Location-detection strategies in pervasive computing environments

Pervasive computing environments accommodate interconnected and communicating mobile devices. Mobility is a vital aspect of everyday life and technology must offer support for moving users, objects, and devices. Their growing number has strong implications on the bandwidth of wireless and wired networks. Network bandwidth becomes a scare resource and its efficient use is crucial for the quality of service in pervasive computing. In this article we study process models for detecting location changes of moving objects and their effect on the network bandwidth. We simulate a scenario of 10/sup 4/ moving objects for a period of 10/sup 7/ time cycles while monitoring the quality of service with respect to network bandwidth for different location detection strategies. The simulation shows that the class of strategies implementing a synchronous model offers better quality of service than the timed model. We conclude the article with a set of guidelines for the application of the strategies we have investigated.