arXiv subjects

Lingling Fan

Publications and source records attributed to Lingling Fan.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

StoryDroid: Automated Generation of Storyboard for Android Apps

Mobile apps are now ubiquitous. Before developing a new app, the development team usually endeavors painstaking efforts to review many existing apps with similar purposes. The review process is crucial in the sense that it reduces market risks and provides inspiration for app development. However, manual exploration of hundreds of existing apps by different roles (e.g., product manager, UI/UX designer, developer) in a development team can be ineffective. For example, it is difficult to completely explore all the functionalities of the app in a short period of time. Inspired by the conception of storyboard in movie production, we propose a system, StoryDroid, to automatically generate the storyboard for Android apps, and assist different roles to review apps efficiently. Specifically, StoryDroid extracts the activity transition graph and leverages static analysis techniques to render UI pages to visualize the storyboard with the rendered pages. The mapping relations between UI pages and the corresponding implementation code (e.g., layout code, activity code, and method hierarchy) are also provided to users. Our comprehensive experiments unveil that StoryDroid is effective and indeed useful to assist app development. The outputs of StoryDroid enable several potential applications, such as the recommendation of UI design and layout code.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2019

A Large-Scale Empirical Study on Industrial Fake Apps

While there have been various studies towards Android apps and their development, there is limited discussion of the broader class of apps that fall in the fake area. Fake apps and their development are distinct from official apps and belong to the mobile underground industry. Due to the lack of knowledge of the mobile underground industry, fake apps, their ecosystem and nature still remain in mystery. To fill the blank, we conduct the first systematic and comprehensive empirical study on a large-scale set of fake apps. Over 150,000 samples related to the top 50 popular apps are collected for extensive measurement. In this paper, we present discoveries from three different perspectives, namely fake sample characteristics, quantitative study on fake samples and fake authors' developing trend. Moreover, valuable domain knowledge, like fake apps' naming tendency and fake developers' evasive strategies, is then presented and confirmed with case studies, demonstrating a clear vision of fake apps and their ecosystem.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2019

Fundamental limits to near-field optical response, over any bandwidth

We develop an analytical framework to derive upper bounds to light--matter interactions in the optical near field, where applications ranging from spontaneous-emission amplification to greater-than-blackbody heat transfer show transformative potential. Our framework connects the classic complex-analytic properties of causal fields with newly developed energy-conservation principles, resulting in a new class of power--bandwidth limits. These limits demonstrate the possibility of orders-of-magnitude enhancement in near-field optical response with the right combination of material and geometry. At specific frequency and bandwidth combinations, the bounds can be closely approached by canonical plasmonic geometries, with the opportunity for new designs to emerge away from those frequency ranges. Embedded in the bounds is a material "figure of merit," which determines the maximum response of any material (metal/dielectric, bulk/2D, etc.), for any frequency and bandwidth. Our bounds on local density of states (LDOS) represent maximal spontaneous-emission enhancements, our bounds on cross density of states (CDOS) limit electromagnetic-field correlations, and our bounds on radiative heat transfer (RHT) represent the first such analytical rule, revealing fundamental limits relative to the classical Stefan--Boltzmann law.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Optimal nanoparticle forces, torques, and illumination fields

A universal property of resonant subwavelength scatterers is that their optical cross-sections are proportional to a square wavelength, $λ^2$, regardless of whether they are plasmonic nanoparticles, two-level quantum systems, or RF antennas. The maximum cross-section is an intrinsic property of the \emph{incident field}: plane waves, with infinite power, can be decomposed into multipolar orders with finite powers proportional to $λ^2$. In this Article, we identify $λ^2/c$ and $λ^3/c$ as analogous force and torque constants, derived within a more general quadratic scattering-channel framework for upper bounds to optical force and torque for any illumination field. This framework also solves the reverse problem: computing globally optimal "holographic" incident beams, for a fixed collection of scatterers. We analyze structures and incident fields that approach the bounds, which for wavelength-scale bodies show a rich interplay between scattering channels, and we show that spherically symmetric structures are forbidden from reaching the plane-wave force/torque bounds. This framework should enable optimal mechanical control of nanoparticles with light.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Achieving SDP Tightness Through SOCP Relaxation with Cycle-Based SDP Feasibility Constraints for AC OPF

