Mobile Computing

Module-I
Mobile Computing Basics
 Introduction to mobile computing
• Can be defined as “a computing environment over physical
mobility”
• The user should be able to access data, information, or other
logical objects from any device in any network while on the move.
• It should allow a user to perform a task from anywhere using a
computing device in the public, corporate and personal information
spaces.
• The communication bearer should be spread over both – wired and
wireless media.
 Different names of Mobile Computing
• VHE – Virtual Home Environment
• Anywhere, anytime information
• Nomadic computing
• Pervasive computing
• Ubiquitous computing
• Global service portability
• Wearable computers
 Attributes of ubiquity
• Network Mobility
• Bearer Mobility
• Device Mobility
• Session Mobility
• Service Mobility
• Host Mobility
• User Mobility
 Network Mobility
• User should be able to move from one network to another
network and use the same service.
• Example: User moves from Hong Kong to Singapore and uses
the same GSM phone to access the corporate application.
 Bearer Mobility
• User should be able to move from one bearer to another while
using the same service.
• Example: User is unable to access the WAP bearer due to some
problem in the GSM network then he should be able to use
voice or SMS bearer to access that same corporate application.
 Device Mobility
• User should be able to move from one device to another and
use the same service.
• Example: User is using a PC to do his work. During the day,
while he is on the street he would like to use his Palmtop to
access the corporate application.
 Session Mobility
• A user session should be able to move from one user - agent
environment to another.
• Example: An unfinished session moving from a mobile device
to a desktop computer is a good example.
 Service Mobility
• User should be able to move from one service to another.
• Example: User is writing a mail. Suddenly, he needs to refer to
something else. In a PC, user simply opens another service and
moves between them. User should be able to do the same in
small footprint wireless devices.
 Host Mobility
• User should be able to move while the device is a host
computer.
• Example: The laptop computer of a user is a host for grid
computing network. It is connected to a LAN port. Suddenly,
the user realizes that he needs to leave for an offsite meeting.
He disconnects from the LAN and should get connected to
wireless LAN while his laptop being the host for grid computing
network.
 User Mobility
• User should be able to move from one physical location to
another location and use the same service.
• Example: User moves from London to New York and uses the
Internet in either place to access the corporate application.
Mobile Computing Functions
• User with the device: Fixed or a portable device
o Eg: laptop computers, desktop computers, fixed telephone, mobile
phones, digita; TV with set-top box etc.
• Networks: GSM, CDMA, iMode, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, Bluetooth,
etc.
• Gateway: Interface between different transport bearers
o Eg: DTMF(Dual Tone Multi Frequency) signals of fixed telephone
converted into digital data by the IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
gateway to interface with a computer application.
• Middleware: Handles the presentation and rendering of the
content on a particular device. It may optionally also handle the
security and personalization for different users
• Content: This is the domain where the origin server and content is.
o This could be an application ,system, or even an aggregation of
systems.
o The content can be personal, corporate content. The origin server
will have some means of accessing the database and storage
devices.
 Middleware and Gateways
• A software layered between a user application and operating
system can be termed as middleware.
• Gateways are deployed when there are different transport
bearers or networks with dissimilar protocols.
• The various types are:
– Communication middleware
– Transaction processing middleware
– Behavior management middleware
– Communication gateways
– Database middleware
 Types of Middleware
• Communication Middleware: Communication Middleware is
used to connect one application with another application. For
eg: connecting one application with another application using
telnet.
• Message oriented middleware: It supports the receiving and
sending of messages over distributed applications. It enables
applications to be disbursed over various platforms. It makes
the process of creating s/w applications across many OS.
• Database Middleware: It provides direct access to databases
and direct interaction with databases. There are many
gateways and connectivity options and have to choose the best
for the necessary solution. This includes SQL database
software.
• Transaction Middleware: Includes applications like transaction
processing monitors. It also encompasses web application
servers.
• In mobile computing context we need different types of
middleware components and gateways at different layers of
architecture. They are
• Communication middleware: The application will
communicate with different nodes and services through
different communication middleware.
• Different connectors for different services will fall this category.
• Egs could be Javamail connector for IMAP(Internet Message
Access Protocol) or POP3(Post Office Protocol) services .
• It can be cross- platform, that is , it facilitates communications between
these differing devices.
• It can be cross language ,i.e it can understand and process multiple
different operating languages.
• Transaction Processing Middleware:
• In many cases service will offer session-oriented dialogue(SoD).
• For a session we need to maintain a state over the stateless internet. This is
done through an application server.
• The user may be using a device, which demands Sessionless dialogue(SID)
made of short sessionless transactions whereas the services at the
backend offers a SoD.
• In such cases a separate middleware component will be
required to convert a SoD to a SID. Management of web
components will be handled by this middleware as well.
• Behavior Management Middleware: Different devices deliver
differently.
• Eg: we can have one application for the Web, another for WAP,
and a different one for SMS.
• This middleware will identify the device properly and handle
all device-specific rendering independent of the application.
 Communication Gateways
• Between the device and the middleware there will be a system
of networks.
• Gateways are deployed when there are different transport
bearers or networks with dissimilar protocols.
• Egs: we need an IVR gateway to interface Voice with a
computer
• we need an WAP gateway to access Internet over a mobile
phone.
 Applications and services

