Recent Patents on Engineering - Volume 15, Issue 5, 2021

This article performs a bibliometric analysis of Mobile Payment System (MPS) research conducted throughout history. A large database of research articles published in the domain of MPS is created. Major statistical facts are presented like publication growth by years, associated research areas, type of articles, source titles, and country of publication, dominant research institutions, and authors along with journals. Additionally, some future insights for research are presented along with some possible theoretical recommendations that could be tested are proposed.

Industrial accidents are grave mishaps that result in injuries and fatalities to people and damage to property as well as the environment. The impact of the accident is exorbitant and society has to pay for decades. In most of the developed countries, the wellbeing of people and the environment is a top priority. The noble mission for every nation should be to reduce the level of the accident to "Zero" by adopting the Zero Accident Vision (ZAV) to prevent the same. The Zero Accident Vision is the spirit and commitment to create and ensure a safe workplace and prevent significant accidents in order to achieve safety excellence. This review paper aims to explore the research work performed towards ZAV and to study the status of present safety regulatory mechanisms in detail, safety culture, and awareness in the Indian context. In the first stage of the study, a systematic review approach was adopted using the Scopus database to explore past research on ZAV. In the second stage, various policy documents available from government regulatory bodies including their functions and adequacy of accident prevention, have been studied. The literature revealed that no significant research has been carried out on ZAV in India. From the study of various policy documents, it is evident that the country is far behind to achieve the ZAV and it will require efforts from government, private and non-government organizations to reduce the same. The planned and phase-wise efforts are needed to reduce the accidents and finally to achieve the ZAV. The Changes in national safety policy, various acts regulating occupational health and safety need to be amended suitably to incorporate the core values of ZAV. The mechanism of motivation by giving suitable grading to the industries adopting ZAV as a vision in their safety policy needs to be devised and followed.

Background: The manufacturing sector has observed dynamic changes during the last few years, from the product-oriented local economy to the customer-driven global economy. In this environment, manufacturing systems have been required to deliver highly flexible, demanddriven and customized products. Hence, the Multi-Agent System (MAS) technology can play an important role in making highly responsive production scheduling systems in order to meet dynamic and uncertain changes in demand. Methods: This paper offers a review of MAS for production scheduling problems in manufacturing systems. The objective of the paper is twofold. First, it describes traditional and MAS based approaches for different production scheduling problems and presents the advantages of MAS over traditional approaches. Second, it aims to review different MAS platforms and evaluate some key issues involved in MAS based production scheduling. Results: A variety of different MAS applications in the production schedule is reviewed in four categories of key issues: agent encapsulation, agent organization, agent coordination & negotiation and agent learning. Conclusion: Finally, this review presents a conceptual framework to implement MAS in production scheduling and also highlights future research opportunities as well as challenges.

Nanoalloy clusters have attracted a lot of attention in recent times and have grown enormously in various domains, ranging from semiconductor, material sciences, biophysics, life sciences to earth sciences. In this report, we presented a review of nanoalloy clusters and their application. The background of clusters, nanoalloys and their isomers, their classification, and potential applications ranging from catalysis, optoelectronics, magnetic to bio-diagnosis are reported. Experimental techniques as well as the importance of theoretical and computational studies in nanoalloy clusters are also presented.

Aims & Objectives: Producing thin-walled rotationally symmetrical parts of difficult-tomachine materials by electrical discharge machining is an evolving field of research. Poor heat transmissivity, high hot strength and in-process deflection of thin-walledd Inconel 600 parts pose a great challenge for its processing by conventional machining methods. Methods: In this study, a novel hybrid process called Centreless Electric Discharge Grinding (CEDG) is employed for machining of Inconel 600 tubes using a rotating disc wheel electrode to improve process parameters. This paper details the experimental findings of the influence of four process parameters viz. pulse on time, peak current, gap voltage, and duty cycle on the responses viz. average Material Removal Rate (MRR) and average surface roughness (Ra). Response Surface Method’s (RSM) central composite design was implemented to determine the effects of parameters on responses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were employed to establish the adequacy of the mathematical models and to analyze the significance of regression coefficients. RSM’s desirability approach was used to solve the multi-response optimization. Results: It was clearly noticed that the peak current and gap voltage were the most influential parameters to affect the MRR and surface roughness. Maximum average MRR of 473 mg per min. was achieved at pulse on time 60μs, peak current 25 amps, gap voltage 40 V, at a duty cycle of 8, while minimum average surface roughness of 8.4 μm Ra was obtained at pulse on time 40μs, peak current 15 amps, gap voltage 40 V, and duty cycle 6. Conclusion: Confirmation run was conducted by adjusting the variables at an optimal level within the selected range. It was concluded that the optimum level of variables can be determined for optimized responses before conducting the experiment.

