Faculty of Science and Engineering Department of Engineering and Technology

Wireless Application Protocol Architecture

Mobile Computer Technology Joo Paulo PONCIANO

Learning Outcomes
1. examine satellite, cellular, cordless networks, fixed access wireless schemes and the use of mobile IP and the Wireless Application Protocol to provide internet and web access. apply creative and rigorous approaches to specify, design and implement mobile services according to a set of user requirements. critically apply appropriate elements of mobile telecommunications knowledge as required by specific circumstances and to present findings in a variety of forms, as appropriate for different audiences.

2.

3.

Unit Outline
WAP Motivation WAP Requirements Architecture and Overview Components of the WAP Architecture Compliance and Interoperability

Background
Motivation
WAP is positioned at the convergence of two rapidly evolving network technologies, wireless data and the Internet. Most of the technology developed for the Internet has been designed for desktop and larger computers, and medium-to-high bandwidth. Wireless devices present a more constrained computing environment.

Background
Motivation - II
Mass-market handheld devices and their wireless networks tend to have: Wireless data networks present a constrained communication environment due to

limitations of power, Less powerful CPUs available spectrum, Less memory (ROM and RAM) mobility, Restricted power consumption Wireless data networks tend to have: Smaller displays Less bandwidth Different input devices (e.g., a phone keypad) More latency
Less connection stability Less predictable availability

Background
Motivation - III
Provisioning of value-added services with solutions to be:
Interoperable Scaleable Efficient Reliable Secure

The WAP specifications adapt existing network technology to the special requirements of handheld wireless data devices.

Background
Requirements
Leverage existing standards where possible Define a layered, scaleable, and extensible architecture Support as many wireless networks as possible Optimise for narrowband bearers with potentially high latency and for efficient use of device resources (low memory/CPU usage/power consumption) Provide support for secure applications and communication.

Background
Requirements - II
Enable the creation of Man Machine Interfaces (MMIs) with maximum flexibility and vendor control Provide access to local handset functionality, such as logical indication for incoming call Facilitate network-operator and third-party service provisioning Support multivendor interoperability by defining the optional and mandatory components of the specifications Provide a programming model for telephony services and integration

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Model
Similar to the WWW programming model. Optimizations and extensions have been made in order to match the characteristics of the wireless environment. WAP content and applications are specified in a set of wellknown content formats based on the familiar WWW content formats. Content is transported using a set of standard communication protocols based on the WWW. A micro browser in the wireless terminal coordinates the user interface and is analogous to a standard Web browser.

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Model - II

WAP defines a set of standard components that enable communication between mobile terminals and network servers, including:
Standard naming model. Content typing. Standard content formats. Standard communication protocols.

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Model - III
The WAP content types and protocols have been optimized for mass-market, handheld wireless devices. WAP utilizes proxy technology to connect between the wireless domain and the WWW. The WAP proxy typically is comprised of the following functionality:
Protocol gateway to translate WAP to WWW requests. Content encoders and decoders for translating WAP content into compact encoded formats to reduce the size of data over the network.

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Model - IV
This infrastructure ensures that mobile terminal users can browse a wide variety of WAP content and applications, and that the application author is able to build content services and applications that run on a large base of mobile terminals. The WAP proxy allows content and applications to be hosted on standard WWW servers and to be developed using proven WWW technologies such as CGI scripting. While the nominal use of WAP will include:
a Web server, WAP proxy WAP client,

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Programming Model

Client
WML

Encoded request

WAP Gateway
WML Encoder

Request

Web Server
WML Decks with WML-Script CGI Scripts etc.

WMLScript WTAI

Encoded response

WMLScript Compiler Protocol Adapters

Request Response

Content

Etc.

