Mobile Computing

Basics

Why Mobile Computing ?

People are mobile

Devices are mobile

Definition of Mobile and Wireless

Mobile is the ability to be on the move. A mobile device is anything that can be used on the move, ranging from laptops to mobile phones. As long as location is not fixed, it is considered mobile.
Wireless refers to the transmission of voice and data over radio waves. Wireless devices include anything that uses a wireless network to either send or receive data.

Relationship between mobile and wireless.

Relationship between mobile and wireless.

Not all the wireless communications are mobile.

E.g. lasers

Mobile computing does not necessarily require wireless communication.

E.g. sending data from a laptop to a central database over temporary dialup connection.

Mobile Computing:

Advantages Convenience Communicate with others anywhere, anytime Access to electronic information Increasing responsiveness and customer satisfaction

Limitations Expensive Battery life Small screen display Slow Internet speed

Mobile Computing

A technology that allows transmission of data without having to be connected to a fixed physical link. Computing environment over physical mobility. The user of a mobile computing environment will be able to access data, information or other logical objects from any device in any network while on the move.

Mobile Computing

Nomadic computing, another name for mobile computing, is the use of portable computing devices (such as laptop and handheld computers) in conjunction with mobile communications technologies to enable users to access the Internet and data on their home or work computers from anywhere in the world. People using such a system are sometimes referred to as technomads, and their ability to use that system as nomadicity.

Challenges

Reliable communication

Quality of Service

Radio collisions Transmission range Asymmetric communication Intermediate nodes dropping packets or being unavailable Voluntary disconnection, e.g., for network cost or battery conservation Sufficient communication for task Predicting QoS

Challenges (cont..)

Limited resources

Other challenges

Smaller screen Limited audio RAM Persistent storage Processor Battery

Secure communication and privacy Device and protocol heterogeneity Transparency - hidden

Mobile Computing Functions:

User with Device Network Gateway Middleware Content

What is Mobility?

A person who moves

Between Between Between Between

different different different different

geographical locations networks communication devices applications

A device that moves

Between different geographical locations Between different networks

Types of Mobility
User Network Bearer Device Session Agent Host

SOC and AOC Clients

Sometimes On Connectivity (SOC)

Stores large amount of data on mobile devices Provides complete application solution without wireless or wired connection.

Always On Connectivity (AOC)

Small amounts of data on devices Requires connection all the time.

3 generations of wireless technology

1G (analog technology)

AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Services) CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Standard) Wireless Voice over IP

2G

3G

Introduction to Handoff

What is handoff?

The process of transferring a mobile from one channel or base-station to another is called handoff When a mobile moves into a different cell while a conversation is in progress, the MSC(Mobile Switch Center) automatically transfers the call to a new channel belonging to the new base-station

Roaming: from one network to another network.

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Handoff

Purpose of handoff

Rescue handoff : To rescue the connection with poor quality If quality of a communication has become worse than a threshold, a decision of handoff is made for rescuing this connection Confinement handoff : To minimize interference When the mobile can employ lower transmission power in another cell than in current one, a handoff can be triggered to confine the transmission power
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Purpose of handoff

Traffic handoff(Load sharing) : It takes account of capacity and load. If a new call set-up occurs, a traffic handoff will be triggered owing to the congestion in current cell. A certain established call in the congested cell will be handed over to another cell so that the new call can be set up.

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Handoff Types

By destination base-station

Intercell handoff : Call is handed off to another base-station of different cell. Intracell handoff : Call is handed off to another base-station of same cell. Soft handoff : The connection is never suspended Hard handoff : The connection is suspended at first and then recovered at the destination base-station

By connection method

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Global Positioning System (GPS)

Gives the exact position on earth. NAVSTAR GPS

Navigation Satellite Timing and Ranging Global Positioning System

Funded and controlled by U. S. Department of Defense. Three segments

Space segment User segment Control segment

Three Segments of the GPS

Space Segment

User Segment Control Segment Ground Antennas

Master Station

Monitor Stations

Space Segment

Control Segment
US Space Command

Cape Canaveral Hawaii Kwajalein Atoll Diego Garcia Ascension Is.

Master Control Station

Monitor Station

Ground Antenna

User Segment

Military. Search and rescue. Disaster relief. Surveying. Marine, aeronautical and terrestrial navigation. Remote controlled vehicle and robot guidance. Satellite positioning and tracking. Shipping. Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Recreation.

GPS System Review

Basic Functions of GPS

Position and coordinates.

Travel progress reports. Accurate time measurement.

Position is Based on Time

Signal leaves satellite at time T

T+3

Signal is picked up by the receiver at time T + 3

Distance between satellite and receiver = 3 times the speed of light

What Time is It?

Universal Coordinated Time

Greenwich Mean Time

GPS Time + 13*

Zulu Time

Local Time: AM and PM (adjusted for local time zone) Military Time (local time on a 24 hour clock)
* GPS Time is ahead of UTC by approximately 13 seconds

Trilateration

Global Positioning System (GPS) navigators use the mathematical technique of trilateration to determine user position, speed, and elevation. GPS navigators constantly receive and analyze radio signals from GPS satellites, calculating precise distance (range) to each satellite being tracked. Data from a single satellite narrows position down to a large area of the earth's surface. Adding data from a second satellite narrows position down to the region where two spheres overlap. Adding data from a third satellite (see illustration) provides relatively accurate position. Data from a fourth satellite (or more) enhances precision and also the ability to determine accurate elevation or altitude (in the case of aircraft).

Signal From One Satellite

The receiver is somewhere on this sphere.

Signals From Two Satellites

Three Satellites (2D Positioning)

Triangulating Correct Position

Three Dimensional (3D) Positioning