Spring 2003 CS Course Listings

This file contains the Spring 2003 course listings for the computer science department.

Archive of past courses


Course Code: COMP522
Course Title: Machine Learning

Instructor: James Kwok
Room: 3552
Telephone: x7013
Email:
WWW page: http://cse.hkust.edu.hk/~jamesk

Area in which course can be counted: AI

Course description (can be more detailed than the one in the calendar):

The ability to learn is central to both natural and artificial intelligence.
Some major machine learning paradigms will be studied in this course, with
special emphasis on theoretically justified, quantitative methods that have
been used successfully in real-world applications. Some example applications
are pattern classification, financial forecasting, medical diagnosis, speech
and language processing, knowledge discovery in databases, stellar object
clustering, adaptive traffic routing, and computer game playing. Throughout
the entire course, common principled approaches to the learning aspects of
these seemingly different and diversified applications will be emphasized.

Course objective:

This course is an introduction to the rapidly growing field of machine
learning. It is not only essential for all research students working in
artificial intelligence (including computer vision, expert systems, neural
networks, pattern recognition, robotics, speech and language processing,
uncertainty management, etc.), but is also relevant to some other areas,
including database management and information retrieval. Besides studying the
fundamental concepts underlying learning, hands-on experience on some
available machine learning programs will also be a major part of this course.

Course outline/content (by major topics):

Decision Tree Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Kernel Methods, Bayesian
Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Reinforcement Learning

Text book: None

Reference books/materials:

T. Mitchell. Machine Learning. McGraw-Hill, 1997.
B. Scholkopf, A.J. Smola. Learning with Kernels. MIT, 2001.

Pre-requisites/Background needed:

Introductory AI course (COMP221 or equivalent) preferred, though not
required.

Available for final year UG students to enroll: Yes

Minimum CGA required for UG students: A-



Course Code: COMP573
Course Title: Computational Geometry

Instructor: Sunil Arya
Room: 3509
Telephone: 2358-8769
Email:

Area in which course can be counted: Foundations of Computer Science

Course description (can be more detailed than the one in the calendar):

This is an introductory course in Computational Geometry.
It deals with the design and analysis of algorithms for
manipulating geometric objects. Examples of objects
to be studied include Convex hulls, Voronoi diagrams,
and Triangulations.

Course objective:

This is an advanced algorithms course, whose goal is the study of
discrete geometric problems from a computational point of view. These
problems arise in many different areas such as Geographic Information
Systems, Computer Aided Design, Computer Graphics, and Robotics.

Course outline/content (by major topics):

Convex Hulls
Line Segment Intersection
Polygon Triangulation
Linear Programming
Orthogonal Range Searching
Point Location
Voronoi Diagrams
Arrangements and Duality
Delaunay Triangulations
Visibility Graphs

Text book:
M. de Berg, M. van Kreveld, M. Overmars and O. Schwarzkopf, Computational
geometry---algorithms and applications, Springer-Verlag, 2nd edition, 2000.

Reference books/materials:

Lecture notes by David Mount. To be distributed.

H. Edelsbrunner, Algorithms in combinatorial geometry, Springer-Verlag, 1987.
On reserve in library.

F. P. Preparata and M. I. Shamos, Computational geometry : an introduction,
Springer-Verlag, 1985. On reserve in library.

K. Mulmuley, Computational geometry : an introduction through randomized
algorithms, Prentice-Hall, 1994. On reserve in library.

J. O'Rourke, Computational geometry in C, Cambridge University Press, 1994.
On reserve in library.

Grading Scheme:
3-5 written assignments 30%
Midterm exam 30%
Final exam 40%

Pre-requisites/Background needed: COMP 271

Available for final year UG students to enroll: Yes.

Mimimum CGA required for UG students: Permission of instructor required.



Course Code: COMP630G
Course Title: Topics in Database Systems: Information Retrieval on Internet and mobile systems

Instructor: Dik Lee
Room: Rm 3534
Telephone: 2358-7017
Email:
WWW page: http://cse.hkust.edu.hk/~dlee/630

Area in which course can be counted: DB

Course description (can be more detailed than the one in the calendar):

Advanced topics in information retrieval; information retrieval on
internet, data extraction, indexing, searching, and clustering;
methods for information access on wireless networks.

Course objective:
1) acquire broad knowledge in advanced information retrieval
methods on internet and wireless networks
2) develop indepth knowledge in one or more specialized topics
by making presentation and carrying out a course project

Course outline/content (by major topics):

. Advanced information retrieval, search and ranking algorithms,
relevance feedback, clustering
. Special concerns for information retrieval on the web
. Data extraction and representation
. Data access on wireless networks
. broadcast and on-demand services
. scheduling, indexing and caching
. location-dependent services
. pervasive computing issues

Text book: None.

Reference books/materials: Selected papers from the literature

Grading Scheme:
Attendance, course project and class presentation

Pre-requisites/Background needed: CS UG background

Available for final year UG students to enroll: No.