WAE user agent

WSP/WTP

Encoders/ Decoders

HTTP

Origin Server

Architecture and Overview

Example WAP Network
Web Server HTML WML WAP Proxy

WML Wireless Network

Binary WML

HTML Filter

WTA Server

Architecture and Overview

The WAP Security Model
WAP enables a flexible security infrastructure that focuses on providing connection security between a WAP client and server. WAP can provide end-to-end security between WAP protocol endpoints. If a browser and origin server desire end-to-end security, they must communicate directly using the WAP protocols. End-to-end security may also be achieved if the WAP proxy is trusted or, for example, located at the same physically secure place as the origin server.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Application Environment
WAE is a general-purpose application environment based on a combination of WWW and mobile telephony technologies. WAE is to establish an interoperable environment that will allow operators and service providers to build applications and services for wireless platforms. WAE includes a micro-browser environment containing the following functionality:
Wireless Markup Language (WML). WMLScript. Wireless Telephony Application (WTA, WTAI). Telephony services and programming interfaces. Content formats.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Session Protocol
WSP provides the application layer of WAP with a consistent interface for two session services.
Connection-oriented service that operates above the transaction layer protocol WTP. Connectionless service that operates above a secure or nonsecure datagram service (WDP).

WSP consist of services suited for browsing applications (WSP/B).

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Session Protocol - II
WSP/B provides the following functionality:
HTTP/1.1 functionality and semantics in a compact over-theair encoding Long-lived session state Session suspend and resume with session migration A common facility for reliable and unreliable data push Protocol feature negotiation

The protocols in the WSP family are optimized for low-bandwidth bearer networks with relatively long latency. WSP/B is designed to allow a WAP proxy to connect a WSP/B client to a standard HTTP server.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Transaction Protocol
WTP runs on top of a datagram service and provides a lightweight transaction-oriented protocol that is suitable for implementation in thin clients. WTP operates over secure or nonsecure wireless datagram networks and provides the following:
Three classes of transaction service:
Unreliable one-way requests Reliable one-way requests Reliable two-way request-reply transactions

WTP provides and acknowledged service (user-to-user reliability) Optional out-of-band data on acknowledgments PDU concatenation and delayed acknowledgment to reduce the number of messages sent Asynchronous transactions

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Transport Layer Security
WTLS is a security protocol based upon transport layer security (TLS) protocol. (used by http) WTLS is narrowband optimised and intended for use with the WAP transport protocols. WTLS may also be used for authentication of electronic business card exchange.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Application Environment Wireless Session Protocol Wireless Transaction Protocol Wireless Transport Layer Security Wireless Datagram Protocol Bearers
GPRS GSM CDMA PHS CDPD PDC-P IDEN FLEX

Other Services and Applications

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Transport Layer Security II
Applications are able to enable or disable WTLS features. WTLS provides the following features:
Data integrity. Privacy. Authentication. Denial-of-service protection.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Wireless Datagram Protocol
 Security, Session, and Application layers are able to function independently of the underlying wireless network. This is done by adapting the Transport layer to specific features of the underlying bearer via the WDP

 WDP is replaced by UDP when used over an IP network layer.  Provide consistent interface to a fundamental transport service across all wireless bearer networks.  Provides a connectionless, unreliable datagram service.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Bearer Services
The WAP protocols are designed for Different Types of Bearer Services: Short message, (SMS) Packet Switched Data, Circuit Switched Data. Responsible for different levels of: Quality of service Throughput Delay Error Rate The list of supported bearers will change over time, with new bearers being added as the wireless market evolves.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Other Services and Applications
The WAP layered architecture enables other services and applications to utilize the features of the WAP stack through a set of well-defined interfaces. External applications may access the Session, Transaction, Security, and Transport layers directly.

For example, applications (e.g., electronic mail, calendar, phone book, notepad, and electronic commerce) or services (e.g., white and yellow pages) may be developed to use the WAP protocols.

WAP Protocol Architecture

Sample WAP Configurations

Compliance and Interoperability

To this end the WAP Forum has created a WAP Conformance Specification [WAPConf] and is working to maintain current information relating to all issues of WAP interoperability. Interoperability achieved by testing:
Static testing is a manufacturers statement of the capabilities and functions of a product. Dynamic testing is the real form of testing that leads to a high degree of confidence that two products will successfully interoperate.

Recommended Reading
Inside WAP: Programming Applications with WML and WMLScript Esko Hannula Adison Wesley - ISBN: 0-201-72591-6 Chapter 1.1 Chapter 1.2