Abstract: M-Health can be defined as “mobile computing, medical sensor, and communications technologies for health-care.” This emerging concept represents the evolution of e-health systems from traditional desktop “telemedicine” platforms to wireless and mobile configurations. Current and emerging developments in wireless communications integrated with developments in pervasive and wearable technologies will have a radical impact on future health-care delivery systems. This editorial paper presents a snapshot of recent developments in these areas and addresses some of the challenges and future implementation issues from the m-Health perspective. The contributions presented in this special section represent some of these recent developments and illustrate the multidisciplinary nature of this important and emerging concept.

Abstract: We present a framework for agreements in pervasive environments called the Universal Pervasive Transaction Framework (UPTF) for parties transacting in wireless insecure environments using mobile devices. We discuss one type of such agreement with commercial interest, namely mobile payments from a payer to a payee. We have implemented two complete systems for purchasing and payment with mobile devices utilizing UPTF. The first introduces a special purpose, new mobile device called the Universal Pervasive Transaction Device (UPTD) and the second utilizes J2ME-capable mobile phones.

Abstract: M-commerce has been heralded repeatedly as the new service frontier of the millennium Present market reality, however, seems to be less optimistic Therefore, the current study explores the factors contributing to the adoption of mobile services in a context of wireless finance The technology acceptance model was used as a point of departure For this study, perceived cost, system quality and social influence were added to the model, and the latter two displayed significant effects in the empirical research Moderating effects of the variables age, computer skills, mobile technology readiness and social influence were investigated, all of which proved to be relevant in the context presented

Abstract: This paper reports a study that attempts to explore how using mobile technologies in direct physical interaction with space and with other players can be combined with principles of engagement and self-motivation to create a powerful and engaging learning experience We developed a mobile gaming experience designed to encourage the development of children's conceptual understanding of animal behaviour Ten children (five boys and five girls) aged between 11 and 12 years played and explored the game The findings from this study offer interesting insights into the extent to which mobile gaming might be employed as a tool for supporting learning It also highlights a number of major challenges that this format raises for the organisation of learning within schools and the design of such resources

Abstract: Based on the concept of task/technology fit, a research framework and exploratory case study are presented that assess success factors and impacts of mobile business applications. Preliminary empirical evidence for the applicabilit y of the framework was obtained for a mobile electronic procurement system implemented at a Fortune 100 company. For different user groups, the relationships between the characteristics of technology and tasks, usage, and organizational impacts were analyzed. The results indicate a need for simple but highly functional mobile applications that complement existing information systems. The study provides a basis for further research to improve the design and management of business applications based on emerging technologies.

Abstract: The academic environment is undergoing a major shift, as increasing numbers of schools are ready to offer courses using mobile technology for economic and other reasons both from an instructor and student perspective. The mobile learning (m-learning) approach would necessitate changes in pedagogy, educational roles, curricular content, and classroom practices. In addition, it would also require different system architecture because it would demand massive integration of software systems. This paper presents a method for exploiting web services architecture for m-learning.

Abstract: A system (20) is disclosed for messaging between wireless mobile terminals (22) operating on wireless carrier networks (32) and networked computers (26). The mobile terminals (22) and computers (26) include client applications (28,30) for communicating messages to one another using push-to-talk modality. A server (24), located on a packet network (34) outside the wireless carrier networks (32), forwards messages between the mobile terminals (22) and the computers (26). The messages consist of text or streaming voice. The server (24) can also include gateways for forwarding messages from the mobile terminals (22) and computers (26) to external email and instant messaging (IM) users. By placing the server (24) outside wireless carrier networks (32) and using conventional packet network protocols such as the Internet protocol (IP), the system (20) provides seamless inter-carrier push-to-talk and/or instant messaging between mobile terminals (22), networked computers (26), and users of third-party email (35) and IM (37) services.