Background: Wireless sensor networks play a significant role in network technologies. It is difficult to determine an optimal route that satisfies the requirements of wireless sensor networks. Energy- aware and trust-aware routing protocols play a critical role in the security of wireless sensor networks. SRPMA routing protocols have limited parameters and functions. The ant colony algorithm is specifically designed to find the roots in which convergence is limited. Objective: This paper proposed an improved multi-objective trust-energy aware hybrid routing protocol using a hybrid grey wolf genetic algorithm (I-MTERP-GWOGA) to achieve quality service by optimizing network security and reducing energy consumption in wireless sensor networks. Methods: Energy-aware function calculated by the radio energy dissipation model ensures if the nodes involved in the route are capable of transmitting the data packets successfully or not. The load function directly impacts the delay of the transmission of data packets. Results: I-MTERP-GWOGA algorithm shows better simulation results than secure routing protocol based on multi-objective ant-colony (SRPMA) and improved ant colony optimization based security routing protocol (IASR) algorithms using MATLAB 2019a. Conclusion: The proposed algorithm improves performance against malicious nodes using five network performance criteria; packet delivery ratio, packet loss rate, average energy consumption, and end to end delay.

Background: Modular Steel Buildings (MSB) are extensively used in petrochemical plants and refineries. Limited guidelines are available in the industry for analysis and design of (MSB) subject to accidental Vapor Cloud Explosions (VCEs). Objectives: The paper presents a simplified engineering model for Modular Steel Buildings (MSB) subject to accidental Vapor Cloud Explosions (VCEs). Methods: A Single Degree of Freedom (SDOF) dynamic model is utilized to simulate the dynamic response of primary building components. Analytical expressions are then provided to compute the Dynamic Load Factors (DLF) for critical building elements. Recommended foundation systems are also proposed to install the modular building with minimum cost. Results: Numerical results are presented to illustrate the dynamic response of (MSB) subject to blast loading. It is shown that (DLF)=1.6 is attained at (td/t)=0.4 for front wall (W1) with (td/T)=1.25. For side walls (DLF)=1.41 and is attained at (td/t)=0.6. Conclusion: The paper presents simplified tools for analysis and design of (MSB) subject accidental Vapor Cloud BLAST Explosions (VCEs). The analytical expressions can be utilized by practitioners to compute the (MSB) response and identify the design parameters. They are simple to use compared to Finite Element Analysis.

Background: Rolling mill vibration mechanism is very complex, and people have not found a satisfactory vibration control method. Rolling interface is one of the vibration sources of the rolling mill system, and its friction and lubrication state has a great impact on the vibration of the rolling mill system. It is necessary to establish an accurate friction model for the unsteady lubrication process of the roll gap and a nonlinear vibration dynamic model for the rolling process. In addition, it is necessary to obtain more direct and real rolling mill vibration characteristics from the measured vibration signals, and then study the vibration suppression method and design the vibration suppression device. Methods: This paper summarizes the friction lubrication characteristics of the rolling interface and its influence on rolling mill vibration, as well as the dynamic friction model of the rolling interface, the tribological model of the unsteady lubrication process of the roll gap, the non-linear vibration dynamic model of the rolling process, the random and non-stationary dynamic behavior of rolling mill vibration, etc. At the same time, the research status of rolling mill vibration testing technology and vibration suppression methods were summarized. Time-frequency analysis of non-stationary vibration signals was reviewed, such as wavelet transform, Wigner-Ville distribution, empirical mode decomposition, blind source signal extraction, rolling vibration suppression equipment development. Results: The lubrication interface of the roller gap under the vibration state presents unsteady dynamic characteristics. The signals generated by the vibration must be analyzed in time and frequency simultaneously. In the aspect of vibration suppression of the rolling mill, the calculation of inherent characteristics should be carried out in the design of the rolling mill to avoid dynamic defects such as resonance. When designing or upgrading the mill structure, it is necessary to optimize the structure of the work roll bending and roll shifting system, such as designing and developing the automatic adjustment mechanism of the gap between the roller bearing seat and the mill stand, adding floating support device to the drum shaped toothed joint shaft, etc. In terms of rolling technology, rolling vibration can be restrained by improving roll lubrication, reasonably distributing the rolling force of each rolling mill, reducing the rolling force of vibration prone rolling mill, increasing entrance temperature, reducing rolling inlet tension, reducing strip outlet temperature and reasonably arranging roll diameter. The coupling vibration can also be suppressed by optimizing the hydraulic servo system and the frequency conversion control of the motor. Conclusion: Under the vibration state, the lubrication interface of the roll gap presents unsteady dynamic characteristics. The signal generated by vibration must be analyzed by time-frequency distribution. In the aspect of vibration suppression of the rolling mill, the calculation of inherent characteristics should be carried out in the design of the rolling mill to avoid dynamic defects such as resonance. It is necessary to optimize the structure of work roll bending and roll shifting system, when designing or reforming the mill structure. In the rolling process, rolling vibration can be restrained by improving roll lubrication, reasonably distributing the rolling force of each rolling mill, increasing billet temperature, reasonably arranging roll diameter and reducing rolling inlet tension. Through the optimization of the hydraulic servo system and the frequency conversion control of the motor, the coupling vibration can be suppressed. The paper has important reference significance for vibration suppression of continuous rolling mill and efficient production of high quality strip products.

