Showing papers on "Mobile telephony published in 2010"

A survey of mobile phone sensing

Abstract: Mobile phones or smartphones are rapidly becoming the central computer and communication device in people's lives. Application delivery channels such as the Apple AppStore are transforming mobile phones into App Phones, capable of downloading a myriad of applications in an instant. Importantly, today's smartphones are programmable and come with a growing set of cheap powerful embedded sensors, such as an accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope, GPS, microphone, and camera, which are enabling the emergence of personal, group, and communityscale sensing applications. We believe that sensor-equipped mobile phones will revolutionize many sectors of our economy, including business, healthcare, social networks, environmental monitoring, and transportation. In this article we survey existing mobile phone sensing algorithms, applications, and systems. We discuss the emerging sensing paradigms, and formulate an architectural framework for discussing a number of the open issues and challenges emerging in the new area of mobile phone sensing research.

Cloud Computing for Mobile Users: Can Offloading Computation Save Energy?

Abstract: The cloud heralds a new era of computing where application services are provided through the Internet. Cloud computing can enhance the computing capability of mobile systems, but is it the ultimate solution for extending such systems' battery lifetimes?

Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa

Abstract: Sub-Saharan Africa has some of the lowest levels of infrastructure investment ub-Saharan Africa has some of the lowest levels of infrastructure investment in the world. Merely 29 percent of roads are paved, barely a quarter of the in the world. Merely 29 percent of roads are paved, barely a quarter of the population has access to electricity, and there are fewer than three landlines population has access to electricity, and there are fewer than three landlines available per 100 people (ITU, 2009; World Bank, 2009a). Yet access to and use of available per 100 people (ITU, 2009; World Bank, 2009a). Yet access to and use of mobile telephony in sub-Saharan Africa has increased dramatically over the past mobile telephony in sub-Saharan Africa has increased dramatically over the past decade. There are ten times as many mobile phones as landlines in sub-Saharan decade. There are ten times as many mobile phones as landlines in sub-Saharan Africa (ITU, 2009), and 60 percent of the population has mobile phone coverage. Africa (ITU, 2009), and 60 percent of the population has mobile phone coverage. Mobile phone subscriptions increased by 49 percent annually between 2002 and Mobile phone subscriptions increased by 49 percent annually between 2002 and 2007, as compared with 17 percent per year in Europe (ITU, 2008). 2007, as compared with 17 percent per year in Europe (ITU, 2008). Mobile telephony has brought new possibilities to the continent. Across urban– Mobile telephony has brought new possibilities to the continent. Across urban– rural and rich–poor divides, mobile phones connect individuals to individuals, rural and rich–poor divides, mobile phones connect individuals to individuals, information, markets, and services. In Mali, residents of Timbuktu can call relainformation, markets, and services. In Mali, residents of Timbuktu can call relatives living in the capital city of Bamako—or relatives in France. In Ghana, farmers tives living in the capital city of Bamako—or relatives in France. In Ghana, farmers in Tamale are able to send a text message to learn corn and tomato prices in Accra, in Tamale are able to send a text message to learn corn and tomato prices in Accra, over 400 kilometers away. In Niger, day laborers are able to call acquaintances over 400 kilometers away. In Niger, day laborers are able to call acquaintances in Benin to fi nd out about job opportunities without making the US$40 trip. In in Benin to fi nd out about job opportunities without making the US$40 trip. In Malawi, those affected by HIV and AIDS can receive text messages daily, reminding Malawi, those affected by HIV and AIDS can receive text messages daily, reminding them to take their medicines on schedule. Citizens in countries as diverse as Kenya, them to take their medicines on schedule. Citizens in countries as diverse as Kenya, Nigeria, and Mozambique are able to report violent confrontations via text message Nigeria, and Mozambique are able to report violent confrontations via text message to a centralized server that is viewable, in real time, by the entire world. to a centralized server that is viewable, in real time, by the entire world.

