Ebook: Mobile Computing

The rapid development of wireless digital communication technology has cre­ ated capabilities that software systems are only beginning to exploit. The falling cost of both communication and of mobile computing devices (laptop computers, hand-held computers, etc. ) is making wireless computing affordable not only to business users but also to consumers. Mobile computing is not a "scaled-down" version of the established and we- studied field of distributed computing. The nature of wireless communication media and the mobility of computers combine to create fundamentally new problems in networking, operating systems, and information systems. Further­ more, many of the applications envisioned for mobile computing place novel demands on software systems. Although mobile computing is still in its infancy, some basic concepts have been identified and several seminal experimental systems developed. This book includes a set of contributed papers that describe these concepts and sys­ tems. Other papers describe applications that are currently being deployed and tested. The first chapter offers an introduction to the field of mobile computing, a survey of technical issues, and a summary of the papers that comprise sub­ sequent chapters. We have chosen to reprint several key papers that appeared previously in conference proceedings. Many of the papers in this book are be­ ing published here for the first time. Of these new papers, some are expanded versions of papers first presented at the NSF-sponsored Mobidata Workshop on Mobile and Wireless Information Systems, held at Rutgers University on Oct 31 and Nov 1, 1994.

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The desire and the necessity for accessing and processing information stored in computer networks `anytime and anywhere' has been the impetus for the growing interest in mobile computing research. Wired computing networks and end devices such as PCs and workstations have effectively extended the data-only networking capability of a few years ago to sophisticated multimedia networking. The cost of such transformation to the end user turns out to be very nominal. Undoubtedly the wireless access technology has given a big boost to mobile cellular telephony and data networking.
Processing general purpose multimedia information requires, besides higher bandwidth, means for controlling the available bandwidth and caring for quality of service issues. This problem is accentuated by the need for providing such service in the presence of wireless physical layer and host mobility. Thus, tetherless and ubiquitous mobile and wireless computing systems should carefully combine advances in computer networking and wireless communication. While several experimental mobile computing platforms have sprung up, much research is needed to overcome technological obstacles in low power system design, sustainable battery life, unreliability and limited bandwidth of the wireless channel.
Mobile Computing addresses some aspects of this new but rapidly growing field of research. A total of eight papers span the areas of protocols, network architecture, and performance issues. All of the papers deal with the complexities of host mobility in a wireless setting. They expose several challenges that affect system design of mobile computing networks at various levels. By addressing these challenges in an efficient and cost-effective manner, it is hoped that user-friendly, seamless and faster networks will emerge to serve the sophisticated and demanding applications of mobile users.
Mobile Computing serves as an excellent reference, providing insights into some of the most important issues in mobile and wireless computing.

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The desire and the necessity for accessing and processing information stored in computer networks `anytime and anywhere' has been the impetus for the growing interest in mobile computing research. Wired computing networks and end devices such as PCs and workstations have effectively extended the data-only networking capability of a few years ago to sophisticated multimedia networking. The cost of such transformation to the end user turns out to be very nominal. Undoubtedly the wireless access technology has given a big boost to mobile cellular telephony and data networking.
Processing general purpose multimedia information requires, besides higher bandwidth, means for controlling the available bandwidth and caring for quality of service issues. This problem is accentuated by the need for providing such service in the presence of wireless physical layer and host mobility. Thus, tetherless and ubiquitous mobile and wireless computing systems should carefully combine advances in computer networking and wireless communication. While several experimental mobile computing platforms have sprung up, much research is needed to overcome technological obstacles in low power system design, sustainable battery life, unreliability and limited bandwidth of the wireless channel.
Mobile Computing addresses some aspects of this new but rapidly growing field of research. A total of eight papers span the areas of protocols, network architecture, and performance issues. All of the papers deal with the complexities of host mobility in a wireless setting. They expose several challenges that affect system design of mobile computing networks at various levels. By addressing these challenges in an efficient and cost-effective manner, it is hoped that user-friendly, seamless and faster networks will emerge to serve the sophisticated and demanding applications of mobile users.
Mobile Computing serves as an excellent reference, providing insights into some of the most important issues in mobile and wireless computing.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxii
Introduction to Mobile Computing....Pages 1-43
The Parctab Ubiquitous Computing Experiment....Pages 45-101
Scalable Support for Transparent Mobile Internetworking....Pages 103-128
Location Management for Networks with Mobile Users....Pages 129-152
Dynamic Source Routing in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks....Pages 153-181
Routing Over Multi-Hop Wireless Network of Mobile Computers....Pages 183-205
Improving the Performance of Reliable Transport Protocols in Mobile Computing Environments....Pages 207-228
Indirect Transport Layer Protocols for Mobile Wireless Environment....Pages 229-252
Connecting Mobile Workstations to the Internet Over a Digital Cellular Telephone Network....Pages 253-270
Asynchronous Video: Coordinated Video Coding and Transport for Heterogeneous Networks with Wireless Access....Pages 271-298
Wireless Publishing: Issues and Solutions....Pages 299-329
Broadcast Disks: Data Management for Asymmetric Communication Environments....Pages 331-361
Application Design for Wireless Computing....Pages 363-373
Mobisaic: An Information System for a Mobile Wireless Computing Environment....Pages 375-395
Providing Location Information in a Ubiquitous Computing Environment....Pages 397-423
Unix for Nomads: Making Unix Support Mobile Computing....Pages 425-448
Scheduling for Reduced CPU Energy....Pages 449-471
Storage Alternatives for Mobile Computers....Pages 473-505
Disconnected Operation in the Coda File System....Pages 507-535
Experience with Disconnected Operation in a Mobile Computing Environment....Pages 537-570
Mobility Support for Sales and Inventory Applications....Pages 571-594
Strategies for Query Processing in Mobile Computing....Pages 595-620
The Case for Wireless Overlay Networks....Pages 621-650
The Diana Approach to Mobile Computing....Pages 651-679
The CMU Mobile Computers and Their Application for Maintenance....Pages 681-698
Genesis and Advanced Traveler Information Systems....Pages 699-723
Back Matter....Pages 725-728

