Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

About: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is a education organization based out in Mumbai, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Thin film. The organization has 16756 authors who have published 33588 publications receiving 570559 citations.

Extensions to SQL for historical databases

Abstract: A historical management system (HDBMS) is described which uses an extended relational data model with state-oriented, instead of 'cubic', conceptualization. Two types of historical relations, called state and event relations, are provided for modeling real-world objects. The query language SQL has been extended for definition, retrieval, and update of historical relations. The extended SQL, called HSQL, is a superset of SQL. The author defines a few primitive algebra operations for historical relations, and uses them as a basis for extensions to SQL. In this way, HSQL retains the elegant structural and algebraic framework of SQL. HSQL contains a few new clauses, many operations and built-in functions on time domain, and facilities for retrospective updates and time-rollback. >

Application of copulas for derivation of drought severity–duration–frequency curves

Abstract: This study presents copula-based multivariate probabilistic approach to model severity–duration–frequency (S-D-F) relationship of drought events in western Rajasthan, India. Drought occurrences are analysed using standardized precipitation index computed on monthly mean areal precipitation, aggregated at a time scale of 6 months. After testing with a series of probability density functions, the drought variable severity is found to be better represented with log-normal distribution, whereas duration is well fitted with exponential distribution. Four different classes of bivariate copulas – Archimedean, extreme value, Plackett, and elliptical families are evaluated for modelling joint distribution of drought characteristics. It is observed that the extreme value copula – Gumbel–Hougaard copula – performed better as compared with other classes of copulas, based on results of various statistical tests and upper tail dependence coefficient. The joint distribution obtained from best performing copula is then employed to determine conditional return period and to derive drought severity-duration-frequency (S-D-F) curves for the study region. The results of the study suggests that the copula method can be used effectively to derive the drought S-D-F curves, which can be helpful in planning and adopting suitable drought mitigation strategies in drought-prone areas. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A separable method for incorporating imperfect fault-coverage into combinatorial models

Abstract: This paper presents a new method for incorporating imperfect FC (fault coverage) into a combinatorial model. Imperfect FC, the probability that a single malicious fault can thwart automatic recovery mechanisms, is important to accurate reliability assessment of fault-tolerant computer systems. Until recently, it was thought that the consideration of this probability necessitated a Markov model rather than the simpler (and usually faster) combinatorial model. SEA, the new approach, separates the modeling of FC failures into two terms that are multiplied to compute the system reliability. The first term, a simple product, represents the probability that no uncovered fault occurs. The second term comes from a combinatorial model which includes the covered faults that can lead to system failure. This second term can be computed from any common approach (e.g. fault tree, block diagram, digraph) which ignores the FC concept by slightly altering the component-failure probabilities. The result of this work is that reliability engineers can use their favorite software package (which ignores the FC concept) for computing reliability, and then adjust the input and output of that program slightly to produce a result which includes FC. This method applies to any system for which: the FC probabilities are constant and state-independent; the hazard rates are state-independent; and an FC failure leads to immediate system failure.

Broadband Bent Triangular Omnidirectional Antenna for RF Energy Harvesting

Abstract: In this letter, a broadband bent triangular omnidirectional antenna is presented for RF energy harvesting. The antenna has a bandwidth for ${\hbox {VSWR}}\leq2$ from 850 MHz to 1.94 GHz. The antenna is designed to receive both horizontal and vertical polarized waves and has a stable radiation pattern over the entire bandwidth. Antenna has also been optimized for energy harvesting application and it is designed for $100~\Omega $ input impedance to provide a passive voltage amplification and impedance matching to the rectifier. A peak efficiency of 60% and 17% is obtained for a load of $500~\Omega $ at 980 and 1800 MHz, respectively. At a cell site while harvesting all bands simultaneously a voltage of 3.76 V for open circuit and 1.38 V across a load of $4.3~\hbox{k} \Omega $ is obtained at a distance of 25 m using an array of two elements of the rectenna.