In this paper, we show that the standard semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation of altering current optimal power flow (AC OPF) can be equivalently reformulated as second-order cone programming (SOCP) relaxation with maximal clique- and cycle-based SDP feasibility constraints. The formulation is based on the positive semi-definite (PSD) matrix completion theorem, which states that if all sub-matrices corresponding to maximal cliques in a chordal graph are PSD, then the partial matrix related to the chordal graph can be completed as a full PSD matrix. Existing methods in [1] first construct a chordal graph through Cholesky factorization. In this paper, we identify maximal cliques and minimal chordless cycles first. Enforcing the submatrices related to the maximal cliques and cycles PSD will guarantee a PSD full matrix. Further, we conduct chordal relaxation for the minimal chordless cycles by adding virtual lines and decompose each chordless cycle to 3-node cycles. Thus, the entire graph consists of trees, maximal cliques, and 3-node cycles. The submatrices related to the maximal cliques and 3-node cycles are enforced to be PSD to achieve a full PSD matrix. As majority power grids having the size of maximal cliques limited to 4-node, this graph decomposition method results in a low-rank full PSD matrix. The proposed method significantly reduces computing time for SDP relaxation of AC OPF and can handle power systems with thousands of buses.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

Efficiently Manifesting Asynchronous Programming Errors in Android Apps

Android, the #1 mobile app framework, enforces the single-GUI-thread model, in which a single UI thread manages GUI rendering and event dispatching. Due to this model, it is vital to avoid blocking the UI thread for responsiveness. One common practice is to offload long-running tasks into async threads. To achieve this, Android provides various async programming constructs, and leaves developers themselves to obey the rules implied by the model. However, as our study reveals, more than 25% apps violate these rules and introduce hard-to-detect, fail-stop errors, which we term as aysnc programming errors (APEs). To this end, this paper introduces APEChecker, a technique to automatically and efficiently manifest APEs. The key idea is to characterize APEs as specific fault patterns, and synergistically combine static analysis and dynamic UI exploration to detect and verify such errors. Among the 40 real-world Android apps, APEChecker unveils and processes 61 APEs, of which 51 are confirmed (83.6% hit rate). Specifically, APEChecker detects 3X more APEs than the state-of-art testing tools (Monkey, Sapienz and Stoat), and reduces testing time from half an hour to a few minutes. On a specific type of APEs, APEChecker confirms 5X more errors than the data race detection tool, EventRacer, with very few false alarms.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2018

SOCP Convex Relaxation-Based Simultaneous State Estimation and Bad Data Identification

Traditional largest normalize residual (LNR) test for bad data identification relies on state estimation residuals and thus can only be implemented after running Power System State Estimation (PSSE). LNR may fail to detect bad data in leverage point measurements and multiple interacting and conforming bad data. This paper proposes an optimization problem formulation for joint state estimation and bad data identification based on second-order cone programming (SOCP) convex relaxation. L1 -norm of the sparse residuals is added in the objective function of the state estimation problem in order to recover both bad data and states simultaneously. To solve the optimization problem in polynomial time, first, SOCP convex relaxation is applied to make the problem convex. Second, least squares error (LSE)-based semidefinite programming (SDP) cutting plane method is implemented to strengthen the SOCP relaxation of PSSE. Numerical results for the proposed algorithm demonstrate simultaneous state estimation and bad data identification for networks with small sizes and thousand buses. Compared to the LNR method, the proposed method can detect bad data in leverage point measurements and multiple conforming bad data.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

Large-Scale Analysis of Framework-Specific Exceptions in Android Apps

Mobile apps have become ubiquitous. For app developers, it is a key priority to ensure their apps' correctness and reliability. However, many apps still suffer from occasional to frequent crashes, weakening their competitive edge. Large-scale, deep analyses of the characteristics of real-world app crashes can provide useful insights to guide developers, or help improve testing and analysis tools. However, such studies do not exist -- this paper fills this gap. Over a four-month long effort, we have collected 16,245 unique exception traces from 2,486 open-source Android apps, and observed that framework-specific exceptions account for the majority of these crashes. We then extensively investigated the 8,243 framework-specific exceptions (which took six person-months): (1) identifying their characteristics (e.g., manifestation locations, common fault categories), (2) evaluating their manifestation via state-of-the-art bug detection techniques, and (3) reviewing their fixes. Besides the insights they provide, these findings motivate and enable follow-up research on mobile apps, such as bug detection, fault localization and patch generation. In addition, to demonstrate the utility of our findings, we have optimized Stoat, a dynamic testing tool, and implemented ExLocator, an exception localization tool, for Android apps. Stoat is able to quickly uncover three previously-unknown, confirmed/fixed crashes in Gmail and Google+; ExLocator is capable of precisely locating the root causes of identified exceptions in real-world apps. Our substantial dataset is made publicly available to share with and benefit the community.