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The desire and the necessity for accessing and processing information stored in computer networks `anytime and anywhere' has been the impetus for the growing interest in mobile computing research. Wired computing networks and end devices such as PCs and workstations have effectively extended the data-only networking capability of a few years ago to sophisticated multimedia networking. The cost of such transformation to the end user turns out to be very nominal. Undoubtedly the wireless access technology has given a big boost to mobile cellular telephony and data networking.
Processing general purpose multimedia information requires, besides higher bandwidth, means for controlling the available bandwidth and caring for quality of service issues. This problem is accentuated by the need for providing such service in the presence of wireless physical layer and host mobility. Thus, tetherless and ubiquitous mobile and wireless computing systems should carefully combine advances in computer networking and wireless communication. While several experimental mobile computing platforms have sprung up, much research is needed to overcome technological obstacles in low power system design, sustainable battery life, unreliability and limited bandwidth of the wireless channel.
Mobile Computing addresses some aspects of this new but rapidly growing field of research. A total of eight papers span the areas of protocols, network architecture, and performance issues. All of the papers deal with the complexities of host mobility in a wireless setting. They expose several challenges that affect system design of mobile computing networks at various levels. By addressing these challenges in an efficient and cost-effective manner, it is hoped that user-friendly, seamless and faster networks will emerge to serve the sophisticated and demanding applications of mobile users.
Mobile Computing serves as an excellent reference, providing insights into some of the most important issues in mobile and wireless computing.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxii
Introduction to Mobile Computing....Pages 1-43
The Parctab Ubiquitous Computing Experiment....Pages 45-101
Scalable Support for Transparent Mobile Internetworking....Pages 103-128
Location Management for Networks with Mobile Users....Pages 129-152
Dynamic Source Routing in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks....Pages 153-181
Routing Over Multi-Hop Wireless Network of Mobile Computers....Pages 183-205
Improving the Performance of Reliable Transport Protocols in Mobile Computing Environments....Pages 207-228
Indirect Transport Layer Protocols for Mobile Wireless Environment....Pages 229-252
Connecting Mobile Workstations to the Internet Over a Digital Cellular Telephone Network....Pages 253-270
Asynchronous Video: Coordinated Video Coding and Transport for Heterogeneous Networks with Wireless Access....Pages 271-298
Wireless Publishing: Issues and Solutions....Pages 299-329
Broadcast Disks: Data Management for Asymmetric Communication Environments....Pages 331-361
Application Design for Wireless Computing....Pages 363-373
Mobisaic: An Information System for a Mobile Wireless Computing Environment....Pages 375-395
Providing Location Information in a Ubiquitous Computing Environment....Pages 397-423
Unix for Nomads: Making Unix Support Mobile Computing....Pages 425-448
Scheduling for Reduced CPU Energy....Pages 449-471
Storage Alternatives for Mobile Computers....Pages 473-505
Disconnected Operation in the Coda File System....Pages 507-535
Experience with Disconnected Operation in a Mobile Computing Environment....Pages 537-570
Mobility Support for Sales and Inventory Applications....Pages 571-594
Strategies for Query Processing in Mobile Computing....Pages 595-620
The Case for Wireless Overlay Networks....Pages 621-650
The Diana Approach to Mobile Computing....Pages 651-679
The CMU Mobile Computers and Their Application for Maintenance....Pages 681-698
Genesis and Advanced Traveler Information Systems....Pages 699-723
Back Matter....Pages 725-728
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