Abstract: A method performs wireless localization data acquisition and calibration using a visual 3D model. The method includes: receiving image data and transmitter measurement data from a device; localizing the image data in the visual 3D model to determine a device location in a physical space; and using the device location and the transmitter measurement data to perform at least one of: determining transmitter fingerprint localization data and storing the transmitter fingerprint localization data in a fingerprint database; or calibrating a radio frequency (RF) propagation model for proximity estimation.

Abstract: For achieving a coordinated and opportunistic actuator control a method for controlling physical actuators in pervasive computing environments is claimed, wherein an entity—actuation space—is provided, the actuation space being configured to manage actuation requests and actuation status information, wherein at least one resource user sends one or more actuation requests to the actuation space that stores the one or more actuation requests, wherein at least one actuator resource controls at least one physical actuator on the basis of one or more of the actuation requests stored in the actuation space, wherein the at least one actuator resource sends actuation status information corresponding to one or more of the actuation requests to the actuation space, and wherein the at least one resource user and the at least one actuator resource share the actuation space. Furthermore, a corresponding system is disclosed.

Abstract: For allowing a reliable and fast determination of the position of devices with a high degree of privacy preservation a tracking system for determination of the position of devices within a wireless network is claimed, wherein the tracking system is including a number of tracking stations, each tracking station being adapted for wireless communication with at least one device. The system is characterized by a management unit for control of a tracking activity of the tracking stations. Further, an according method for tracking the position of a device within a wireless network is claimed, preferably for use with the above mentioned tracking system.

Abstract: For achieving a coordinated and opportunistic actuator control a method for controlling physical actuators in pervasive computing environments is claimed, wherein an entity—actuation space—is provided, the actuation space being configured to manage actuation requests and actuation status information, wherein at least one resource user sends one or more actuation requests to the actuation space that stores the one or more actuation requests, wherein at least one actuator resource controls at least one physical actuator on the basis of one or more of the actuation requests stored in the actuation space, wherein the at least one actuator resource sends actuation status information corresponding to one or more of the actuation requests to the actuation space, and wherein the at least one resource user and the at least one actuator resource share the actuation space. Furthermore, a corresponding system is disclosed.

Abstract: For allowing a reliable and fast determination of the position of devices with a high degree of privacy preservation a tracking system for determination of the position of devices within a wireless network is claimed, wherein the tracking system is including a number of tracking stations, each tracking station being adapted for wireless communication with at least one device. The system is characterized by a management unit for control of a tracking activity of the tracking stations. Further, an according method for tracking the position of a device within a wireless network is claimed, preferably for use with the above mentioned tracking system.

Abstract: A technique for managing the migration of mobile agents to nodes of a communication network is proposed. The trustworthiness of at least one node (102b) of the network is checked (301). In case the trustworthiness exceeds a pre-set trust threshold, a trust token for the checked node (102b) is generated (306) and the trust token is stored (303) in the network. In advance to a migration of a mobile agent (104a) to a node of the network it is verified (108, 109) if a valid trust token is existing for the corresponding node (102b). The migration of the mobile agent (104a) is restricted (107) to nodes having a valid trust token.

Abstract: In mobile computing and context awareness in mobile ad-hoc networks, node connectivity is unpredictably time-varying. A middleware entity solves the problem of automatically executing a user-defined set of actions, collected in a user profile, upon detection of events such as an attachment of a mobile terminal to the ad-hoc network, changes of the underlying network topology, the moving of mobile terminals into the physical proximity of further mobile terminals, the presence of services and/or of users within the network, and a detachment of a mobile terminal from the ad-hoc network. Thereby, the actions are invocations of services hosted on the mobile terminal or other mobile terminals interconnected via the ad-hoc network. The aforementioned profiles are stored on mobile terminals (e.g. PDAs, mobile phones, etc.) or on fixed or mobile customer-edge devices such as television sets, home gateways, etc. Also envisioned is the deployment of a distributed database holding the profiles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication device and a software for operating multimedia applications in one or more communication networks, with a computing manager unit (52) for managing and providing multimedia applications on the basis of a communication with one or more communication devices in the one or more communication networks, whereby the computing manager unit (52) controls a device discovery manager unit (58) for detecting the availability of one or more devices and/or one or more communication networks, a service discovery manager unit (56) for providing available services from and/or for said one or more communication networks, and a virtual device manager unit (60) providing a graphical user interface for controlling devices and/or services of the one or more communication networks. The present invention particularly enables mobile multimedia applications to effectively use mobile ad-hoc networks in a simple and effective way.