Minimum CGA required for UG students: N/A



Course Code: COMP641D
Course Title: Advance topics in Computer Graphics: Vision and Graphics

Instructor: Chi Keung Tang
Room: 3561
Telephone: 8775
Email:
WWW page: http://course.cse.ust.hk/comp641d

Area in which course can be counted: ST

Course description (can be more detailed than the one in the calendar):

Course objective: To investigate advanced topics in computer vision
and computer graphics which are not covered my any course offerings

Course outline/content (by major topics):
See this webpage.

Text book: nil

Reference books/materials: papers

Grading Scheme:

No midterm, no final, no computer project. Students are expected to
read about 30 selected papers. The course is evaluated by class
participation: two students form a presentation group. Each group
will give 4-5 presentations in the semester.

Background needed:

COMP341, COMP524 (expected grade in these two courses: A- or above)
or equivalence

Permission of the instructor: yes.

Available for final year UG students to enroll: permission of the instructor



Course Code: COMP641G
Course Title: Topics in Graphics: Geometric Modeling and Processing

Instructor: Dr. Chiew-Lan Tai
Room: 3515
Telephone: 7020
Email:
WWW page: http://cse.hkust.edu.hk/~taicl/

Area in which course can be counted: ST (Software Technology)

Course description (can be more detailed than the one in the calendar):

This course covers spline methods and polygonal mesh representations
and their processing algorithms for modeling, editing, visualization,
transmission, and animation. Spline methods include Bezier, B-spline
and NURBS. Polygonal meshes include unstructured meshes, which are
traditionally used for representing fine-detail geometry, and the newer
semi-regular meshes produced by recursive subdivision, which have many
advantages. Some rendering techniques, in particular for generation of
artistic imagery, will also be discussed.

More detailed information is available at the course web page.

Text book: None

Background needed: Basic computer graphics

Available for final year UG students to enroll: No



Course code: COMP660F
Course title: Topics in Computer and Communication Networks:
Quality of Service

Instructor : Dr. Brahim Bensaou
Room : 3548
Telephone : x7014
Email:
WWW page: http://cse.hkust.edu.hk/~csbb
Area in which course can be counted: CE

Course Description:

Advanced topics in communication networks, focused on Internet and techniques
involved in providing quality of service in packet switched networks in general. In
particular: traffic control, buffer mangement, admission control and scheduling.
The course is structured in three parts. The first part introduces Internet
architecture, protocols and the different functionalities they provide.
The second part focuses on quality of service in Internet as it is known today as
well as newly introduced architectures for supporting QoS in future Internet. This
part is mostly based on recent research results and publications as well as IETF
drafts. The third part explores some issues on QoS in wireless Internet.

Course Objectives:

To familiarize graduate students with the current advances in quality of service
provisioning in Internet.

Course Outline/ Contents:

. Review of Internet Architecture and protocols
. QoS in today's Internet: TCP flow control, slow start, congestion avoidance, fast
retransmit, fast recovery
. End-to-end traffic control enhancements: TCP new Reno, SACK, TCP Net Reno, TCP Vegas
. Router based traffic control enhancements: random early detection (RED), FRED,
ECN, SRED, Choke, ...
. More Advanced router supported traffic control: Fair queueing.
. QoS in future IP networks: Integrated services (IntServ), Service classes, RSVP,
traffic control and scheduling. Differentiated services model (DiffServ),
Architecture, service classes, ...

. Connection oriented QoS: Admission control, traffic control

. Topics on Quality of service in Wireless Internet: Wireless LAN, IEEE 802.11 MAC
layer, Proposed QoS Enhancements

. QoS in wireless environment: issues and challenges, Mobile ad-hoc networks and QoS.

Grading Scheme: (tentative)

Assignments (25%)
Midterm (25%)
Final presentation (15%)
Survey paper (35%)

Pre-requisites/ Background needed:
Basic networking background comparable to that acquired in COMP361 and/or COMP362

Available for final year UG students to enroll: Yes

Minimum CGA required for UG students: Permission of the Instructor



Course code: COMP660H
Course title: Topics in Computer and Communication Networks:
Selected Emerging Research Areas

Instructor: Dr Bo Li
Room: 3516
Telephone: 6976
Email:

Area in which course can be counted: CE

This course is divided into two parts:
1) revisit several fundamental issues in Computer Communications
and Networks, with particular emphasis on the traffic management.
2) introduce the basic techniques in queuing analysis, including
M/M/1, M/G/1 queues and closed queuing network.
3) to discuss the current research topics including dynamic routing,
mobility management, multicast, peer-to-peer applications, and
service overlay network.

Grading Scheme:

10 Assignment (2)
30 Midterm Exam
20 Presentation
40 Term paper

Pre-requisite: COMP361 or ELEC315 is a must. COMP362 preferred.

Reference books:

1) L. Peterson and B. Davie, Computer Networks: A System Approach,
2nd Edition, Morgan Kaufmann, 1999

2) S Keshav, An Engineering Approach to Computer Networks, Addison
Wesley, 1997

3) D. Bertsekas and R. Gallager, Data Networks, 2nd Edition,
Prentice Hall, 1992

4) J. Kurose and K. Ross, Computer Networks: A Top Down Approach
Featuring Internet, Addison Wesley, 2001

Archive of past courses

This web page was last modified by Lau Wai Kay on 29 January 2002.