Location-independent access in mobile systems

We report on the design of a protocol for transparent, location-independent access in mobile systems. The protocol, termed Mobile Client/Server Protocol (MCSP) is an implementation of a communication layer on a mobile host and a stationary machine within the 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 wireless) environment, a surrogate process is created within the fixed network that performs 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 to the mobile environment. Of particular interest is the application of the MCSP to location-based services, for example, the intelligent vehicle highway systems