Chapter 5

Mobile Computing
WHAT IS MOBILITY?
A person who moves
between different geographical locations

between different networks

between different communication devices

between different applications

 What is Mobility?
Mobile computing is about both physical and logical
computing entities that move
 Physical entities

 computers change locations

 Logical entities

 a running user application or a mobile agent migrating

over internet
 New Forms of Computing
Distributed Computing (Client/Server)
 Wireless Computing

 Nomadic Computing

 Mobile Computing

 Ubiquitous Computing

 Pervasive Computing

 Invisible Computing
 Comparison to Wired Network
Wired Networks Mobile Networks
 high bandwidth
 low bandwidth
 low bandwidth variability
 high bandwidth variability
 can listen on wire
 hidden terminal problem
 need physical
 need proximity
access(security)
 higher delay
 low delay
 disconnected operation
 connected operation
 Nomadic computing
refers to limited migration

migration is within a building at a pedestrian speed

interleaved pattern of user relocation and indoor

connections

users carrying laptop with wireless access are engaged

in nomadic computing
 Mobile computing
 requires wireless network to support outdoor mobility

and handoff from one network to the next at a pedestrian

or vehicular speed

 traveler in car using laptop / smart phone / mobile device

connected with a GSM/WCDMA/HSPA phone engaged

in mobile computing
Ubiquitous computing or pervasive
computing
 refers to access to computer network all the time at any

location by any person

 can not be realized unless mobile computing matures

Nomadic – Mobile – Ubiquitous

Applications

Fixed
Network No Fixed
Wireless Wireless Network
Network Network
Network

Computing
Systems Nomadic Computing Mobile Computing

Ubiquitous Computing
Heterogeneous Wireless Communication
World
Heterogeneous Wireless Communication
World
 Heterogeneous wireless networks consists of

 Cellular networks

 WLAN networks

 other access technologies

 Users should be able to access various services from various

networks with varying properties in terms of data rates, SNR,

latency, coverage, price etc.
 Cont’d…
 Multiple devices or multi-mode devices may be used to

access various services which add to the complexity of

the system

 Mobile communication in such a scenario requires

automatic rearrangement of communication and services

 These adaptive services need to be centered around the

user since multiple networks and operators may be

present
Wireless Communication Technology
 Applications for mobile computing
 There are several applications for mobile computing including

wireless remote access by travelers and commuters, point of sale,

stock trading, medical emergency care, law enforcement, package
delivery, education, insurance industry, disaster recovery and
management, trucking industry, intelligence and military.

 Most of these applications can be classified into: (1) wireless and

mobile access to the Internet, (2) wireless and mobile access to

private Intranets, and (3) wireless and adhocly mobile access between
mobile computers.
 Factors challenging Mobile Computing
 Wireless Communication
 Implications of using wireless communication for mobile
computing
 The differences between wireless and wired media
 Mobility
 Consequences of mobility on mobile application and
system design
 Portability
 Pressures that portability places in the design of mobile
end-systems
 Wireless Communication
 Wireless network access is flexible and less location

dependent

 Wireless communication is much more difficult to achieve than

wired communication
 Wireless signals are affected by surrounding environment

 Blocking of the signals (walls etc.)

 Interference from other signal sources
 Reflections and fading
 Cont’d…
 Wireless connections are of lower quality

Lower bandwidths (bit-rates)

Higher error-rates and burst errors

More disconnections
 These factors increase the communication latency due to

 Losses and retransmissions

Retransmission timeout delays

Error control protocol processing

Short disconnections
 Cont’d…
 Wireless connections can be lost due to
Mobility that results out of coverage area roaming
Radio signal strengths drops with increasing distance
between a wireless transmitter and receiver
High interference at some locations
Other devices around that use the same frequency
band
High load on some cells
Lots of users who want to talk and access the network
at the same time
 Design Challenges
 Wireless Communication brings challenges to mobile computing
because of
 Disconnections

 Low Bandwidth

 High Bandwidth Variability

 Heterogeneous Networks

 Security Risks
 Mobile Systems and Applications should consider these issues for

good operation/functionality

performance

availability