• Enable the business initiatives by supporting mobility of

❑Customers
❑Suppliers and Business
❑Employees
• Two views
❑ Mobile applications are fundamentally new applications
❑Mobility is another dimension of the existing applications
There are six basic categories:
• Personal (wallet, diary, etc.)
• Perishable (news, sports, stock quotes, etc.)
• Transaction oriented (bank transactions, mobile shopping, etc.)
• Location specific (restaurant guide, map service, etc.)
• Corporate (ERP, inventory, business alerts, etc.)
• Entertainment (fun, games, etc.)
 Internet-Ubiquitous network
• A content to be available anywhere, we need a ubiquitous network that will
carry this content.
• Two ubiquitous network existing now are:
– Telecommunication network
– Internet network
• Different networks have been connected together using a common protocol(glue).
• Ss#7 is the glue for telecommunication network whereas Tcp/IP for internet
• 3 types of basic contents
– Audio
– Video
– Text
• Packet switched network (Internet) – Suited for content which can tolerate little
delays
 Internet-Ubiquitous network
• Circuit Switched Network (Telecommunication) – Suited for
real-time content that cannot tolerate delays.
• Network can be divided into 3 segments:

Core
Network Edge

Access
Core
Internet-Ubiquitous network
• Backbone of the network
• Innermost part
• Function is to deliver traffic efficiently at least cost.
• It looks traffic from the bit stream point of view
• This part of the network deals with transmission media and transmission
points.

Edge
• It is at the edge of the network
• Managed & owned by the ISPs or local switches & exchanges.
• Looks traffic from the service point of view
• Responsible for distribution of traffic.
 Internet-Ubiquitous network
Access
• Services the end point or the device.
• Deals with last part of transmission.
• This part can be either through a wireline or wireless.
 Internet-Ubiquitous network
• Internet is the most popular network.
• Preferred bearer n/w for audio, video & text.
• Supports many protocols.
• For ubiquitous access we need web-based applications.

