Location-Independent Access in Mobile Systems

In this paper, we report on the design of a protocol for transparent, location-independent access in mobile systems. The protocol, termed by us Mobile Client/Server Protocol (MCSP) is an implementation of a communication layer on a mobile host and a stationary machine within the wireline network, and provides middleware functionality. The MCSP supports communication services through the client/server paradigm to transaction-oriented applications distributed between the mobile and a set of service and information brokers. To support the mobile and the wireless environment, a surrogate process is created within the fixed network to perform operations on behalf of the mobile within the fixed network. The MCSP then loosely couples the communicating entities, thus reducing the overhead associated with handoffs and disconnects, so characteristic of the mobile environment. Of particular interest is the application of the MCSP to location-based services, for example, the Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems [1].