withdrawn from this study or any other study investigating dulaglutide in the 3 months prior to screening or have received glucagon-like peptides or incretin mimetics in the 3 months prior to screening
- Have an abnormality in the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) that, in the opinion of the investigator, increases the risks associated with participating in the study
- Have an abnormal blood pressure (after at least 5 minutes sitting) that, in the opinion of the investigator, increases the risks associated with participating in the study
- Have a history or presence of cardiovascular, respiratory, hepatic, renal, endocrine, hematological, or neurological disorders capable of significantly altering the absorption, metabolism, or elimination of drugs; of constituting a risk when taking the study medication; or of interfering with the interpretation of data
- Have a history or presence of pancreatitis (history of chronic pancreatitis or idiopathic acute pancreatitis) or gastrointestinal disorder, for example relevant esophageal reflux or gall bladder disease, or any gastrointestinal disease which impacts gastric emptying (such as, gastric bypass surgery, pyloric stenosis, with the exception of appendectomy) or could be aggravated by GLP-1 analogs. Participants with dyslipidemia, and participants who had cholecystolithiasis (removal of gall stones) and/or cholecystectomy (removal of gall bladder) in the past, with no further sequelae, may be included in the study at the discretion of the screening physician
- Show evidence of significant active neuropsychiatric disease
- Have family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or a genetic condition that predisposes to MTC
- Regularly use known drugs of abuse and/or show positive findings on urinary drug screening
- Show evidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and/or positive human HIV antibodies
- Show evidence of hepatitis C and/or positive hepatitis C antibody
- Show evidence of hepatitis B and/or positive hepatitis B surface antigen
- Are women with a positive pregnancy test or women who are lactating
- Have used or intend to use over-the-counter medication other than acetaminophen within 7 days prior to dosing or prescription medication (with the exception of vitamin/mineral supplements and/or hormone replacement therapy [HRT]) within 14 days prior to dosing
- Have donated blood of more than 500 milliliters (mL) within the last month
- Have an average weekly alcohol intake that exceeds 21 units per week (males up to age 65) and 14 units per week (males over 65 and females), or are unwilling to adhere to the alcohol restrictions (1 unit = 12 ounces [oz] or 360 mL of beer; 5 oz or 150 mL of wine; 1.5 oz or 45 mL of distilled spirits)
- Smoke more than 10 cigarettes (or equivalent in nicotine) per day, and are unwilling to refrain from smoking on the day of dulaglutide administration or are unable to abide by clinical research unit (CRU) restrictions
- In the opinion of the investigator or sponsor, are unsuitable for inclusion in the study
Contacts and Locations
Information from the National Library of Medicine
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01524770
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01524770
|United States, Florida
|For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
|Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, 32117
Sponsors and Collaborators
Eli Lilly and Company
|Study Director:
|Call 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559) or 1-317-615-4559 Mon - Fri 9 AM - 5 PM Eastern time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST)
|Eli Lilly and Company
More Information
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
|Responsible Party:
|Eli Lilly and Company
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01524770 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
H9X-MC-GBDT ( Other Identifier: Eli Lilly and Company )
|First Submitted:
|January 31, 2012
|First Posted:
|February 2, 2012
|Results First Submitted:
|October 3, 2014
|Results First Posted:
|October 22, 2014
|Last Update Posted:
|October 22, 2014
|Last Verified:
|October 2014
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Glucose Metabolism Disorders
Metabolic Diseases
Endocrine System Diseases
Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments
Hypoglycemic Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Immunologic Factors


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Oualid Hammi0000-0001-8751-0449
Oualid Hammi received the B.Eng. degree from the École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia, in 2001, the M.S. degree from the École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada, in 2004, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada in 2008, all in electrical engineering. He serves currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He acts also as an Adjunct Researcher at the Intelligent RF Radio Technology Laboratory at the University of Calgary, Canada. His research interests are microwave engineering and digital signal processing in general. His current research activities are related to the design of highly efficient linear transmitters for wireless communication systems and the characterization, behavioral modeling, and linearization of RF PAs and transmitters. He has coauthored more than 60 refereed conferences and journal papers. He serves as a Reviewer for several IEEE transactions and letters.
Biography Updated on 16 September 2012


