Chapter 14: QoS-Oriented Medium Access Control for All-IPATM Mobile Commerce Applications
The main contribution of this chapter is a novel paradigm for future m-commerce multimedia communications and applications that can be integrated with other multifunctional multimedia e-applications (e.g., e-learning, e-health, e-culture, e-work, etc.) in a cost-effective manner. We also propose an implementation of this paradigm based on our novel QoS-oriented medium access control (MAC) technology and the fully distributed all-IP/ATM architecture. The proposed QoS-oriented MAC technology, along with the all-IP/ATM architecture, will provide cost-effective broadband communication multiservice for mobile and geographically distributed users anytime and anywhere .
INTRODUCTION
The term e-commerce captures the essence of activities related to buying and selling products and services using electronic media, including the Internet, and utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, including e-mail, the World Wide Web, electronic data interchange, electronic fund transfers, and smart cards, among many others. As several authors including Gurton (1999), Taylor and Walter (1999), and Raisch (2001) note, the use of e-commerce is becoming an important new tool for the manufacturing and retail industries and an imperative new development for all industries striving to maintain a competitive edge. Companies can use the mechanisms and technologies offered by e-commerce to put their stores online, thus offering novel opportunities to a large customer population. An important feature of e-commerce is that the online store is accessible 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, to a potentially huge customer base scattered around the world.
As pointed out by many authors, among whom we cite Skok, Sims, and Doerninger (1999), Hanbury (1999), Evans and Wurster (1999), Dou and Chou (2002), and Raisch (2001), customer mobility has emerged as an important catalyst, triggering a new paradigm shift that is redefining the way we conduct business. Mobile commerce is a recent offspring of e-commerce that has seen tremendous growth in the past few years . Most of this growth can be attributed to the proliferation and maturation of wireless technologies and mobile communications. By their very nature, mobile commerce applications will rely on untethered communications. Recent technological developments have made sophisticated personal communication services (PCS) and anytime-anywhere communications a reality. This was one of the principal enabling factors for the advent and phenomenal growth of mobile commerce. It is expected that, in a few short years, user mobility will be the norm rather than the exception. In turn, mobility is creating new needs and wants for individuals and businesses in their daily actions. To be cost effective and economically viable , these applications will have to reach a wide consumer base. In turn , this suggests that a wide coverage ‚ a truly global one ‚ is a must in mobile commerce. Given that terrestrial networks only cover densely populated areas, Kaplan and Sawhney (2000) show that global coverage is only achieved by a combination of terrestrial and satellite networks. It is common knowledge that multimedia data plays an essential role in today's mobile commerce applications. Indeed, mobile commerce relies directly on multimedia data, ranging from simple ads, to sophisticated online sales catalogues, to virtual showrooms, and the like. In turn, multimedia applications are known to require stringent quality of service (QoS) guarantees including call dropping probability, bandwidth, jitter, and end-to-end delay, among others.
Our Contributions
What is the best way of providing mobile commerce applications with the desired level of QoS? What is the best paradigm for future m-commerce multimedia communications and applications systems: an integrated multifunctional multiservice system for many e-applications (e-learning, e-health, e-culture, e-work, etc.) or a specialized monoservice system? Several answers to this fundamental question are possible. The authors of this chapter are supporters of the first paradigm ‚ that of providing a cost-effective, integrated multifunctional multimedia system.
The main contribution of this chapter is a novel paradigm for future m-commerce multimedia communications and applications ‚ QoS multimedia ( virtual reality) anytime anywhere market system ‚ that can be integrated with other multifunctional multimedia e-applications (e.g., e-learning, e-health, e-culture, e-work, etc.) in a cost-effective manner. We also propose an implementation of this paradigm based on our novel QoS-oriented medium access control (MAC) technology and the fully distributed all-IP/ATM architecture.
The proposed QoS-oriented MAC technology along with the all-IP/ATM architecture will provide advanced broadband communication multiservice for the mobile and geographically distributed user at anytime, anyplace, of any kind, of any quality, and in any quantity, all in a mass-market and low-cost manner. The new advanced QoS-oriented long-delay ATM MAC technology and the fully distributed low-cost all-IP/ATM architecture are necessary to carry out these impressive goals. This chapter presents a proposal of such an advanced wireless environment technology and architecture.
The proposed QoS-oriented MFMAC technology is based on the novel TBR-RS MAC protocol. This technology uses recurrent M-sequences (RS) opportunities with the object of the main MAC mechanism's effective implementation. The efficiency of the proposed long-delay ATM MAC mechanisms ensures close to optimal capabilities. It further ensures a highly effective and fully distributed dynamic control of QoS and opens promising possibilities for all-MPLS/ATM wireless architecture.
The proposed long-delay ATM MFMAC technology opens novel opportunities to provide a whole range of communication services ‚ mobile broadband Internet/intranet/extranet access, customized infotainment, multimedia messaging, video, rich voice, location-based services for business and also consumer. The novel all-MPLS/ATM-MFMAC architecture is based on known multiprotocol techniques on the top sub-layers and common multifunctional and the proposed universal MFMAC protocol on channels' sub- layers through all networks' hierarchy ‚ core , backbone, and access networks.