Background: The PWM Boost converter is a strongly nonlinear discrete system, especially when the input voltage or load varies widely, therefore, tuning the control parameters of which is a challenge work. Objective: In order to overcome the issues, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is employed for tuning the parameters of a sliding mode controller of a boost converter. Methods: Based on the analysis of the Boost converter model and its non-linear characteristics, a mathematic model of a boost converter with a sliding mode controller is built firstly. Then, the parameters of the Boost controller are adjusted based on the Integrated Time and Absolute Error (ITAE), Integral Square Error (ISE) and Integrated Absolute Error (IAE) indexes by PSO. Results: Simulation verification was performed, and the results show that the controllers tuned by the three indexes all have excellent robust stability. Conclusion: The controllers tuned by ITAE and ISE indexes have excellent steady-state performance, but the overshoot is large during the startup. The controller tuned by the IAE index has better startup performance and slightly worse steady-state performance.

Nowadays when everything is digitalized, internet and web play a vital role in everyone’s life. When one has to ask something or has any online task to perform, one has to use the internet to access relevant webpages throughout. These webpages are mainly designed for large screen terminals. But due to mobility, convenience and economic reasons, most of the persons use Small Screen Terminals (SST) like mobile phone, palmtop, pagers, tablet computers and many more. Reading a web page which is actually designed for a large screen terminal on a small screen is time consuming and cumbersome task as there are many irrelevant content parts that are to be scrolled such as advertisements, etc. Here the main concern is e-business users. To overcome such issues, the source code of a web page is organized in a tree data-structure. Background: DOM and VIPS algorithms are the main background techniques supporting the current research. Objective: To restructure a web page in a more user friendly and content presenting format. Methods: In this paper, we have arranged each and every main heading as a root node and all the content of this heading as a child node of the logical structure. Using this structure, we have regenerated a webpage automatically according to the SST size. Results: Web page heading queue has been generated. Conclusion: The concept of logical structure supports every SST.

Background: Segmenting an image into multiple regions is a pre-processing phase of computer vision. For the same, determining an optimal set of thresholds is a challenging problem. Objective: This paper introduces a novel multi-level thresholding based image segmentation method. Methods: The presented method uses a novel variant of whale optimization algorithm to determine the optimal thresholds. For experimental validation of the proposed variant, twenty-three benchmark functions are considered. To analyze the efficacy of new multi-level image segmentation method, images from Berkeley Segmentation Dataset and Benchmark (BSDS300) have been considered and tested against recent multi-level image segmentation methods. Results: The segmentation results are validated in terms of subjective and objective evaluation. Conclusion: Experiments arm that the presented method is efficient and competitive than the existing multi-level image segmentation methods.

Background: In recent years, patents suggest that four-wheeled robots have been widely used in outdoor reconnaissance fields. However, the emergency obstacle avoidance of the fourwheeled robot on the slope is affected by the slope angle and the friction coefficient of the slope, and its motor torque and yaw torque are prone to abrupt changes, causing the four-wheeled robot to slip greatly. According to relevant literature, PID control methods (dual-loop PID control and linear PID control) make the robot control motor current fluctuate greatly during the emergency obstacle avoidance process. Hence, the PID controller of the four-wheeled robot needs to be optimized. Objective: This study aims to establish a novel dual-loop fuzzy PID controller to improve the stability of the four-wheeled robot during emergency obstacle avoidance on the slope. Methods: Establishing the kinematics and dynamics equations of the four-wheeled robot, and determining the speed of the center of mass and the yaw rate are important control parameters for controlling the steering motion of the robot. Aiming at the PID controller of the past four-wheeled robot, its response speed is slow, and the overshoot of the speed of the center of mass and the yaw rate is large. For this reason, the dual-loop fuzzy PID controller is designed. Comparison simulation is carried out by the MATLAB programming. Results: It is concluded that the control effect of the four-wheel robot with the dual-loop fuzzy PID controller is the best. The steering angle and displacement response speed of the four-wheel robot are faster, and there is basically no overshoot. The response of the yaw rate is increased by 30%, the average deviation of the linear motion trajectory is reduced by 41.27%, and the average deviation of the circular steering motion trajectory is reduced by 29.51%. Conclusion: The dual-loop fuzzy PID controller can provide reference for the PID control research of other four-wheeled robots.