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© 2017 Toronto Argonauts. All rights reserved.
Now Reading
Mississauga – Argonauts' Head Coach Bart Andrus and his staff have two extra sets of eyes to evaluate all of the talent at this year's training camp. John Allen, who will work on offence and with the quarterbacks, and Ty Gregorak, who will work with the defence, will work as guest coaches until the Argos' first pre-season game at Rogers Centre on June 17.
Commented Head Coach Bart Andrus, "We're very pleased to have both John and Ty join us for training camp. John is a familiar face to the majority of our staff. He understands the offence and the terminology because he was in Europe for three years with us. Most importantly, he'll be able to relieve me so that I won't need to spend 100% of my time with the quarterbacks, which will be a great help." Andrus continued, "Ty comes from the University of Montana – a nationally renowned program – having played in the Division 1 championship in eight of the past nine years, including three appearances in the final. He's going to assist Richard Kent with the secondary and gives us an extra pair of eyes on the large field. He has good expertise on defence and we're excited to have him for the coming weeks."
John Allen is the Coordinator of Player Personnel & Development at Penn State University. A former Head Coach and Receivers Coach for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europa (2007), he also spent three seasons (2004-07) as an assistant coach with Bart Andrus and the Amsterdam Admirals. The thirteen-year coaching veteran has held a variety of positions at Lock Haven University, Bucknell University, University at Albany and held internships with five NFL clubs. In 2005, he was selected to coach in the NCAA East West Shrine game and coached in Penn State's 2009 Rose Bowl loss to USC. He holds a bachelor of science from James Madison University.
Ty Gregorak has been the linebackers coach at the University of Montana since 2003, and last season he added Recruiting Coordinator to his title. The Grizzlies went 14-2 in 2008, losing in the national championship game to Richmond. He had four players named First-Team All Big Sky Conference last season and has coached a total of ten all-conference players. Himself an Academic All-Big XII selection in 2000, Gregorak was also a finalist for the National Academic-Athletic Achievement Award. In 2001, he earned a B.A. at Colorado in communication studies. His wife is Annie and the couple has a baby boy named Gage.
The Argos also continued their tradition of offering an open invitation to university coaches from the OUA, QUFL and AUFC. Also included is a special guest coach from Football PEI, Brian Tancowny. The island province is experiencing resurgence in grassroots football development. The following CIS coaches will visit Argonauts' training camp in 2009: Pat Tracy and Ryan Bechmanis from Queen's University, Sonny Wolfe and Clint Utley from McGill University, Marc Santerre and Spiro Feradouros of University of Montreal and University of Toronto coaches Greg DeLaval, John Engel and Ken Mazurek.


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New modes of governance of cooperative arrangements in agricultural markets: The case of Polish producer groups
The cooperative movement in Poland has a long but difficult history. The socialistic regime introduced a command and control system into cooperatives which was destructive to their self-governing functions and eventually led to a lack of member involvement. There was a mass neglecting and abandonment after the transformation in particular of rural cooperatives. Nonetheless, in the early 1990s the first farmers' cooperative marketing organizations, called agricultural producer groups, appeared on the market. They are bottom-up, voluntary organizations whose main purpose is to jointly sell their members' output Although producer groups functions similarly to marketing cooperatives, farmers establishing producer groups have been choosing other legal forms than cooperatives. In the paper we investigate why the new forms of governance of cooperative arrangements are chosen and what are the implication of these choices for the success of the groups on the market. We discuss the impact of invested capital, the impact of advisors, and the impact of institutional environment on this choice. The empirical data was collected on 62 producer groups functioning in one province of Poland.
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|Date of creation:
|Oct 2009
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: Bundesallee 50, 38116 Braunschweig
Phone: 0531 / 596 5501
Fax: 0531 / 596 5599
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6 Comments
Dig This! I could feel a disturbance in the force,It's seems a lot of SW fans are screaming 'no signal"..haha!+1
hahahaha dig it!!! Nice ideaa :) +1vote
vrey Crtaeive +1
ADAMLAWLESS Artist from Johor Bahru, Malaysia
kool 1
graphicollapse Artist from garut, Indonesia
Thanks gang for all your early support much appreciated!