Challenges and enabling technologies for energy aware mobile radio networks

Abstract: Mobile communications are increasingly contributing to global energy consumption. In this article, a holistic approach for energy efficient mobile radio networks is presented. The matter of having appropriate metrics and evaluation methods that allow assessing the energy efficiency of the entire system is discussed. The mutual supplementary saving concepts comprise component, link and network levels. At the component level the power amplifier complemented by a transceiver and a digital platform supporting advanced power management are key to efficient radio implementations. Discontinuous transmission by base stations, where hardware components are switched off, facilitate energy efficient operation at the link level. At the network level, the potential for reducing energy consumption is in the layout of networks and their management, that take into account slowly changing daily load patterns, as well as highly dynamic traffic fluctuations. Moreover, research has to analyze new disruptive architectural approaches, including multi-hop transmission, ad-hoc meshed networks, terminal-to-terminal communications, and cooperative multipoint architectures.

WCDMA for UMTS: HSPA Evolution and LTE

Abstract: As wireless communications technologies evolve, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) seems a strong candidate for providing multimedia to the handset, as well as Universal Mobile Telecommunications Services (UMTS)--which is to say common wireless communications standards over most of the world. WCDMA for UMTS sets out to decipher the standards documents of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Specifically, this book deals with the 3GPP documents on Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) for Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA). This book should prove valuable to readers who plan to implement WCDMA in hardware designs or service offerings. A series of engineering problems make up the backbone of the book, and each part of the deployment process is explained via text and calculations. For example, in the discussion on planning a radio network for WCDMA service provision, the book explains precisely how to take into account requirements (for quality of service, user capacity, and coverage) and conditions (such as terrain). Readers get formulas into which they can plug relative traffic predictions for voice, real-time data, non-real-time data, and overhead. There's also an explanation of how to interpret the formula output for deploying antennae. This is a serious engineering handbook for those who are involved in deploying WCDMA. --David Wall Topics covered: Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)--what it is, and (especially) how to implement it in a wireless network. Radio interface protocols, packet traffic, and network planning all are covered.

Mobile communication method and radio base station

Abstract: In a mobile communication method by which a mobile station (UE) transmits a control signal to a radio base station (eNB) in an uplink by using an uplink dedicated resource, different methods for determining whether or not a synchronization state is established in the uplink, are used depending on whether or not the uplink dedicated resource is set up.

Carrier aggregation for LTE-advanced mobile communication systems

Abstract: In order to achieve up to 1 Gb/s peak data rate in future IMT-Advanced mobile systems, carrier aggregation technology is introduced by the 3GPP to support very-high-data-rate transmissions over wide frequency bandwidths (e.g., up to 100 MHz) in its new LTE-Advanced standards. This article first gives a brief review of continuous and non-continuous CA techniques, followed by two data aggregation schemes in physical and medium access control layers. Some technical challenges for implementing CA technique in LTE-Advanced systems, with the requirements of backward compatibility to LTE systems, are highlighted and discussed. Possible technical solutions for the asymmetric CA problem, control signaling design, handover control, and guard band setting are reviewed. Simulation results show Doppler frequency shift has only limited impact on data transmission performance over wide frequency bands in a high-speed mobile environment when the component carriers are time synchronized. The frequency aliasing will generate much more interference between adjacent component carriers and therefore greatly degrades the bit error rate performance of downlink data transmissions.

Managing Sponsored Content Based on Usage History

Abstract: Improved search capabilities are disclosed for mobile communications devices such as cell phones, as well as improved techniques for delivering sponsored content in a mobile communication environment.

Mobile healthcare information management utilizing Cloud Computing and Android OS

Abstract: Cloud Computing provides functionality for managing information data in a distributed, ubiquitous and pervasive manner supporting several platforms, systems and applications. This work presents the implementation of a mobile system that enables electronic healthcare data storage, update and retrieval using Cloud Computing. The mobile application is developed using Google's Android operating system and provides management of patient health records and medical images (supporting DICOM format and JPEG2000 coding). The developed system has been evaluated using the Amazon's S3 cloud service. This article summarizes the implementation details and presents initial results of the system in practice.