Uses HTTP protocol & works

like request/response service
 Architecture for mobile computing
• In main frame computers mission critical systems use a
Transaction Processing (TP) environment.
• Core of TP s/m is TP Monitor s/w.
• Resources of TP system:
– Terminal resources(objects) – VDU(visual display unit), POS(Point of
Sale Terminal), printers etc.
– Processing resources(objects) – Performs processing tasks like
transactions, messages etc.
– Database resources(objects)
 Architecture for mobile computing
• TP monitor manages all these objects & connects them
through policies & rules.
• Other functions of TP Monitor:
– Queuing
– Application Execution
– Database Staging
– Journaling.
• TP architecture developed into three-tier s/w architecture.
• When the world moved from large expensive centralized
mainframes to economic distributed s/ms , technology moved
towards two-tier conventional client/server architecture.
• With the growth in cheaper computing power and penetration
of Internet- based networked systems, technology is moving
back to centralized server based architecture.
• The TP monitor architecture is having a reincarnation in the
form of three –tier software architecture.
 Architecture for mobile computing
• The network-centric mobile computing architecture has
three-tier architecture.
1. User Interface or Presentation Tier
2. Process Management or Application Tier
3. Database Management or Data Tier
• The three-tier architecture is best suited for networked
client/server design.
• Characteristics of 3-tier architecture:
Increased performance, flexibility, maintainability,
reusability, scalability and it hides the complexity of
distributed processing from the user
 Architecture for mobile computing
• 1st Tier deals with user facing device handling and rendering(text
input,sessions,dialog,display management).

• 2nd Tier deals with Application programs where business logic and rules are executed, it is
capable of accommodating hundreds of user.
• Capable of accommodating hundreds of users.

• The middle Process management Tier controls transactions and asynchronous queuing to
ensure reliable completion of transactions

• 3rd Tier is for database management or data.

• All characteristics have made three-tier architectures popular choice for internet
applications and net- centric information system.
THREE-TIER ARCHITECTURE
 Presentation Tier
• Responsible for presenting the information to the end user
• Run on the client device and offer all the user interfaces
• Includes web browsers, WAP browsers and customized client
programs
• Humans use audio and video to receive information from the
machine
• Information is given to the system from keyboard(computer,
laptop, cell phones ), pen (tablet, palmtop) etc.
• A mobile computing agent needs to be context aware and device
independent.
 Application Tier
• Engine of a ubiquitous application.
• Performs logic of processing user input, obtaining data, and making decisions.
• In certain cases, this layer will do transcoding of data for appropriate rendering in
presentation layer.
• Independent of presentation and database management
• Functions relate to network management, security, data store/access, etc.

• Handles functions related to middleware

• Middleware – layer of software sitting between the operating system and user facing
software
• Many types of middleware – Message Oriented Middleware, Transaction Processing
Middleware, Communication Middleware, Distributed Objects and Components,
Transcoding Middleware, Web Services, etc.
 Message Oriented Middleware
• A middleware framework that loosely connects different
applications through asynchronous exchange of messages
• Works independent of platform or processor configuration
• Message can contain formatted data, requests for action, or
unsolicited response
• Generally asynchronous and peer to peer
• Works in publish / subscribe fashion
• Appropriate for event driven application
• Examples – MQ series from IBM, JMS, etc.
 Transaction Processing Middleware
• Provides tools and environment for developing transaction based
distributed applications
• Capable of providing services to thousands of clients in a
distributed client – server environment, it is Independent of
database architecture
• Ideal TP system will be able to put data into system at the point of
information source and output of the system is delivered at the
point of information sink. Here input and output devices are
different
• Example – CICS(customer information control systems) from IBM
• In an ideal TP system, the device for input and output can
potentially be different.
• Also, output can be unsolicited message for device.
• TP is used in data management, network access, security
systems, delivery order processing, airline reservations,
customer service, etc.
• TP systems are generally capable of providing services to
thousands of clients in a distributed client/server environment.
Transaction Processing Middleware
• TP middleware maps numerous client requests through
application-service routines to different application tasks.
• TP middleware includes numerous management features such as
restarting failed process, dynamic load balancing and ensuring
consistency of distributed data.
• TP middleware is independent of database architecture.
• TP middleware optimizes the use of resources by multiplexing
many client functions on to a much smaller set of application-
service routines.
❑ helps in reducing response time.
 Communication Middleware
• Used to connect one application to another (through Telnet)
• Quite useful in the telecommunications world
• Uses mediation server to automate the telnet protocol to
communicate to nodes in the network
• There are many elements in the core telecommunication
network where the user interface is through telnet.
• Example – Using telnet TN5250 to connect one application to
another
 Distributed Objects and Components
• Handles open distributed object computing infrastructure
• Example – Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)
• CORBA – a vendor independent infrastructure
• CORBA – highly interoperable across heterogeneous platforms
• CORBA simplifies many common network programming tasks used
in a net-centric application environment.
• These are object registration, object location, and activation ,
request demultiplexing ; framing and error-handling ; parameter
marshalling ; and operation dispatching.
 Transcoding Middleware
• Used to transcode one format of data to another suiting the needs
of the client
• Useful for content adaptation to fit the needs of device
• Example – some frames in video clip need to be dropped for a low
bandwidth network. Content Adaptation used to be done through
proprietary Protocols. To allow interoperability, IETF has accepted
the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP) .