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This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Jingle Bell Electric Train Set
It's their very own Polar Express. They'll love the way this little train lights up their home throughout the holiday season. For anyone who can't wait to decorate the Christmas tree in their living room.


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You and Muffin could get out there with excavators and dig a new Grand Canyon in a week or two.... :) :)
Thany you, Sally! I like to magine that damage I could do spending the day at the controls of one of these things!
You're welcome Shirley... I think Oddio mostly loves old cars... Hope these puzzle gives him a grin or two....
Pkin, happy to trigger memories... as long as they're good ones.... :) :)
Machines like this always brings back memories for me as my dad and brother during their working years operated the big ones for a living. Thanks Sally for the momories
Thanks Sally, I'm sure Oddio will love these machines.


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Minnesota vs Toronto Game Final 7-0 - Kyle Gibson Earns Win
Kyle Gibson led Minnesota to a shutout performance against Toronto 7-0 on Thursday at Target Field.
The Twins were a +109 underdog in the win. The combined score dipped UNDER the total, which closed at 7.5.
Kyle Gibson earned the victory for the Twins, throwing 8 innings of work, striking out 4, walking 1, and allowing 4 hits and 0 earned runs. That effort was supported by 2 RBIs from Trevor Plouffe in the win.
Toronto's starting pitcher R.A. Dickey worked 4 1/3 innings, giving up 7 hits and 5 earned runs while striking out 4 in the loss. They got 2 hits from Colby Rasmus in a losing cause.
Minnesota outhit their counterparts 10-4 in the game.


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Necros Christos – Mors Dalos Ra
Interview and pics by Arto Lehtinen
The German death metal squad Necros Christos have 'piece by piece' conquered the catacombs of underground death metal with several releases since the early of the 00's. The most recent output titled TRIUNE IMPURITY RITES is full-on true death metal with a classic ancient grip. The album presents true and above all raw death metal from beginning to end. It isn't any surprise why NC have got more and more attention. The band's leader Mors Dalos Ra agreed to be interviewed for Metal-Rules.com to tell us more about the cult album and other issues.


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Editor's note: These rankings are based on player production in terms of Hockey Prospectus' GVT valuation metric. If you are unfamiliar with GVT and how it works, you can find more here.
Every month through December, and weekly starting in January, Hockey Prospectus will provide updated Player Power Rankings for the top 10 skaters and top five goalies in the NHL based on HP's proprietary value metric GVT, a statistic that combines player contributions in all aspects of the game, including defense, goaltending and the shootout.
Our first offering of the season ranked NHL skaters and goalies by VUKOTA -- the seasonal projection for GVT -- and now we have a few weeks of data that have resulted in some early surprises. Then again, the players in the top spots on both lists aren't too much of a shock. The data presented here includes a value for offensive GVT, defensive GVT, shootout GVT and overall GVT.
Top 10 skaters
1. Steven Stamkos, F, Tampa Bay Lightning
Off GVT: 5.1 Def GVT: 1.3 Shootout GVT: 0.5 Total GVT: 7.0
The season is barely a month old and Stamkos has already reclaimed his usual place close to the top of the NHL scoring list: second in goals, with 11, and second in points, with 20. For once, the Lightning aren't a defensive mess, so we might see Stamkos weave his magic in April and May.