cs.SE↗

arXiv2017

Optimal double resonant condition in metallic core-shell nanocavity for third harmonic generation

As the rapid development of nonlinear optics, the enhancement of optical third harmonic generation becomes a pop research realm in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, information science and other fields. In this letter, theoretical analysis on double resonance situation in metallic core-shell nanostructure is performed in order to optimize the efficiency of third harmonic generation. As plenty of cavity modes ranging from visible area to near infrared can be excited efficiently in core-shell nanospheres, kinds of double resonant conditions can be formed by matching two different multipolar cavity modes. Numerical simulations show that the third harmonic generation (THG) intensity in the far field can be enhanced remarkably when the THG signal couples well with the high order cavity mode. More importantly, THG efficiency is optimum from the cavity on double resonant conditions coupling two modes with the same order. The THG intensity differs up to 3 magnitudes on this condition. Subsequent theoretical analysis indicates that changing third-order nonlinear susceptibility of the metal shell while keeping that of the core fixed has almost no effect on THG efficiency. This finding about optimal double resonance has an appreciable effect on optimizing THG in spherical cavity structures.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Tunable hyperbolic metamaterial cavity towards few exciton strong coupling

We theoretically investigate coupling interaction between molecule excitons and whispering gallery modes (WGMs) that approaches the limit of single exciton strong coupling in hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) cavity, composed of a dielectric core wrapped by several stacks of alternative layers of metal and dielectric. We demonstrate that associated with the excitation of the whispering gallery mode, the electric fields with resonance wavelengths that are much larger than the cavity size can be highly localized within a dielectric layer, leading to extremely small mode volumes. By using temporal coupled mode theory to model the interaction in the proposed WGMs-exciton system, we are able to demonstrate that the coupling between molecular excitons and hyperbolic cavity WGMs can reach the strong coupling regime. Furthermore, we also prove that changing both the thickness of inner core and outermost layer can lead to invariant resonance frequency while the threshold number of coupled excitons to fulfill the criteria for strong coupling remains ~ 4 in various sets of tunable HMM cavities.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Automated Poisoning Attacks and Defenses in Malware Detection Systems: An Adversarial Machine Learning Approach

The evolution of mobile malware poses a serious threat to smartphone security. Today, sophisticated attackers can adapt by maximally sabotaging machine-learning classifiers via polluting training data, rendering most recent machine learning-based malware detection tools (such as Drebin, DroidAPIMiner, and MaMaDroid) ineffective. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of constructing crafted malware samples; examine how machine-learning classifiers can be misled under three different threat models; then conclude that injecting carefully crafted data into training data can significantly reduce detection accuracy. To tackle the problem, we propose KuafuDet, a two-phase learning enhancing approach that learns mobile malware by adversarial detection. KuafuDet includes an offline training phase that selects and extracts features from the training set, and an online detection phase that utilizes the classifier trained by the first phase. To further address the adversarial environment, these two phases are intertwined through a self-adaptive learning scheme, wherein an automated camouflage detector is introduced to filter the suspicious false negatives and feed them back into the training phase. We finally show that KuafuDet can significantly reduce false negatives and boost the detection accuracy by at least 15%. Experiments on more than 250,000 mobile applications demonstrate that KuafuDet is scalable and can be highly effective as a standalone system.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2016

Least Square Estimation-Based SDP Cuts for SOCP Relaxation of AC OPF

This paper presents a method that generates affine inequalities to strengthen the second-order conic programming (SOCP) relaxation of an alternating current optimal power flow (AC OPF) problem. The affine inequalities serve as cuts to get rid of points outside of the feasible region of AC OPF with semi-definite programming (SDP) relaxation. Hence, the affine inequalities are names as SDP cuts. While AC OPF with SDP relaxation has a high computational complexity, AC OPF with SOCP has a much lower computational complexity. Recent research has found that the feasible region of SDP relaxation is contained inside the feasible region of the SOCP relaxation. Therefore, the integration of SDP cuts into SOCP relaxation provides better scalability compared to the SDP relaxation and a tighter gap compared to the SOCP relaxation. The SDP cuts are generated by solving least square estimation (LSE) problems at cycle basis and further exploring the geometric characteristic of LSE. General feasibility cuts generating method is also employed for analysis. We found that the SDP cuts generated by LSE method are indeed feasibility cuts. The SDP cuts effectively reduce the search space. Case studies of systems with several buses to hundreds of buses have demonstrated the method is very effective in reducing the gaps.

