CS 395T: Mobile Computing and Wireless Networks

Spring 2002, Course ID (unique): 51505

Objectives

Mobile Computing and Wireless Networks is a young and dynamic field. The rapid advances in miniaturization of computing machinery and "untethered" communication technology, together with the visionary demands for ubiquitous access to information, have introduced new constraints and new opportunities in many traditional areas of computer science. This course will cover a broad selection of topics in data communications, resource management, network protocols, distributed computing, information management, user interfaces, applications/services, and security. Students will learn the principles of Mobile Computing and its enabling technologies, and explore a young but rich body of exciting ideas, solutions, and paradigm shifts.

Course Grading

Exams (1 midterm, no final exam): 15%
Literature presentation and class participation: 30%
Independent research project: 55%

Prerequisites

Motivation in doing systems research
Reasonable background in operating systems, networking, and distributed computing
Programming skill in C/C++
Time and dedication
Have a laptop computer

Syllabus

Introduction (0.5 week)

History
Physical and Technological Constraints
Impacts on Computer Science

Wireless Communications (0.5 week)

Radio Propagation
Media Access
Wireless Communication Systems

Wireless Networks (0.5 week)

Packet Radio Network
Wireless LAN/WAN

Mobile Networking (2 weeks)

Mobile-IP
Ad-Hoc Networks and Ad-Hoc Routing

Wireless Protocols (1 week)

Wireless TCP
Session Mobility

Information Management (1 week)

Data Dissemination and Broadcast Models
Mobile Database and Mobile Transaction

Location-Independent and Location-Dependent Computing Models (0.5 week)

Naming, Locating, and Routing
Mobility and Handoff
Location Awareness and Environmental Discovery

Disconnected and Weak-Connected Operation Models (0.5 week)

File Hoarding and File Systems

Human-Computer Interactions (0.5 week)

Reduced User Interfaces
Wearable Computing

Mobile Applications and Services (1 week)

Mobile Agents
Transcoding and Proxy Architecture
Wireless Web and WAP
Peer-to-Peer Computing in Mobile Ad-Hoc Environment

Security (1 week)

Authentication for Mobile Applications
Secure Ad-Hoc Routing
Privacy Issues

Case Study: Satellite Networks (0.5 week)

Satellite MAC
Multicast over Satellite, Asymmetric Routing
TCP over Satellite
LEO constellation and LEO routing

Contemporary Topics (1.5 week)

Issues in Power Management and Energy-Awareness Computing
Issues in Sensor Networks
Issues in Small Device and Embedded Computing
Mobile Wireless Networks Simulation

Project Discussion and Presentations (2 weeks)

Projects

Because Mobile Computing and Wireless Network is still an emerging field, many of the topics have little consensus in the research community on the best approaches. Therefore, literature studies and term projects are the most important elements of this course and it offers significant "hand-on" experience in the area. The students will be able to choose from different projects that cover different aspects and different scale of mobile computing, or suggest new projects that generate new ideas and new applications.