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Ramaswamy, MA and Narasimhaswamy, KN (1991) Flow Visualisation Studies On Wall Mounted Pitot Type Intake With Splitter Plate. Technical Report. NAL, Bangalore.
Tewari, SK (1991) Feasibility of Generating Power using Wind Turbines from a Part of Kappatagudda. Project Report. National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore.
Wind Energy Programme, (1991) Wind velocity data at two locations on kappata hills, Gadag, Karnataka period: Jan-Dec 1990. Technical Report. National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, India.


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Blast site may get a boost
Some question shift in zoning
By John Laidler Globe Correspondent / August 12, 2007
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An attempt to revitalize industrially zoned areas on the waterfront and in other parts of Danvers is stirring debate. (Full article: 877 words)
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Dee Snider Set To Release An Album Of Broadway Covers
That's right, Dee Snider (former front-man of Twisted Sister) is taking on broadway classics. Dee Does Broadway is coming out on May 8th. It sounds interesting. There will be some interesting cameos, that's for sure. See who will be on the album and listen to his version of "Cabaret" here:
The album will feature Dee's unique take on several broadway classics and will also feature many guest stars, including Cyndi Lauper on "Big Spender" from Sweet Charity, Clay Aiken on "Luck Be A Lady Tonight" from Guys and Dolls, and violinist Mark Wood of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera.
Snider's album will coincide with the release of his first-ever autobiography, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" (both will be available on May 8th). For more info, and to find Snider's version of "Cabaret" CLICK HERE.


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Notre Dame Football: Assessing 2013 Bowl Options for the IrishJune 16, 2013
Thanks to a 12-0 season that woke up the fading echoes surrounding the Notre Dame football program, there was little drama leading up to college football's version of "Selection Sunday" last Dec. 2. The Fighting Irish finished the season ranked No. 1 and played in their first BCS National Championship Game.
While a return trip to the sport's grandest stage (or one of the BCS's four other smaller "stages") cannot be ruled out, the Irish may face a less-than-ideal situation this fall when it comes to bowl possibilities.
After the Russell Athletic Bowl (Champs Sports Bowl at the time) used its once-every-four-years option to select Notre Dame in 2011, the Irish were left without any other tie-ins for 2012 and 2013. It never came to fruition in 2012, but it remains an issue heading into the upcoming season.
While ESPN outlined the possibility of Notre Dame being completely left out of the bowl picture, the permutations that must occur for that scenario to take place are slim at best. It would require not only for there to be 70 bowl-eligible teams, but for each of the 10 conferences to fill all of its tie-ins. Should any of the 10 conferences not meet its allotment, Notre Dame would be not only eligible to fill that open slot, but would almost certainly be the first choice of any bowl needing to go the at-large route.
The most likely conferences to not fill all of their tie-ins are the American (six slots for 10 teams), Big Ten (eight slots for 11 teams), Conference USA (six slots for 14 teams), Mountain West (six slots for 12 teams) and SEC (10 slots for 14 teams). Four additional slots will open up due to BCS at-large teams.
Army will play in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego if eligible, but the Black Knights have qualified for the postseason just once since 1996. Replacing their biggest rival from the first half of the 20th century might be the best bet for the Irish in terms of destination and exposure. They would meet the No. 2 team from the Mountain West (Fresno State?).
Sorting through some of the other bowls that have the last selections in the conferences listed, it is evident that Notre Dame's most likely bowl destinations are less than appealing for both the team and its fans. How does the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl at stale Tropicana Field against SMU or Middle Tennessee sound? Does the Little Caesar's Bowl in chilly Detroit against Bowling Green move your meter? What about the AdvoCare V100 Bowl in Shreveport, La., against N.C. State?
Despite the loss of Everett Golson, Tyler Eifert and Manti Te'o, Notre Dame is still a viable BCS bowl contender. If the Irish fall short of that goal, would there be any buzz around whatever third-tier bowl in which the Irish play? While the 2010 and 2011 seasons didn't go as many Irish fans had hoped, getting to renew rivalries with Miami (FL) and Florida State at least added some intrigue to the postseason matchups. The same can't be said of Bowling Green or Middle Tennessee, unless, of course, Irish fans still hold Bowling Green hiring Urban Meyer away from Notre Dame against it.
Ten wins should all but ensure a BCS bid for the Irish, but the schedule is rigorous once again with games against Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Arizona State, USC, BYU and Stanford. The difference between Miami and Detroit is as narrow as whether the Irish go 5-2 or 4-3 in those showcase games.
It's a dilemma Notre Dame has known about since that 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, but with tie-ins locked in through this season, there was really nothing it could have done except sit back and hope it could avoid the situation. It worked perfectly in 2012, but based on the happenings within the program in the first six months of the year, 2013 may not be so smooth.
Don't worry about stocking up on sunscreen for the holiday season quite yet. But Irish fans may want to have a hooded sweatshirt handy.