• Eg: Accessing a map from a PDA(personal digital assistant), also

known as a handheld PC. The same map, which can be shown in a
computer, needs to be reduced in size to fit the PDA screen.
 ICAP
• Aimed at providing simple object based content vectoring for
HTTP services
• Lightweight protocol to do transcoding on HTTP messages
• Similar to executing a RPC on a HTTP request
• Adapted messages can either be HTTP requests or HTTP
responses
Data flow in an ICAP environment
 Data flow in an ICAP environment
1. A user agent makes a request to an ICAP-capable surrogate (ICAP client)
for an object on an origin server.
2. The surrogate sends the request to the ICAP server.
3. The ICAP server executes the ICAP resource’s service on the request and
sends the possibly modified request, or a response to the request back to
the ICAP client.
4. The surrogate sends the request, possibly different from the original
client request, to the origin server.
5. The origin server responds to the request.
6. The surrogate sends the reply (from either the ICAP server or the origin
server) to the client.
 Web Services
• Provides a standard means of communication and information
exchange among different software applications
• Public interfaces and bindings are defined using XML
• Standards for service requestor and service provider
• Service requestor – find and discover the description of
services
• Service provider – publish the description of services it
provides
 Data Tier
• Used to store data needed by the application and acts as a repository for both temporary
and permanent data
• Data can be stored in any form of database or datastore.
❑ These can range from sophisticated relational database, legacy, hierarchical database to
even text files.
• Can use XML for interoperability of data with other systems and data sources
• Might incorporate the use of Database Middleware and SyncML
• Database Middleware – runs in between application programs and the database.
• Sometimes called Database connectors
• Database Middleware – helps business logic run independent and transparent from
database technology and database vendor
• Using this middleware , the application will be able to access data from any data source
 SyncML
• Emerging standard for synchronization of data access from
different nodes
• Promotes a single common data synchronization protocol that
can be used industry wide
• Supports naming and identification of records and common
protocol commands to synchronize local and network data
• Works over all networks used by mobile devices – wired and
wireless
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
 Design Considerations
• Context information is the information related to the
surrounding environment of an actor in that environment.
• Mobility implies that attributes associated with devices and
users will change constantly.
• Such changes shall mean that content and behavior of
applications should be adapted to suit the current situation
• Some examples are:
➢Content with context awareness
➢Content switch on context
➢Content transcoding on context
Content with context awareness
• Build each application with context awareness
• There are different services for different client context
• Bank providing services on Internet, for mobile phones and PDA
• Have different URL for each type of devices

Content switch on context

• Provides application for content within service
• Transparent to the client
• Here service is same for mobile phones and WAP
• All access the bank site from the same URL
Content transcoding on context