Characterizing radio resource allocation for 3G networks

Abstract: 3G cellular data networks have recently witnessed explosive growth. In this work, we focus on UMTS, one of the most popular 3G mobile communication technologies. Our work is the first to accurately infer, for any UMTS network, the state machine (both transitions and timer values) that guides the radio resource allocation policy through a light-weight probing scheme. We systematically characterize the impact of operational state machine settings by analyzing traces collected from a commercial UMTS network, and pinpoint the inefficiencies caused by the interplay between smartphone applications and the state machine behavior. Besides basic characterizations, we explore the optimal state machine settings in terms of several critical timer values evaluated using real network traces. Our findings suggest that the fundamental limitation of the current state machine design is its static nature of treating all traffic according to the same inactivity timers, making it difficult to balance tradeoffs among radio resource usage efficiency, network management overhead, device radio energy consumption, and performance. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first empirical study that employs real cellular traces to investigate the optimality of UMTS state machine configurations. Our analysis also demonstrates that traffic patterns impose significant impact on radio resource and energy consumption. In particular, We propose a simple improvement that reduces YouTube streaming energy by 80% by leveraging an existing feature called fast dormancy supported by the 3GPP specifications.

Command and control utilizing ancillary information in a mobile voice-to-speech application

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for controlling a mobile communication facility utilizing ancillary information comprising accepting speech presented by a user using a resident capture facility on the mobile communication facility while the user engages an interface that enables a command mode for the mobile communications facility; processing the speech using a resident speech recognition facility to recognize command elements and content elements; transmitting at least a portion of the speech through a wireless communication facility to a remote speech recognition facility; transmitting information from the mobile communication facility to the remote speech recognition facility, wherein the information includes information about a command recognizable by the resident speech recognition facility and at least one of language, location, display type, model, identifier, network provider, and phone number associated with the mobile communication facility; generating speech-to-text results utilizing the remote speech recognition facility based at least in part on the speech and on the information related to the mobile communication facility; and transmitting the text results for use on the mobile communications facility.

Communication system with personal information management and remote vehicle monitoring and control features

Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a control unit in a vehicle, a vehicle data bus operable to transmit vehicle data to the control unit, and a mobile communication device having data network access. The mobile device has a self-contained mode in which the mobile communication device processes and displays the network data received via the data network and in which the control unit transmits the vehicle data to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device also has an immersive mode in which the control unit processes the network data received via the data network and in which the control unit converts the vehicle data to audible speech and plays the audible speech in the vehicle.

Recommending Social Events from Mobile Phone Location Data

Abstract: A city offers thousands of social events a day, and it is difficult for dwellers to make choices. The combination of mobile phones and recommender systems can change the way one deals with such abundance. Mobile phones with positioning technology are now widely available, making it easy for people to broadcast their whereabouts, recommender systems can now identify patterns in people’s movements in order to, for example, recommend events. To do so, the system relies on having mobile users who share their attendance at a large number of social events: cold-start users, who have no location history, cannot receive recommendations. We set out to address the mobile cold-start problem by answering the following research question: how can social events be recommended to a cold-start user based only on his home location? To answer this question, we carry out a study of the relationship between preferences for social events and geography, the first of its kind in a large metropolitan area. We sample location estimations of one million mobile phone users in Greater Boston, combine the sample with social events in the same area, and infer the social events attended by 2,519 residents. Upon this data, we test a variety of algorithms for recommending social events. We find that the most effective algorithm recommends events that are popular among residents of an area. The least effective, instead, recommends events that are geographically close to the area. This last result has interesting implications for location-based services that emphasize recommending nearby events.

System and method for security data collection and analysis

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for efficiently gathering information about applications for mobile communication devices (e.g., smartphones, netbooks, and tablets). This disclosure is also directed to a server producing assessments for applications by analyzing data from multiple sources. To gather information, a device sends information about an application to a server, which stores some or all of the information and may request additional information, if necessary. The server collects information from many devices, including devices that have varied configurations and different operating systems, by only collecting the appropriate information from each device. The server gathers the appropriate data to perform in-depth, granular mobile application analysis while minimizing overhead on devices, wireless networks, and the server. The server may collect portions of data from multiple devices, combining them on the server to produce an assessment for an application.