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Route Grade Votings
Total votes cast 3
Adjacent Routes
A superb direct climb up the wall which provides an excellent alternative to Daydreams. Since there is often a party on Daydreams, it is best started from the left.
A very good route indeed, and one that keeps coming until the end! Can (and should) be done in one pitch!


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Pettitte feels at home at Legends Field
Pettitte feels at home with Yankees in Tampa
The scene at Legends Field seemed much as Pettitte had remembered it three years ago -- his trusty No. 46 jersey hanging in wait, along with T-shirts, shorts, shower shoes and assorted other midnight blue clothing items.
"Everything's kind of the same," Pettitte said. "It feels like I never left."
Pettitte's reintroduction to Yankees life came without much of a red carpet on Wednesday, as the hurler found his locker and immediately attacked the mundane task of unpacking boxes of Reebok cleats.
Over the next few weeks, Pettitte will engage some of the newer faces in the clubhouse, learning their individual quirks and characteristics. Meanwhile, old teammates will embrace Pettitte and wonder why he departed in the first place.
"Andy should be here," closer Mariano Rivera said. "He should have never left. But that's the past."
The first day back was nothing like the morning three years ago that Pettitte showed up in Kissimmee, Fla., reporting for camp alongside Roger Clemens as the newest members of the Houston Astros.
That experience, Pettitte recalls, was gut-wrenching. This, by comparison, was more of a homecoming.
"I was just nervous, didn't know anybody, didn't know the facilities," Pettitte said. "Man, this is just so comfortable, which it should be. It's been great. It hasn't really been strange or awkward at all."
Last month, Pettitte and his wife, Laura, motored on the Major Deegan Expressway en route to a Yankee Stadium press conference. It didn't take long before they chuckled about the surreal situation they found themselves in, house-hunting once more in Westchester County and commuting to the Bronx.
Pettitte's nine-year stay with the Yankees had receded into memory, with the experiences of ranching in Texas and wearing Astros red becoming their new reality.
MLB.com coverage | Schedule | Ballpark | Tickets
"I got so locked into the lifestyle down there," Pettitte said. "It's so different and so laid-back. I got so content with everything down there that I didn't think I'd ever come back [to New York]."
So when he drove Tampa's avenues on Tuesday evening, passing the eateries and establishments that border the Yankees' Spring Training home, Pettitte had to pause for a moment and marvel.
"Really, this was the past for me," Pettitte said. "It was great memories, but it was more like, 'When I get old and gray, I'll remember being a Yankee.'"
Now 34, Pettitte is already on his way. His closely cropped hair has become speckled with more than a few silver spots, and even Pettitte admits, "They're getting plentiful now."
The left elbow area that once concerned club officials has been surgically repaired and deemed ready for competition, proving its structure by holding up for 436 2/3 innings over the last two Astros seasons.
He favors ice treatments more, and has incorporated a few extra stretches to keep things loose, but Pettitte's goal of making a full slate of 35 or so starts is already in place.
"I feel like I'm going to be strong and I'm going to hold up," Pettitte said. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have done this. I don't want to go through the agony of feeling like I'd let everybody down if I'm not going to toe the rubber. To me, it's just not worth it. I've made plenty enough money to live in [his current home of] Deer Park, Texas, for a long, long time."
Have a question about the Yankees?
E-mail your query to MLB.com Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