• Performs adaptation of content based on context and behavior

of the device
• Transparent for the client and the application
• Middleware is used to perform all operations
• Middleware is intelligent to convert from HTML to XML and
vice-versa as need occurs.
 Client Context Manager (CCM)
• Mobile computing application demands a reactive platform that
can make decisions about how to respond to changes to device
capability, user preferences, network policy etc.
• Context can be used as a basis by which an adaptation manager or
algorithm decides to modify content or application behavior.
• It is used to gather and maintains information pertaining to:
1. Mobile devices
2. Users
3. Location
4. Network
5. Environment around each mobile device
 Client Context Manager (CCM)
• Awareness modules: they are sensors of hardware type, software
type or combination
• Hardware sensor ,used to identify the precise location of a user
• Software sensor, used to determine the type of user agent
• Example:: Awareness module in device provide information about
its capabilities and location manager that tracks the location and
orientation of the mobile devices
 Challenges with CCM
• Context sensing: The way context data is obtained
• Context representation: The way context information is stored
and transported.
• Context interpretation: The way the context data is
interpreted
 Functions of the CCM
• Responsible for receiving raw context data, collating the data
into a useful form and disseminating it to context consumers.
• Present context information to consumers in suitable and
interoperable form.
• Context model should allow aggregation.
• Dynamic updates should be possible.
• Context history should be available.
• Context should be filtered.
 Policy Manager
• Responsible for controlling policies related to mobility
• Organizations generally have policies regarding the disclosure
of information.
• Should be able to define policy for documents/services and
assign roles to user
• Should assign roles to users like
– Permission
– Prohibition
– Obligations
 Semantic Web
• Facilitates putting machine understandable data on the web
• Data in the Web is generally hidden away in HTML files, how
do we determine which content is useful in some contexts.
• Idea is to have data on the web definition and linking in a way
to be useful for machines in the context of automation,
security, filtering, integration and data reuse
• Used for performing variety of tasks,increases the modularity
of web applications
 Security Manager
• Secures connection between client device and origin server
• If the security requirements are not met or some content is not
viewable the security manager will ensure security
• Should handle
– Confidentiality (managed by encryption)
– Integrity (managed by algorithms)
– Availability (relates to peripheral security)
– Non – repudiation (managed by digital signatures)
-Trust
 Platform for Privacy Preference Project
• Emerging standard defined by W3C(World Wide Web Consortium)
• Provides technical mechanism to inform users about privacy
policies about the site.
• Enables websites to express their privacy practices in a
standardized format retrievable and interpretable by user agents
• Any discrepancies between a site’s practices and the user
preferences can be flagged as well
• Does not provide any mechanism for ensuring that, websites act
according to their policies
 Content adaptation
• Content should be able to adapt to dynamic situations.
• Adaptation can be static or dynamic.
• Content adaptation can be performed either at content level in
server or agent level in client.
• Content adaptation can be handled by middleware as well.
• Content adaptation needs to consider the physical and logical
capabilities of the device, effective network bandwidth and
payload (total number of bits delivered to the agent for static
parts).
 Content transcoding
• The resource requirements for the client devices can be
determined by:
➢Static content size in bits
➢Display size
➢Streaming bit rate
➢Colour requirements
➢Compression formats
➢Hardware requirements
 Content Aggregation
• From the content aggregator’s perspective, services are of two
categories:
– Single service request – works at user level and for one user.
Example : A user may request a webpage in Hindi from proxy server.
Here, the user buys both the content and translation service.
– Group service request – works for a group of users, initiated either at
the network operator or CA level
Example : The content aggregator has some arrangement for
advertisement. It examines all HTML pages and inserts an
advertisement at an appropriate place.
 Seamless Communication
• A ubiquitous system involves availability and accessibility from
anywhere, anytime and through any network or device.
• Seamless communication shall involve seamless handoffs and
seamless roaming.
• Handoff is the process by which the connection to the network is
moved from one base station to another within the same network
without discontinuing the service.
• Roaming shall involve the point of attachment moving from one
base station of one network to a base station of another network.
 Autonomous Computing
• The purpose of autonomous computing is to free users and system
administrators from the details of the system operation and maintenance
complexity.
• System runs 24*7.
• Essence of autonomous system is self management.
• It combines the following functions:
➢ Self configurable
➢ Self optimizing
➢ Self healing
➢ Self protecting
➢ Self upgradable
 Context aware systems
• The following information needs to be handled in a mobile
computing environment for making a system context aware:
➢Location information
➢Device information
➢Network information
➢User information
➢Environment information
THANK YOU…

76