math.OC↗

arXiv2015

Achieving Economic Operation and Secondary Frequency Regulation Simultaneously Through Feedback Control

This article presents an exciting finding for the power industry: the parameters of secondary frequency control based on integral or proportional integral control can be tuned to achieve economic operation and frequency regulation simultaneously. We show that if the power imbalance is represented by frequency deviation, an iterative dual decomposition based economic dispatch solving is equivalent to integral control. An iterative method of multipliers based economic dispatch is equivalent to proportional integral control. Similarly, if the controller parameters of the secondary frequency controls are chosen based on generator cost functions, these secondary frequency controllers achieve both economic operation and frequency regulation simultaneously.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2015

Dual Decomposition-Based Privacy-Preserving Multi-Horizon Utility-Community Decision Making Paradigms

Two types of privacy-preserving decision making paradigms for utility-community interactions for multi-horizon operation are examined in this paper. In both designs, communities with renewable energy sources, distributed generators, and energy storage systems minimize their costs with limited information exchange with the utility. The utility makes decision based on the information provided from the communities. Through an iterative process, all parties achieve agreement. The authors' previous research results on subgradient and lower-upper-bound switching (LUBS)-based distributed optimization oriented multi-agent control strategies are examined and the convergence analysis of both strategies are provided. The corresponding decision making architectures, including information flow among agents and learning (or iteration) procedure, are developed for multi-horizon decision making scenarios. Numerical results illustrate the decision making procedures and demonstrate their feasibility of practical implementation. The two decision making architectures are compared for their implementation requirements as well as performance.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2015

Least Squares Estimation-Based Synchronous Generator Parameter Estimation Using PMU Data

In this paper, least square estimation (LSE)-based dynamic generator model parameter identification is investigated. Electromechanical dynamics related parameters such as inertia constant and primary frequency control droop for a synchronous generator are estimated using Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data obtained at the generator terminal bus. The key idea of applying LSE for dynamic parameter estimation is to have a discrete \underline{a}uto\underline{r}egression with e\underline{x}ogenous input (ARX) model. With an ARX model, a linear estimation problem can be formulated and the parameters of the ARX model can be found. This paper gives the detailed derivation of converting a generator model with primary frequency control into an ARX model. The generator parameters will be recovered from the estimated ARX model parameters afterwards. Two types of conversion methods are presented: zero-order hold (ZOH) method and Tustin method. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the proposed LSE application in dynamic system parameter identification using PMU data.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2008

Strongly Clean Matrix Rings Over Commutative Rings

A ring $R$ is called strongly clean if every element of $R$ is the sum of a unit and an idempotent that commute. By {\rm SRC} factorization, Borooah, Diesl, and Dorsey \cite{BDD051} completely determined when ${\mathbb M}_n(R)$ over a commutative local ring $R$ is strongly clean. We generalize the notion of {\rm SRC} factorization to commutative rings, prove that commutative $n$-{\rm SRC} rings $(n\ge 2)$ are precisely the commutative local rings over which ${\mathbb M}_n(R)$ is strongly clean, and characterize strong cleanness of matrices over commutative projective-free rings having {\rm ULP}. The strongly $π$-regular property (hence, strongly clean property) of ${\mathbb M}_n(C(X,{\mathbb C}))$ with $X$ a {\rm P}-space relative to ${\mathbb C}$ is also obtained where $C(X,{\mathbb C})$ is the ring of complex valued continuous functions.

math.RA↗

arXiv2008

On strongly $g(x)$-clean rings

Let $R$ be an associative ring with identity, $C(R)$ denote the center of $R$, and $g(x)$ be a polynomial in the polynomial ring $C(R)[x]$. $R$ is called strongly $g(x)$-clean if every element $r \in R$ can be written as $r=s+u$ with $g(s)=0$, $u$ a unit of $R$, and $su=us$. The relation between strongly $g(x)$-clean rings and strongly clean rings is determined, some general properties of strongly $g(x)$-clean rings are given, and strongly $g(x)$-clean rings generated by units are discussed.

math.RA↗