Until that point, Pettitte plans on using a somewhat increased arsenal, aiming to utilize a changeup that proved necessary when Pettitte's velocity decreased. Pettitte reports his fastball now reaches 93 mph, but will keep his soft-tossing option anyway in an effort to be a more complete pitcher.
As he travels that road, Pettitte will also have a new guide to tutor him, as Ron Guidry -- an instructor the last time Pettitte wore pinstripes -- has taken over Mel Stottlemyre's old pitching coach post. The teacher-pupil relationship shouldn't suffer. Even though things have changed, Pettitte is able to see similarities.
"[Guidry] pitched in New York and in Yankee Stadium, just like Mel," Pettitte said.
Yankee Stadium, indeed. His last time in action there, Pettitte's club was grinding to make up a two-run deficit against Florida's Josh Beckett in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series.
That October evening, Pettitte cheered on a starting lineup that included Nick Johnson, Alfonso Soriano, Aaron Boone and Bernie Williams. No one would dispute the Yankees' marked changes from that point, but a number of the Yankees' mainstays -- Rivera, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada among them -- are still here; never left, in fact.
Neither has manager Joe Torre, who -- through his offseason reunion of the 1996 Yankees -- created the perfect storm that would deliver Pettitte back to the Bronx. So this reacclimation process might not take long, and that's perhaps just as well.
Pettitte is just as familiar as anyone in knowing how the Yankees' annual drill operates: handshakes first, winning next. It's time to get to work.
"That's the thing, just starting all over," Pettitte said. "I had that before I left, and I built that in Houston. Everything else is so much the same."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Manny Ramirez 2007 WS Game 1 RBI Single 8x10 Photo
$189.99with Frame
Customize your frame
$99.99without Frame
Manny Ramirez is one of the most dominant right-handed hitters of all-time. After 8 amazing seasons in Cleveland with the Indians Ramirez became a cult hero within Red Sox Nation helping Boston capture their first World Series Title in 86 years during the 2004 season. He was also instrumental 3 years later when they did it again in 2007. The 2002 AL Batting Champion .349 and 12-time All-Star has over 550 career HR and was named MVP of the 2004 World Series. Ramirez has hand signed this action 8x10 photograph of him taking a swing during the 2007 ALDS. A Steiner Sports Certificate of Authenticity is included.
**This Item May Not Be Eligible For Some Discounts Or Promotions**


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(WSCR) Manti Te'o has taken criticism from just about everyone.
Now, you can add LeBron James to that list.
According to a report, several members of the Miami Heat were discussing the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday when James claimed that he ran a 4.6 40-yard dash while training last summer, adding he did so without training for the run.
"It's better than Manti Te'o, I'll tell you that," James said.
Te'o unimpressed at the combine, recording a time of 4.82.


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Park Place
Call us today at (651) 492-7932
Located at 301 N. Park St, Lake City, MN, Park Place on Pepin is a recently renovated fully furnished two-story home overlooking Lake Pepin and the surrounding Mississippi River valley.
The home features two full baths, four bedrooms (two with queen beds, two with two twin beds in each), a well-equipped updated kitchen with seating for 8, a formal dining room, a formal living room, and a family room with gas fireplace, Dish Network satellite TV, VCR, and DVD (both FR & LR offer spectacular overlooks out to the lake and bluffs).
Lose yourself in the beautifully landscaped gardens or just sitting on the quiet back porch glider. Enjoy a small bonfire and incredible panoramic view from the flagstone patio, or take in any one of the hundreds of things to see and do in the area.
Park Place On Pepin | 301 North Park St. | Lake City, Minnesota