System and method for mobile communication device application advisement

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system and method for providing advisement about applications on mobile communication devices such as smartphones, netbooks, and tablets. A server gathers data about mobile applications, analyzes the applications, and produces an assessment that may advise users on a variety of factors, including security, privacy, battery impact, performance impact, and network usage. The disclosure helps users understand the impact of applications to improve the experience in using their mobile device. The disclosure also enables a server to feed information about applications to other protection systems such as application policy systems and network infrastructure. The disclosure also enables advisement about applications to be presented in a variety of forms, such as through a mobile application, as part of a web application, or integrated into other services via an API.

Multiple web-based content category searching in mobile search application

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for multiple web-based content category searching for web content on a mobile communication facility comprising capturing speech presented by a user using a resident capture facility on the mobile communication facility; transmitting at least a portion of the captured speech as data through a wireless communication facility to a speech recognition facility; generating speech-to-text results for the captured speech utilizing the speech recognition facility; and transmitting the text results and a plurality of formatting rules specifying how search text may be used to form a query for a search capability on the mobile communications facility, wherein each formatting rule is associated with a category of content to be searched.

Self-configuration and self-optimization for LTE networks

Abstract: With the rapid growth of mobile communications, deployment and maintenance of cellular mobile networks are becoming more and more complex, time consuming, and expensive. In order to meet the requirements of network operators and service providers, the telecommunication industry and international standardization bodies have recently paid intensive attention to the research and development of self-organizing networks. In this article we first introduce both the market and technological perspectives for SONs. Then we focus on the self-configuration procedure and illustrate a self-booting mechanism for a newly added evolved NodeB without a dedicated backhaul interface. Finally, mobility load balancing as one of the most important selfoptimization issues for Long Term Evolution networks is discussed, and a distributed MLB algorithm with low handover cost is proposed and evaluated.

MobiCloud: Building Secure Cloud Framework for Mobile Computing and Communication

Abstract: Cloud services can greatly enhance the computing capability of mobile devices. Mobile users can rely on the cloud to perform computationally intensive operations such as searching, data mining, and multimedia processing. In this paper, we propose a new mobile cloud framework called MobiCloud. In addition to providing traditional computation services, MobiCloud also enhances the operation of the ad hoc network itself by treating mobile devices as service nodes. The MobiCloud framework will enhance communication by addressing trust management, secure routing, and risk management issues in the network. A new class of applications can be developed using the enhanced processing power and connectivity provided by MobiCloud. Open research issues for MobiCloud are also discussed to outline future research directions.

Distributed coverage control and data collection with mobile sensor networks

Abstract: We study wireless sensor networks whose objective is to control the locations of mobile nodes so as to maximize the probability of detecting randomly occurring events in a mission space and to extract information from data sources, when detected, with maximal effectiveness. The control system for the mission is composed of three components executed in parallel on sensor nodes: coverage control, data source detection, and data collection. In order to maximize the joint detection probability of random events in a given mission space, we build upon a previously developed distributed gradient-based coverage control scheme to include three additional capabilities: allowing polygonal obstacles, including limited sensing field-of-view constraints, and preserving network connectivity through a provably correct algorithm using each node's routing information. In order to combine coverage and data collection, we formulate and solve a modified optimization problem with these two objectives. The interactions among the three components of the sensor network control system are discussed and simulation examples are presented to illustrate our results.

Sending a communications header with voice recording to send metadata for use in speech recognition, formatting, and search in mobile search application

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sending a communications header with the voice recording to send metadata for use in speech recognition, formatting, and search in searching for web content on a mobile communication facility comprising capturing speech presented by a user using a resident capture facility on the mobile communication facility; transmitting a communications header to a speech recognition facility from the mobile communication facility through a wireless communications facility, wherein the communications header includes at least one of device name, network type, audio source, display parameters for the wireless communications facility, geographic location, and phone number information; transmitting at least a portion of the captured speech as data through the wireless communication facility to a speech recognition facility; generating speech-to-text results utilizing the speech recognition facility based at least in part on the information relating to the captured speech and the communications header; and transmitting text from the speech-to-text results along with URL usage information configured to enable a user to conduct a search on the mobile communication facility.

