Mobile Computing

RAMSWAROOP SINGH T E-mail: [email protected] III/II CSE ELLENKI COLLEGE OF ENGG PATELGUDA

I.ANIL KUMAR E-mail:[email protected] III/II CSE ELLENKI COLLEGE OF ENGG PATELGUDA

Abstract Mobile computing has been undergoing

with infrared ports to allow communication

a bit of a renaissance lately. A few years ago

with laptops. Then cell phones started to

it was a simple matter of finding a data-

come with modems built in. The connecting

compatible mobile phone, a PC card

methods

modem, and a matching cable and installing

introduction,

it as a modem. Then people started to use

affecting connections, mobile applications

PDA’s as well. Cell phones started to come

and its limitations are explained.

of

mobile connection

computing, types,

its

factors



Mobile Devices



Challenges in mobile

to be productive immediately by reducing the training requirements associated with traditional

computing

automated

data

collection

methods and provides a higher level of



Merits and Demerits



Applications



Conclusion

information available from the system at any



Bibliography

time to make critical business decisions.

portability than keyboard-based systems. Field-based

users

can

access

any

This information is available at the point of use, wherever and whenever they need it. Portable devices like laptop and palm top

Introduction

computers give mobile users access to diverse sources of global information Wireless

networking

technology

has

anywhere and at any time.

engendered a new era of computing, called especially those involved with field-based data collection into computer users. The market potential and breadth of application requirements for mobile computing has prompted numerous hardware and software companies to focus their efforts in providing solutions to the vertical, formoriented marketplace. Distinction between "wireless" and "mobile." Wireless refers to the method of transferring information between computing devices, such as a personal data assistant (PDA), and

One of the most important and highly publicized recent developments in the PC world has been the introduction of the pen interface. By using a stylus to replace the keyboard, mobile computers are turning thousands of computer illiterate people

a data source, such as an agency database server, without a physical connection. Not all wireless communications technologies are mobile. For example, lasers are used in wireless data transfer between buildings, but cannot be used in mobile communications at this time.

Mobile simply describes a computing device that

 Mobile devices

is not restricted to a desktop. A mobile device may

Here we have seven different types of mobile

be a PDA, a "smart" cell phone or Web phone, a

devices:

laptop computer, or any one of numerous other

 Laptop computers

devices that allow the user to complete computing

 PDA’s and handheld PCs

tasks without being tethered, or connected, to a network. Mobile computing does not necessarily require wireless communication. In fact, it may not require communication between devices at all.

 Pagers  Smart phones and cellular phones  Task devices, such as bar code scanners  Blue tooth  Bridge

Laptops are typically used and supported in the same way as desktop PCs. In fact, many

organizations

have intense and constant need for time sensitive communications. Pagers that support one- and two-way text

have

messaging are also used in similar situations. Third

replaced desktops with their

party vendors most often provide support for these

portable cousins, as the workforce has grown

devices.

increasingly mobile.

Task devices such as the parcel tracking devices

PDA’s, however, are the least planned for and

used by Federal Express (FedEx) and the United

supported devices. They are undergoing rapid

Parcel Service (UPS) delivery personnel are most

evolution and are being brought into organizations

often bought as part of a complete system from a

in the same way the earliest PCs were. That is,

third-party vendor. Because they are frequently

adventurous early adopters buy the devices for

mission-critical, most corporations support task

their personal use and then ask IT departments to

devices as rigorously as desktop computers.

integrate the devices into the corporate IT environment. Smart phones that allow users to access phone

Bluetooth:- A short-range wireless standard that specifies radio connections between devices within a 10-meter range of

each other. Bluetooth is

calls, two-way radio transmissions, and paging and

designed as a Personal Area Network (PAN, or

data transmissions on one device are also finding

WPAN for "Wireless Personal Area Network")

applications in hospitals and other situations that

technology with a wide variety of theoretical uses.

Bridge:- A device that connects two local-area

constraints become much more important, such as

networks (LANs), or two segments of the same

device

LAN. Bridges simply forward packets from one

portability, quality of radio transmission, error

segment to another without analyzing or routing

rates. Mobility brings additional uncertainties, as

messages. This allows them to connect dissimilar

well as opportunities to provide new services and

networks (e.g., a bridge can connect an Ethernet

supplementary

and Token-Ring network).

locations where they find themselves.

Challenges in mobile computing

weight,

battery

power,

information

to

screen

users

in

size,

the

The major challenges in mobile computing are

Wireless and mobile environments bring different

described including: low bandwidth, high error

challenges to users and service providers when

rate,

compared to fixed, wired networks. Physical

capabilities, disconnection and problems due to

power

restrictions,

security,

client mobility.

environment exhibits higher error rates,

 Low Bandwidth Wireless networks deliver lower bandwidth

which results in retransmission and affects

than wired networks. As a result, mobile

the Quality of Service. By minimizing the

applications have to be carefully designed to

usage of wireless transmission, the data is

control

consumption.

less exposed to transmission errors. In

Software techniques required to improve

addition, error correction schemes can be

effective bandwidth usage include data

employed

compression logging requests to combine

However, these schemes also add to the

multiple short ones, lazy write back,

communication overhead and reduce the

difference-based

usable bandwidth.

the

prefetching,

bandwidth

usage

updates, of

proxy,

caching, priority

scheduling, etc.

to

improve

performance.