Abstract: The rapid growth of mobile telephony has fueled the expansion of the mobile Internet as a foundation for mobile commerce. Proponents claim that mobile commerce will surpass electronic commerce in growth and scope, but there is as yet no commonly accepted framework for the study of interface design for mobile commerce. Using Rayport and Jaworski's 7C's--the seven design elements of a customer interface (context, content, community, customization, communication, connection, and commerce) --as a reference framework, interfaces for mobile commerce and electronic commerce are compared. Two new elements (2M's) are identified: mobile setting and mobile device constraints. These 2M's substantially affect the design of each of the 7C's. Therefore, the 2M's and 7C's are proposed as a new framework for mobile commerce interfaces. Based on this, previous research is analyzed and suggestions for future research are generated.

Abstract: The recent growth in the mobile device market has proven the feasibility of mobile storage based consumer electronics products. One of the key features of personal mobile storage devices is the ability to synchronize content and metadata with other mobile and stationary devices. The main problem addressed is automatic data exchange and synchronization in the domain of personal mobile storage devices or personal servers. We present a synchronization framework for personal servers delivered in the form of user scenarios, derived system requirements, design decisions and a software components structure. The synchronization framework was validated through a working prototype which shows added functionality, such as: connectivity with various types of devices from different vendors, synchronization based on user preferences, content-aware synchronization filtering. In order to abstract from implementation specifics of different network protocols, a high-level object-based storage API has been defined.

Abstract: Mobile phones have been closed environments until recent years. The change brought by open platform technologies such as the Symbian operating system and Java technologies has opened up a significant business opportunity for anyone to develop application software such as games for mobile terminals. However, developing mobile applications is currently a challenging task due to the specific demands and technical constraints of mobile development. Furthermore, at the moment very little is known about the suitability of the different development processes for mobile application development. Due to these issues, we have developed an agile development approach called Mobile-D. The Mobile-D approach is briefly outlined here and the experiences gained from four case studies are discussed.

Abstract: Vehicle routing (VR) is critical in successful logistics execution The emergence of technologies and information systems allowing for seamless mobile and wireless connectivity between delivery vehicles and distribution facilities is paving the way for innovative approaches to real‐time VR and distribution management This paper investigates avenues for building upon recent trends in VR‐related research towards an integrated approach to real‐time distribution management A review of the advances to‐date in both fields, ie the relevant research in the VR problem and the advances in mobile technologies, forms the basis of this investigation Further to setting requirements, we propose a system architecture for urban distribution and real‐time event‐driven vehicle management

Abstract: Providing unperturbed Internet connectivity to mobile hosts has been studied in the IETF for some years now, and protocols such as Mobile IP and Mobile IPv6 have been developed. We are now witnessing the emergence of mobile networks, namely a set of hosts that move collectively as a unit, such as on ships and aircrafts. The protocols for mobility support therefore need to be extended from supporting an individual mobile device to supporting an entire mobile network. In this paper we examine the state-of-the-art in network mobility support. We first motivate the problem by considering typical network mobility scenarios and identify the characteristics that require new solutions. We then study the design requirements of the protocols that support network mobility. Thereafter, we review some of the current approaches for network mobility support, and discuss their strengths and weaknesses in addressing the design requirements. We conclude by identifying some open research issues in the realization of mobile networks.

Abstract: A system for using mobile phones for the purpose generating instant and permanent publishing of text, images and audio files as so-called “mBlogs” over mobile networks (106). The system allows the user to generate and publish text, attach image files (502) and audio files (602) with time (112) and location (110) of the event as a non-revocable and integral part of the published content. Users are allowed to view and interact with the published content with mobile phones over mobile networks. The system allows for sorting of content by category and by indexing the material by the operator of a mobile network and allows the users of mBlogs to search for content by category as well as by the means of indexing. Furthermore the system allows users to subscribe to mBlogs as multimedia messages for viewing on mobile phones over mobile networks.

Abstract: A method and mobile electronic device are provided which automatically adjust settings based on the environment of the mobile electronic device. The settings of the mobile electronic device which are adjusted may be security settings, filter settings, or status for instant messaging in dependence on the determined location of the mobile electronic device.