Dual display mobile communication device

Abstract: A dual display mobile device comprises a first device with a first display and a second device with a second display. The mobile device can operate as a mobile cell phone. In a closed configuration of the mobile device, the first display is exposed and the second display is hidden. In an open configuration, both displays are exposed. In a detached configuration, the second device is separated from the first device and the second device can operate as a mobile phone handset. The separated first and second device can communicate wirelessly. The detachable second device allows a user to utilize the full capabilities of the mobile phone without having to remove the second device away from the user's ear, thus preserving the privacy of a phone call. The first and second displays can interact with each other or operate independently in the open, closed or detached configurations.

Cooperative distributed antenna systems for mobile communications [Coordinated and Distributed MIMO]

Abstract: Cooperative distributed antenna systems have drawn considerable attention in recent years due to their potential to enhance both the coverage and the spectral efficiency of mobile communication systems In this article the conceptual description of a cooperative DAS for mobile communications is presented together with key techniques for DASs, including distributed multiple- input multiple-output for single and multiple users, handover, and transmit power allocation Furthermore, theoretical and simulation results on the spectral or transmit power efficiency of cooperative DASs are given and compared with those on conventional collocated antenna systems It is shown that a cooperative DAS can provide very promising performance enhancements in capacity and transmit power efficiency

Performance Analysis of MUSIC and ESPRIT DOA Estimation Algorithms for Adaptive Array Smart Antenna in Mobile Communication

Abstract: Adaptive array smart antenna involves the array processing to manipulate the signals induced on various antenna elements in such way that the main beam directing towards the desired signal and forming the nulls towards the interferers. Such smart antennas are widely used in wireless mobile communications as they can increase the channel capacity and coverage range. In adaptive array smart antenna, to locate the desired signal, various direction of arrival (DOA) estimation algorithms are used. This paper investigates and compares MUSIC and ESPRIT, DOA estimation algorithms which are widely used in the design of smart antenna system. MUSIC and ESPRIT algorithms provide high angular resolution and hence they are explored much in detail by varying various parameters of smart antenna system. However simulation in this paper shows that MUSIC algorithm is highly accurate and stable and provides high angular resolution compared to ESPRIT and hence MUSIC algorithm can be widely used in mobile communication to estimate the DOA of the arriving signals.

Prolonging Network Lifetime via a Controlled Mobile Sink in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract: In this paper we explore the mobility of a mobile sink in a wireless sensor network (WSN) to prolong the network lifetime. Since the mechanical movement of mobile sink is driven by petrol and/or electricity, the total travel distance of the mobile sink should be bounded. To minimize the data loss during the transition of the mobile sink from its current location to its next location, its moving distance must be restricted. Also, considering the overhead on a routing tree construction at each sojourn location of the mobile sink, it is required that the mobile sink sojourns for at least a certain amount of time at each of its sojourn locations. The distance constrained mobile sink problem in a WSN is to find an optimal sojourn tour for the mobile sink such that the sum of sojourn times in the tour is maximized, subject to the above mentioned constraints. In this paper we first formulate the problem as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP). Due to its NP-hardness, we then devise a novel heuristic for it. We finally conduct extensive experiments by simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of network lifetime. The experimental results demonstrate that the solution delivered by the proposed heuristic is nearly optimal which is comparable with the one by solving the MILP formulation but with much shorter running time.

Systems and Methods to Process Transactions Based on Social Networking

Abstract: Systems and methods to authenticate and process requests received via social networking websites. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store data associating a first phone number of a user with an identification of the user in a social networking website; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers of mobile communications. The converters communicate with the controllers in different formats and with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor receives a request including the identification of the user, identifies the first phone number of the user based on the data stored on the data storage facility, and uses the converters to communicate with a mobile phone at the first phone number to confirm the request.