 Power Limitations Mobile computers are concerned with the limited power supply, an issue that does not appear in distributed wired environment.

 High Error Rate The network quality varies as the mobile

Hardware improvements on batteries can

computer moves across the heterogeneous

help to lengthen the life of a charge and

network

reduce battery weight. In addition, efficient

connections.

The

wireless

software operations can help to lower the

limited

power consumption. Examples include:

ease of connecting to the wireless link

shifting the processing to a fixed host,

anonymously.

aggressively caching and prefetching data to

impersonation, denial of service and tapping.

reduce disk traffic, and transmitting less data

The main technique used is encryption. In

while receiving more

personal profiles of users are used to restrict

Common

problems

are

access to the mobile units.  Security Security and privacy are of specific concerns in wireless communication because of the

Merits

 Reducing data backlog  Improving information flow

The benefits of automating data collection applications with mobile computing are the reduction

of

hard

and

soft

costs,

enhancement of revenue potential, and a distinct competitive advantage through:  Improving the data collection process

 Allowing faster adaptation to changing business conditions  Increasing responsiveness and customer satisfaction  Providing

access

to

previously

unavailable information

 Improving data accuracy  Reducing paperwork

Demerits

 Enforcing collection of more complete information  Facilitating collection of more useful

The demerits of the mobile computing are discussed as follows:

information  Eliminating redundant data entry  Reducing administrative costs  Reducing billing errors

 Information access via a mobile device is plagued by low available bandwidth, poor

connection

maintenance,

poor

security,

and

problems.

services and supplementary information

Unlike their wired counterparts, design

to users in the locations where they find

of software for mobile devices must

themselves. In general, most application

consider resource limitation, battery

software,

power and display size. Consequently,

network infrastructures are intended for

new hardware and software techniques

more conventional environments, and so

must

example,

the mobile, wireless user has great

applications need to be highly optimized

difficulty exploiting the computational

for space, in order to fit in the limited

infrastructure as fully as he or she might.

memory on the mobile devices.

There is an emerging consensus among

be

addressing

developed.

For

operating

systems,

and

 Mobility brings additional uncertainties,

researchers that a new architecture and

as well as opportunities to provide new

dynamic infrastructure is an appropriate way to address this problem.

 Day by day as the standard of the mobile

and Orbcomm

computing is increasing the boons of mobile

Internet access.

are actively promoting

computing are changing to banes. Eg: The

Vertical industries where mobile technology has

most deadly terrorist attack occurred on sept

already

11, 2001.

Consumer Goods, Delivery and Route Sales,

 Applications

Government,

New

technical

and

application

been

successfully Healthcare,

adopted Market

include Research,

Pharmaceuticals, Transportation, and Utilities.

developments have established that mobile systems can be a cost-effective, efficient,

Consumer Goods. Typical applications include

and productive solution in several different

inventory, merchandising, order entry, and sales

types of application environments. They

automation. Features found in these applications

are:- a new generation of satellites,

usually provide access to stock and pricing

especially

systems

information, monitor promotions, and perform

(LEOS) are under development with the

shelf space analysis including number of facings

Internet in mind. Companies like Teledesic

and product age. Customer detail helps reps to act

Low-Earth

Orbit

more as consultants than order takers.

and sample collection. A common goal is to Delivery & Route Sales. With fierce competition

leverage mobile computing in the implementation

and an increasing inventory, having timely and

of positive patient identification.

accurate information is more important than ever. Market Research. Automating the survey process Government.

Applications

center

around

has enabled these companies to get their data more

assessments, inspections, and work orders. Most of

accurately and quickly while being able to

these applications involve auditing some sort of

customize their queries at will.

facility or process (food service, restaurant,

Pharmaceuticals. In addition to the reps need to

nursing home, child care, schools, commercial and

perform account management and call reporting

residential buildings).

functions, the FDA’s requirement for physician signatures for all drug samples dispensed was an

Healthcare. The focus in this industry has been on

added complication that was eliminated through

automating patient records, medication dispension,

the use of mobile technology.

Transportation.

Transforming

freight

are instrumental to an industry that is required

damage inspections from paper to mobile

to perform inspections on a routine basis.

computing greatly expedites the process and reduces costs by providing on-line pre-

Conclusion

shipment inspections. This technology also

Mobile computing is rapidly becoming

offers a more efficient means of storing and

popular, and user demand for useful wireless

transmitting maintenance inspection reports.

applications is increasing.

In conjunction with GPS (global positioning

Additionally, this paper shows how these

systems),

behavioral extensions serve as a powerful

mobile

computing

allows

companies to provide better customer

abstraction for practical systems.

service by being continually aware of

In this paper, we have looked at issues

exactly where any given shipment is when in

related to portable devices, merits, demerits

transit.

and applications in mobile environment. Because of the banes of mobile computing

Utilities. Eliminating the rekeying of data and providing a means to perform on site analysis

the security level should be improved.

Bibilography Terri Watson. : Application design for wireless computing.

Application design for wireless computing : M-Mail: A Case Study of Dynamic Application Partitioning in Mobile Computing Christine Julien and Gruia-Catalin Roman : Active Coordination in Ad Hoc Networks Raymond J. Brunsting : Quality of Service Issues in Wireless Networks