Abstract: Method of performing change management for a mobile data system having a mobile client device that shares data with multiple enterprise data sources involves receiving a communication from the mobile client device, wherein the client request is received at an application server and includes metadata that identifies one or more applications installed at the mobile client device, determining if an update package is available for the installed application, and updating the mobile client device and downloading the update package to the mobile client device.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for monitoring mobile communications. In one aspect, a method of monitoring mobile telephone usage is provided. The method comprises the step of relaying usage information pertaining to one or more mobile telephones to one or more other mobile telephones.

Abstract: The Mobile Collaboration Architecture is a middleware architecture for developing and deploying context-aware collaborative applications for mobile users. MoCA comprises client and server APIs, a set of core services for registering applications, the ability to monitor and infer the execution context of mobile devices, and an object-oriented framework for instantiating and customizing server proxies according to applications’ specific adaptation and context-processing requirements. MoCA facilitates the development of distributed programs that require access to individual and group context to define application-specific and dynamic adaptations. MoCA’s design focuses on simplicity, extensibility, scalability, protocol heterogeneity, and application customization.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to communication services, and more specifically to a system and method for providing communication services to mobile device users. In one example, a method of providing communication services to a plurality of mobile device users includes: entering a first set of data into a data center by a user; processing the first set of data in the data center to generate a second set of data; downloading the second set of data to a first mobile device to form a third set of data to be stored on the first mobile device; and detecting, by the first mobile device, a second mobile device according to the third set of data, and the second mobile device is located within a range of the first mobile device, and communication between the first mobile device and the data center after downloading the second set of data is not required foi detecting the second mobile device.

Abstract: We consider in this paper how to leverage heterogeneous mobile computing capability for efficient processing of real-time range-monitoring queries. In our environment, each mobile object is associated with a resident domain and when an object moves, it monitors its spatial relationship with its resident domain and the monitoring areas inside it. An object reports its location to server whenever its movement affects any query results (i.e., crossing any query boundaries) or it moves out of its resident domain. In the first case, the server updates the affected query results accordingly while in the second case, the server determines a new resident domain for the object. This distributive approach is able to provide accurate query results and real-time monitoring updates with minimal location update and server processing costs. In addition, the new scheme allows a mobile object to negotiate a resident domain based on its computing capability. Thus, a more capable object can have a larger resident domain reducing its chance of having to request a new resident domain because of moving out of it. This feature makes the new approach highly adaptive to the heterogeneity of mobile objects. In our performance study, we compare it with an existing approach using simulation. The study shows that the new technique is many times better in reducing mobile communication and server processing costs.

Abstract: Location awareness, the ability to determine geographical position, is an emerging technology with both significant benefits and important privacy implications for users of mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs. Location is determined either internally by a device or externally by systems and networks with which the device interacts, and the resultant location information may be stored, used, and disclosed under various conditions that are described. Thirteen specific privacy issues are enumerated and discussed as examples of the challenges we face as these technologies and their associated products and services are deployed. Regulation by governments, standards organizations, industry groups, public interest groups, and marketplace forces are discussed as it may help address privacy issues.

Abstract: The acceptance of next-generation mobile communication systems depends to a large extent on the services and applications that can be offered to customers. Tailoring the services to actual user needs is considered to be crucial for the success of future wireless technology. The individual user, "I", has to be put in the center of service provisioning. In this article, we report the work developed by the Working Group 2 of the Wireless World Research Forum on a service infrastructure framework for the future wireless world. Major service capabilities such as personalization, ambient awareness, and adaptability are described along with a reference model focusing in I-centric communication.