The mobile phone ‘revolution’ in Africa: Rhetoric or reality?

Abstract: ONLY SUPERLATIVES SEEM APPROPRIATE TO DESCRIBE the mobile phone 'revolution' – its impact and its potential – in Africa. Mobile phones are almost always the cheapest and quickest way to communicate, particularly when fixed-line phones and broadband internet are underdeveloped and dependent upon expensive infrastructure. The continent is home to 350 million mobile phone subscribers, and their numbers are growing faster than anywhere else in the world. The ubiquity of mobiles is matched only by the ingenuity of their users. From shantytowns to remote villages, mobile phones are being used to transfer money, monitor elections, and deliver public health messages. A large informal economy has also emerged to support the mobile sector, with people selling airtime, charging and fixing mobiles, and renting them out. Africa is truly a crucible for mobile phone innovation and entrepreneurship. Unsurprisingly, the rapid adoption of mobile phone technology by Africans and its dramatic benefits have frequently been described in unrestrained terms as ‘staggering’, a ‘remarkable phenomenon’, and a ‘revolution’. This transformation is all the more exceptional because it was largely unanticipated by the business or research communities. Notwithstanding the socio-economic advantages associated with mobile telephony, the industry also faces notable challenges and unintended consequences. Penetration rates (mobile subscriptions per 100 people) vary

Mobile communication device having multiple, interchangeable second devices

Abstract: A mobile communication device comprises a first device with a first display and multiple second devices. The second devices are releasably attachable to the first device and are interchangeable with each other. The mobile device can operate as a mobile cell phone with one or more second devices operable as a mobile phone hand set. The second devices can comprise one or more game controllers, batteries, physical keyboards and/or mobile phone handsets with a display. In a detached configuration, the first device is separated from the second devices and can wirelessly communicate with one or more of the detached second devices. In a three device configuration, the first device can send commands, control signals or content to one or more external devices in addition to the second devices.

In search of energy-efficient mobile networking

Abstract: With the proliferation of mobile fixed-power devices, energy consumption emerged as a vibrant research and development subject area in networking. Mobile devices are designed with several hard constraints such as low cost and small geometries, as well as, low heat dissipation, and operation using fixed power sources. Manufacturers have been adding an ever increasing set of features to small mobile devices, which are no longer binary-use gadgets, but fully-fledged computers. With respect to power management, several mechanisms have been introduced; but, by and large, gains in power consumption at the hardware level have been essentially traded for extended functionality. All in all, the overall operational time has not increased. For example, early GSM cellular phones could only allow for less than an hour of talk time in a single battery charge. By the late 1990s, top models, introduced through better engineering and an evolutionary development approach, featured talk times increased by a factor of 3-5. This level of performance has remained the same over the last decade, although it is well below user expectations. This article reviews the evolution from simple cell phones toward the feature-rich mobile networked devices we have come to expect from manufacturers, and explains the factors that have led to stagnation in operational time. We then turn our attention to the multiaccess nature of modern mobile devices and the respective implications for power management. We find that the current host-centric mobile networking paradigm, based on end-to-end always on connectivity, leads to energy-inefficient operation. Finally, this article introduces information-centric networking and outlines open research issues in the design of energy-efficient future Internet architectures.

Content Centric Networking in tactical and emergency MANETs

Abstract: Reliable and secure content distribution in a disruptive environment is a critical challenge due to high mobile and lossy channels. Traditional IP networking and wireless protocols tend to perform poorly. In this paper, we propose Content Centric Networking (CCN) for emergency wireless ad hoc environments. CCN is a novel communication architecture capable to access and retrieve content by name. This new approach achieves scalability, security, and efficient network resource management in large scale disaster recovery and battlefield networks. Existing Internet CCN schemes cannot be directly applied to wireless mobile ad hoc networks due to different environments and specific limitations. Thus, we must extend the CCN architecture by introducing features and requirements especially designed for disruptive networks. We prove feasibility and performance gain of the new design via implementation and experimentation.