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devices, yet leverage each device's native capabilities.
These devices can be programmed by using the mobile WAP is an open international standard for applications
information device profile (MIDP), a set of Java APIs that uses wireless communication. Its principal application
which, together with the connected limited device is to enable access to the Internet from a mobile phones or
configuration (CLDC) provide a complete Java runtime PDAs. A WAP browser provides all of the basic services
environment. of a computer based web browser but simplified to
At the heart of J2ME are three core concepts: operate within the restrictions of a mobile phone. WAP
configuration, profile, and optional package. The defines a communications protocol as well as an
configuration is a complete Java runtime environment, application environment. In essence, it is a standardized
consisting of a Java virtual machine (VM) to execute Java technology for cross-platform, distributed computing.
byte code, native code to interface to the underlying Thus, WAP is very similar to the combination of HTML
system and a set of core Java runtime classes. A profile and HTTP except that it adds in one very important
adds domain-specific classes to a configuration to fill in feature: optimization for low-bandwidth, low-memory,
missing functionality and to support specific uses of a and low-display capability environments. These types of
device. An optional package is a set of application environments include PDAs, wireless phones, pagers, and
program interfaces (APIs) in support of additional, virtually any other communications devices.
common behaviors that don't really belong in one specific
configuration or profile. 2.5. XML (Extensible Markup Language)
2.2. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) XML establishes an open standard for defining data
elements on a Web page and business-to-business
GPRS refers to a mobile data service available to users documents. It uses predefined tags and allows tags to be
of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and defined by the developer of the page. Thus, virtually any
mobile phones. It is the world's most ubiquitous wireless data items, such as "product," "sales rep" and "amount
data service, available now with almost every GSM due," can be identified, allowing Web pages to function
network and it is a connectivity solution based on Internet like database records. By providing a common method for
protocols that supports a wide range of enterprise and identifying data, XML supports business-to-business
consumer applications. GPRS can be used for services transactions and has become the format for electronic data
such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) access, interchange and Web services. XML is recommended by
Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging the World Wide Web Consortium. In addition, it is a fee-
Service (MMS), and for Internet communication services free open standard. In mSCM the goal of it is to enable
such as email and World Wide Web (www) access. For generic SGML to be served, received, and processed.
operators, the adoption of GPRS is a fast and cost-
effective strategy that not only supports the real first wave 2.6. OTA (Over the Air)
of mobile Internet services, but also represents a big step
towards 3GSM (or wideband-CDMA) networks and OTA is a standard for the transmission and reception of
services. The implementation of GPRS requires also some application-related information in a wireless
additional nodes and changes to the now being network communications system. By simply selecting the desired
structure. content from a dedicated Internet site or phone line, the
users can receive content via SMS or WAP without the
2.3. 3G(The Third Generation) need for synching or cables. OTA messages can be
encrypted to ensure user privacy and data security. In the
Along with W-CDMA, 3G was the big rage in the late practice, as mobile devices accumulate new applications
90's, with proponents announcing that it was the Killer and become more advanced, OTA configuration has
Wireless Application because of its ability to become increasingly important as new updates and
simultaneously transfer voice data (the phone call) and services come on stream. Further more, increased
other non-voice data such as music, photographs, video, application of Java technology in wireless devices
email, instant messaging, and information downloads. 3G inevitably means there will be many more applications
networks can use a variety of present and future wireless available to download over the air.
network technologies, including GSM, CDMA, TDMA,
WCDMA, CDMA2000, UMTS and EDGE, and this 2.7. Mobile IP
flexibility seemed to make its future as the primary mobile
standard assured. Mobile IP means an Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF) standard communications protocol that is designed
to allow mobile device users to move from one network to
2.4. WAP(Wireless Application Protocol)
another while maintaining a permanent IP address. Using
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Mobile IP, nodes may change their point-of-attachment to Having received the information, the enterprises of the
the Internet without changing their IP address. This allows supply chain submit the information that they need to send
the users to maintain transport and higher-layer to the telecommunication platform. Once the integrated
connections while moving. Mobile IP is most often found telecommunication operators having received the
in wired and wireless environments where users need to information from the Internet, the next step is to store,
carry their mobile devices across multiple LAN subnets transform and separate different information. The final
with different IP addresses. In mSCM it may for example step is to send the separating information to specific
be used in roaming between overlapping wireless systems. mobile terminals. Thus, the mSCM system achieves
information interaction in different supply chain
2.8. Bluetooth enterprises and users.
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Integrated Communication Internet
Operators Network
Mobile Communication
Network Supply Chain
Platform
Mobile Communication
Service Providers Mobile Supply Chain
Platform
Mobile
Terminals
Information
Interaction
Enterprise in Enterprise in
Terminal Supply Chain Supply Chain
Users chain
Business
Activities
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In order to streamline inventory control and maintain management of all activities involved in sourcing
accurate counts, the mSCM bar coding solution can track procurement conversion or logistics management
the inventory critical to companies. The mSCM mobile activities and watches over the processes inventories and
inventory management solution includes easy-to-use other events that take place across the supply chain. There
screens for handhelds, hardware, software, are several basic steps that mSCM solution helps
implementation services, and user support that work companies manage events in the entire supply chain. The
together to provide a reliable inventory option. It also fist step is to detect existing and upcoming problems by
enables companies to incorporate bar code scanning to comparing actual performance with expected
manage parts inventory. With the mSCM bar inventory performance. The second step is to resolve problems by
control client, organizations can reduce duplicate items, merging managerial attention, holistic information, and
and enable people to track or locate key inventory items. collaborative problem-solving procedures. The third step
Furthermore, the search criteria can be configured to is to learn from historic event data. And the last step is to
search every store room for a specific part and arrange it adapt performance targets or operating procedures to
for transfer to a job location. prevent future problems.
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