With the rapid increase in IoT (Internet of Things) applications, more sensor devices, generating periodic data flows whose packets are transmitted at regular intervals, are being incorporated into WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks). However, packet collision caused by the hidden node problem is becoming serious, particularly in large-scale multi-hop WSNs. Moreover, focusing on periodic data flows, continuous packet collisions among periodic data flows occur if the periodic packet transmission phases become synchronized. In this paper, we tackle the compounded negative effect of the hidden node problem and the continuous collision problem among periodic data flows. As this is a complex variant of the hidden node problem, there is no simple and well-studied solution. To solve this problem, we propose a new MAC layer mechanism. The proposed method predicts a future risky duration during which a collision can be caused by hidden nodes by taking into account the periodic characteristics of data packet generation. In the risky duration, each sensor node stops transmitting data packets in order to avoid collisions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that considers the compounded effect of hidden nodes and continuous collisions among periodic data flows. Other advantages of the proposed method include eliminating the need for any new control packets and it can be implemented in widely-diffused IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15.4 devices.

We propose an interference avoidance architecture using uneven spreading as a media access mechanism for optical code division multiple access (OCDMA). While an equal-intensity pulse sequence encoded with the spreading sequence assigned to each node is transmitted for a “1” bit in conventional OCDMA with on-off keying (OOK), the proposed architecture creates an uneven-intensity pulse sequence where one of the pulses has higher intensity than the others. The high-intensity pulse allows source nodes to use increased sensing threshold for channel sensing, which leads to an increase in the number of chip offsets available for collision-free transmission. Our receiver with a hard limiter (HL) allows destination nodes to receive the transmission without false positives. Interference avoidance performance is examined by deriving the collision probability and comparing it with the conventional interference avoidance with equal-intensity spreading. Our numerical results show that our architecture has lower collision probability, shorter time required for channel sensing, higher throughput, higher bit rate, and supports more nodes than the conventional one for a fixed collision probability.

This paper presents a general algorithm for pedestrian detection by on-board monocular camera which can be applied to cameras of various view ranges. Under the assumption that motion of background can be nearly approximated as a linear function, the Spatio-Temporal MRF (S-T MRF) model segments foreground objects. The foreground objects contain both pedestrian and non-pedestrian urban objects, verification was conducted by a cascaded classifier. However, the segmentation results based on motion were not exactly fit into pedestrian on the image so that shrunk or inflated pedestrian were generated. This causes errors on extracting pedestrian trajectory. For precise positioning, we implemented two types of feedback algorithm for ROI correction using the Kalman filter and the voting result of Motion-classifier and HOG-classifier. We confirmed that those ROI Corrections successfully extract precise area of pedestrian and decrease the false negative rate. Elaborately extracted pedestrian trajectory could be used as a useful source for predicting collision to pedestrian.

In this paper, we study the decentralized coverage control problem for an environment using a group of autonomous mobile robots with nonholonomic kinematic and dynamic constraints. In comparison with standard coverage control procedures, we develop a combined controller for Voronoi-based coverage approach in which kinematic and dynamic constraints of the actual mobile sensing robots are incorporated into the controller design. Furthermore, a collision avoidance component is added in the kinematic controller in order to guarantee a collision free coverage of the area. The convergence of the network to the optimal sensing configuration is proven with a Lyapunov-type analysis. Numerical simulations are provided approving the effectiveness of the proposed method through several experimental scenarios.

In this paper, we develop a VCASS substitution system (S-VCASS) using a personal mobile terminal in order to improve the effectiveness of VCASS in an environment comprising both VCASS and non-VCASS vehicles. We propose three new pedestrian state judgment algorithms that can be implemented on a personal mobile terminal for inter-vehicle communications. We evaluate the performances of the three proposed algorithms with real vehicles. Finally, we show that the proposed algorithms can recognize vehicles without VCASS.

The performance of a passive RFID system in a dense multi-reader environment is limited by both reader-to-reader interference and reader-to-tag interference. In this paper, we formulate a practical RFID system model which takes into account the non-linear demodulation of the tags and the transmission spectrum of the readers. Using this model, we derive a novel linear programming formulation to obtain the optimum communication probability of the readers for a given reader deployment scenario. We then propose two novel distributed interference avoidance algorithms based on the detect-and-abort principle for multi-channel readers which can effectively mitigate the reader-to-tag interference as well as the reader-to-reader interference. Computer simulations show that the proposed algorithms can improve the successful communication probability and fairness among readers in dense reader environments, compared with the conventional listen-before-talk algorithm.

This paper presents a method of predicting future human driving behavior under the condition that its resultant behavior and past observations are given. The proposed method makes use of a dynamic Bayesian network and the junction tree algorithm for probabilistic inference. The method is applied to behavior prediction for a vehicle assumed to stop at an intersection. Such a predictive system would facilitate warning and assistance to prevent dangerous activities, such as red-light violations, by allowing detection of a deviation from normal behavior.

In advanced ITS, on-board intelligent systems by the Inter-Vehicle Communications (IVC) is essential technology to achieve a safe automotive society. We aim to avoid the vehicular collisions under almost all situations such as intersections, highways, and blind corners by using IVC technology through wireless ad hoc networks. The objectives of this paper are to develop Vehicular Collision Avoidance Support System (VCASS), and to show its performance by various experiments with two real vehicles. We have installed personal computers, telecommunication equipments, and GPS in two vehicles. In this system, the vehicles exchange the location information and the velocity vectors by the UDP broadcast with each other, and calculate the relative position/speed. The vehicles make the warning for drivers with the possibility of the collision. We verify the validity and the effectiveness of VCASS by the experiments.

The basic carrier sense multi-access control scheme for multicast communications in wireless ad hoc networks suffers from the well know hidden terminal problem. The data packet collision probability is relatively high, and the packet delivery ratio is sensitive to the network topology, nodes distribution and traffic load. In this paper, we generalize the virtual carrier sense collision avoidance approach to reduce packet collisions in multicast communications. The sender and receivers exchange RTS and CTS packets to reserve the channel. When more than one receivers reply with CTS packets, the sender will detect an "expected" collision which may be interpreted as a valid "clear-to-send" signal provided the collision satisfies the given timing requirements. Together with a receiver-initiated local recovery mechanism, the reliability and packet delivery ratio can be improved to close to 100%.

A great deal of effort has been concentrated on the longitudinal control for the collision avoidance of moving vehicles. In an emergency as well as in a normal situation, however, the steering control can be a very effective alternative as observed in the practice of manual evasive driving. In the reported methods of steering control, it is found that the dynamic motions of the neighboring vehicles are often ignored, which may result in some danger of 2nd collision. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the surrounding traffic situation to prevent 2nd collision that can occur just after escaping from the 1st collision situation. In this paper, we tackle the collision avoidance problem when steering actuation control is allowed in consideration of the dynamic motion of the neighboring vehicles. Specifically, a hierarchical control scheme is suggested as a feasible solution, and the proposed system is verified via simulation using a software simulator called DevACAS (DEVeolper of Active Collision Avoidance System), which we have developed.