Wireless Communication

What is WAP?
A set of protocols which allow data exchange for mobile cellular systems

The current world standard for the presentation and delivery of wireless information It is device independent
It is network independent

Current Constraints of
Wireless Interfaces:
Less Bandwidth High Latency Less Stable Connections Less Predictable Availability Diverse range of network standards

Mobile Devices:
Less CPU Power Less Memory and Storage Restricted Power Consumption Small / Variable Sized Displays Variable Input Types (Keypad, Pen, etc,)

Why Use WAP ?

Wireless networks and phones have specific needs and requirements not addressed by existing Internet technologies. WAP enables any data transport TCP/IP, UDP/IP, GUTS (IS-135/6), SMS, or USSD. The WAP architecture has several modular entities which together form a fully compliant Internet entity all WML content is accessed via HTTP 1.1 requests.

Why Use WAP ? (cont..)

WAP utilizes standard Internet markup language technology (XML)

Optimizing the content and airlink protocols

The WML UI components map well onto existing mobile phone user interfaces no re-education of the end-users leveraging market penetration of mobile devices WAP utilizes plain Web HTTP 1.1 servers leveraging existing development methodologies CGI, ASP, NSAPI, JAVA, Servlets, etc.

The WAP Architecture

Client
WML WMLScript WTAI

WAP Gateway
WML Encoder

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

WSP/WTP

WMLScript Compiler Protocol Adapters

HTTP

Content

Etc.

More Acronyms to learn

WAE - Wireless Application Environment
WSP - Wireless Session Protocol WTP - Wireless Transaction Protocol WTLS - Wireless Transport Layer Security WDP - Wireless Datagram Protocol

Comparison between Internet and WAP Models

Internet

Wireless Application Protocol

Wireless Application Environment (WAE) Session Layer (WSP) Other Services and Applications

HTML JavaScript HTTP

Transaction Layer (WTP)

TLS - SSL

Security Layer (WTLS) Transport Layer (WDP)

TCP/IP UDP/IP

Bearers:

SMS

USSD

CSD

IS-136

CDMA

CDPD PDC-P

Etc..

WAP Protocols
WSP (Wireless Session Protocol)
Provides the application layer of WAP with a consistent interface for two session services.
A connection-oriented service that operates above the transaction layer protocol WTP. A connectionless service that operates above a secure or non-secure datagram service (WDP).

WAP Protocols
WTP (Wireless Transaction Protocol)
Provide efficient request/reply based transport mechanism suitable for devices with limited resources over networks with low to medium bandwidth.
WTP Push mode allows server to push data to a client without request (e.g. notification of stock hitting target price)

WTP/WDP uses less than half the packets that TCP/IP uses to transfer the same amount of data.

WAP Protocols
WTLS
(Wireless Transport Layer Security)
A security protocol based upon the industrystandard Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, formerly known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). WTLS is intended for use with the WAP transport protocols and has been optimized for use over narrow-band communication channels.

WAP Protocols
WDP (Wireless Datagram Protocol)
The Transport layer protocol in the WAP architecture
Provides a common interface to the Security, Session, and Application layers Allows these upper layers to function independently of the underlying wireless network. This is the key to global interoperability

WAP Developers
An incomplete list of corporations currently developing WAP products and/or services:
AT&T Bell Atlantic Mobile GTE Sprint PCS US West Nextel France Telecom Telenor (Norway) Bell Mobility (Canada) Japan Telecom Nokia Ericsson Motorola Qualcomm Samsung Palm Computing (3Com) IBM Phone.com (Unwired Planet)

WML Wireless Markup Language

Tag-based browsing language:
Screen management (text, images) Data input (text, selection lists, etc.) Hyperlinks & navigation support

XML-based language
Inherits technology from HTML

WML Wireless Markup Language

Card metaphor User interactions are split into cards Navigation occurs between cards Explicit inter-card navigation model

Hyperlinks
UI Event handling History

State management and variables

Reduce network traffic Results in better caching

A WML Example
<WML> <CARD> <DO TYPE="ACCEPT" LABEL="Next"> <GO URL="#card2"/> </DO> Acme Inc.<BR/>Directory </CARD> Acme Inc. Directory _____________ Next

<CARD NAME="card2"> <DO TYPE="ACCEPT"> <GO URL="?send=$type"/> </DO> Services Services 1>Email <SELECT KEY="type"> 2 Phone <OPTION VALUE="em">Email</OPTION> 3 Fax <OPTION VALUE="ph">Phone</OPTION> ____________ <OPTION VALUE="fx">Fax</OPTION> OK </SELECT> </CARD> </WML>

Wireless Networking Technologies (PAN/LAN)

Flarion Technologies
OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)

GSM
3G (A third generation mobile technology)

Bluetooth

Bluetooth
The Bluetooth wireless technology allows users to make effortless, wireless and instant connections between various communication devices, such as mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), desktop and notebook computers. It currently provides a 2 Mbps data rate and a range of 500 ft indoors.

Bluetooth

The Bluetooth radio is built into a small microchip and operates in a globally available frequency band ensuring communication compatibility worldwide.

Software controls and identity coding built into each microchip ensure that only those units preset by their owners can communicate.

The Bluetooth wireless technology supports both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections.

POP QUIZ
1. WAP enables mobile phone users to retrieve information from the internet
TRUE FALSE

POP QUIZ
2. WML and WMLScript are based on HTML and Javascript.
TRUE FALSE

POP QUIZ
3. Which of the following is not a layer protocol in WAP ?
A. WDP B. WTP C. HTTP D. WSP

POP QUIZ
4. WAP will not provide an interface to voice-mail or prepaid systems.
TRUE FALSE

POP QUIZ
5. What does WAP stand for?
A. Wired American People

B. Wireless Appliance Programming

C. Wacky Amish Pandas D. Wireless Application Protocol

Questions ? Comments ?

Snide Remarks ?