Abstract: Recent advances in mobile technologies have greatly extended traditional communication technologies to mobile devices. At the same time, healthcare environments are by nature "mobile" where doctors and nurses do not have fixed workspaces. Irregular and exceptional events are generated in daily hospital routines, such as operations rescheduling, laboratory/examination results, and adverse drug events. These events may create requests that should be delivered to the appropriate person at the appropriate time. Those requests that are classified as urgent are referred to as alerts . Efficient routing and monitoring of alerts are keys to quality and cost-effective healthcare services. Presently, these are generally handled in an ad hoc manner. In this paper, we propose the use of a healthcare alert management system to handle these alert messages systematically. We develop a model for specifying alerts that are associated with medical tasks and a set of parameters for their routing. We design an alert monitor that matches medical staff and their mobile devices to receive alerts, based on the requirements of these alerts. We also propose a mechanism to handle and reroute, if necessary, an alert message when it has not been acknowledged within a specific deadline.

Abstract: Delivering web pages to mobile phones or personal digital assistants has become possible with the latest wireless technology. However, mobile devices have very small screen sizes and memory capacities. Converting web pages for delivery to a mobile device is an exciting new problem. In this paper, we propose to use a ranking algorithm similar to Google's PageRank algorithm to rank the content objects within a web page. This allows the extraction of only important parts of web pages for delivery to mobile devices. Experiments show that the new method is effective. In experiments on pages from randomly selected websites, the system needed to extract and deliver only 39% of the objects in a web page in order to provide 85% of a viewer's desired viewing content. This provides significant savings in the wireless traffic and downloading time while providing a satisfactory reading experience on the mobile device.

Abstract: With the progress of mobile GIS technology there is a great potential for adopting wireless communications and Internet mapping services for regional environmental management programs and natural habitat conservation. This paper provides an overview of a NASA-funded research project that focuses on the development of mobile GIS tools and wireless Internet Map Server (IMS) services to facilitate environmental monitoring and management tasks. By developing and testing wireless web-based map/image servers, mobile GIS applications, and global positional systems (GPS), this research created an integrated software/hardware infrastructure for a prototype mobile GIS application. The mobile GIS prototype allows multiple resource managers and park rangers to access large-size, remotely sensed images and GIS layers from a portable web server mounted in a vehicle. Users can conduct real-time spatial data updates and/or submit changes back to the web server over the wireless local area network (WLAN). This paper discu...

Abstract: A system and method for providing an instant messaging (IM) service via a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile network is provided. A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server is connected to the mobile network and an instant messaging service (IM) server via the Internet. The SIP server performs a proxy function for the mobile network allowing the mobile terminal connected to the Internet via the network to receive an instant messaging service from the IM server. The SIP server relays a SIP message, including an instruction word, an instant message or a processed result for an instant messaging service, between the IM server and the terminal. An additional call control according to the Internet protocol in a system is performed, which makes it possible for a user connected to the Internet via the mobile network to communicate instant messages with selected buddies or colleagues.

Abstract: In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a mobile one picture sharing system MobShare that enables immediate, controlled, and organized sharing of mobile pictures, and the browsing, combining, and discussion of the shared pictures. The design combines research on otogray, personal image management, mobile one camera use, mobile picture publishing, and an interview study we conducted on mobile one camera users. The system is based on a client-server architecture and uses current mobile one and web technology. The implementation describes novel solutions in immediate sharing of mobile images to an organized web album, and in providing full control over with whom the images are shared. Also, we describe new ways of promoting discussion in sharing images and enabling the combination and comparison of personal and shared pictures. The system proves that the designed solutions can be implemented with current technology and provides novel approaches to general issues in sharing digital images.

Abstract: Product or service information in the form of selected wireless e-commerce content is transmitted from a server to a mobile device, such as mobile telephone or personal digital assistant. The e-commerce content is transmitted either in response to an explicit user request for communication of the e-commerce content, or, in the alternative, is “pushed” to the mobile device as permitted by a user but in the absence of a specific request. The e-commerce content received at the mobile device is presented to a user by the mobile device in textual or graphical format in conjunction with an indication of a communication needed to consummate an e-commerce transaction. If the user desires to purchase the good or service represented by the e-commerce content, the user initiates the communication indicated by the e-commerce content.