Courses | VD Academic Affairs

Selections from design, analysis, optimization, and implementation of algorithms; Computational complexity, complexity classes, randomized algorithms, probabilistic algorithms, distributed algorithms, parallel algorithms; algorithm correctness and general theory of algorithms; algorithms for particular application areas including: Graphs and Networks; Cryptography.

Introduction to theoretical issues in parallel computation. Topics: Parallel machine models. Design and analysis of algorithms for systolic arrays: arithmetic operations, simple graph algorithms. Algorithms for hypercube-related networks: sorting, routing. PRAM model of computation. Basic PRAM algorithms: prefix computation, sorting, shortest paths, minimum- weight spanning tree. Reducing the processor-time product. simulation of stronger PRAM models by weaker ones. Complexity issues: definition of NC and P-completeness; some simple lower bounds.

Structure of sequential machines, partition theory and decomposition of machines, modular realization of sequential machines, regular expressions, information lossless machines and linear sequential machines.

Topics include: High level synthesis, scheduling and allocation techniques, architecture style selection, two level logic minimization algorithms, multiple-value minimization and multi-level circuit synthesis. The course usually involves a project.

Overview of the fundamental concepts in networks, wireless technology, and mobile computing. Energy-aware adaptation for mobile applications. Understanding the current routing protocols for studies of medium access control techniques for wireless communications. Design principles that are crucial for building the foundation for the design, and construction of future generations of wireless computing networks (wireless ad hoc, sensor, and buipuitous networks).

Review of some important probability distributions and their properties; Markovian processes; Markovian queues; renewal theory; semi Markovian processes and the M/G/1 queue; priority queues; case studies: random access systems; polling systems; multiplexers and switching systems.

Classification of parallel processing system - SIMD and MIMD machines - Multiprocessor systems and interconnection networks - Case studies of parallel processing systems - Parallel processing design issues: Programming languages, operating systems, user interfaces - VLSI computing systems: systolic arrays, wavefront arrays.

Alternative network architectures; study of the network functions and protocols in high performance networks; routing and switching; transport protocols in high-performance networks; integrated and differentiated service models and protocols; congestion and flow control protocols; broadbank ISDN and ATM; high-speed local and metropolitan area networks; advanced topics in high-performance networking.

Fundamentals of graph theory, partition, floor planning, placement, and routing. Programming techniques and algorithms; shortest/longest path, all-pairs shortest path, dynamic programming, linear programming, non-linear programming, evolutionary approaches, simulated annealing, and hyper-algorithms.

Fault modeling, redundancy techniques and reliability evaluation, error detecting and correcting codes, self-checking circuits, fault diagnosis, software fault tolerance, error mitigation methods, partial concurrent error detection, online test, reconfiguration and voting, software reliability and redundancy, hardware fault tolerance, fault detection in cryptographic systems.

The course will cover basic theory and techniques of digital VLSI design in CMOS technology. We use full-custom techniques to design basic cells and regular structures such as data-path and memory. There is an emphasis on modern design issues in interconnect and clocking. Students will design small test circuits using various CAD tools. Circuits will be verified and analyzed for performance with various simulators.

Wireless Communication Fundamentals

Introduction and fundementals. Medium Access Control Protocols. Cellular Networks. Wireless Internet. 4-G Systems and Pervasive Networking. Security in Mobile Networks.

The students will review the fundamental design and analysis issues in computer networks, especially at the physical layer to the transport layer, including networking overview, multi-protocol network, intelligent network, ad-hoc and sensor network, mobile networking and current trends in the high-speed networks.

Information theoretic security. Fundamentals of secure networks and cryptography. Number theory for cryptography. One-way hash functions. Message authentication codes. Encryption and privacy: public key and symmetric key. Digital signatures schemes. Authentication and integrity methods and protocols. Elliptic curves cryptography. Firewalls. Virtual private networks. Transport layer security.