Abstract: A portal application implemented on a multipurpose computer provides access from a client to a multimedia service. The portal application comprises a plurality of services respectively structured according to a model-view-controller (MVC) architectural pattern and respectively comprising at least one model containing data, a controller and at least one view for the presentation of data of the model. The services are designed to communicate with each other by way of the controller. Therefore, services can be dynamically installed and removed. Due to the presence of a plurality of uses associated with a single controller, the various services are supported to produce different kinds of mark-up languages for each of a plurality of different devices.

Abstract: The invention generally related to the field of mobile multimedia middle-ware, computer networking, distributed processing systems, data bases, hand-held computers and wireless communication. A method for conveniently managing user profile information in an unified instant messaging system (7) is proposed. This method operates on a data base structure, which accommodates in a flexible way subscribers' information. More specifically, this method takes into account the mutable characteristics of the environment where subscribers' devices (9) are operating: subscribers can in fact freely modify their personal user profiles (1) as situations change and/or as they move to different geographical locations.

Abstract: A carry on service which allows a mobile device adapted for wireless communication over a permanent communication network carries information objects on behalf of other devices. Carry on information objects are transferred from a carry on user device over a wireless ad-hoc network to a carry on provider device. There, they are stored until they can be forwarded to a carry on gateway device of the permanent communication network. This device forwards the carry on information objects to an appropriate service. The service provider checks the received information objects and executes the contained service requests.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile agent system (1) for a communication unit (5, 6, 7) of a communication system, with at least one mobile agent (3) comprising an allocated agent policy (8), in which migration parameters of the respective mobile agent (3) are defined, migration control means (16) for controlling the migration behavior of a mobile agent (3) in the communication system on the basis of a current migration policy of the mobile agent (3) and current parameters of the communication system. The present invention further relates to a method for controlling such a mobile agent system (1) and allows a flexible way of controlling the migration behavior of mobile agents (3) depending on system parameters.

Abstract: In mobile computing and context awareness in mobile ad-hoc networks (502a) node connectivity is unpredictably time-varying. A middleware entity (110?) solves the problem of automatically executing a user-defined set of actions (214), collected in a user profile (210), upon detection of events such as an attachment of a mobile terminal (504) to the ad-hoc network (502a), changes of the underlying network topology, the moving of mobile terminals into the physical proximity of further mobile terminals, the presence of services and/or of users within said network, and a detachment of a mobile terminal from the ad-hoc network. Thereby, said actions (214) are invocations of services hosted on said mobile terminal (504) or other mobile terminals interconnected via said ad-hoc network (502a). The aforementioned profiles are stored on mobile terminals (e.g. PDAs, mobile phones, etc.) or on fixed or mobile customer-edge (CE) devices such as television sets, home gateways, etc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication unit and a communication method for communicating data in a communication system, with storage means (9) for storing a profile data base, said profile data base comprising parameter data describing attributes of the communication system, said parameter data being arranged in parameter sets respectively describing a collection of attributes, whereby the parameter sets are allocated to profile units so that each profile unit comprises at least one parameter set and one parameter set can be allocated to a plurality of profile units, and managing means (10) for managing said parameter data in said profile data base and for controlling a means (18) for reading and writing parameter data from and in said storage means (9). The present invention provides a flexible and efficient way to manage and retrieve profile data in communication systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of geographic information systems (GIS). The invention presents an apparatus and a method for automatic managing a database (1) of geolocation information and for providing this information to geoinformation systems of for example wireless communication systems. According to the present invention an automatic search agent is provided effecting the following steps for managing the database (1): searching (4) nodes of a network, detecting (13), if geographical position information and associate information of a location is present at the searched node, retrieving the geographical position information and the associated information of the location present at the node of the network, and automatically entering the acquired geographical position information and associated information to the geographic information database (1).

Abstract: A technique for the determination of the current position of a mobile device based on a plurality of geolocation positioning services is proposed. Different position information sources are accessed wirelessly to acquire position information. The position information thereby comprises respectively at least information about the position of the corresponding position information source. At least one of the plurality of accessed position information sources is selected depending on the values of operation parameters, such as for example availability, cost, speed, power consumption and quality of the position information, wherein the operation parameters are associated with the different position information sources. The position of the mobile device is then determined based on the position information of the at least one selected position information source.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of mobile computing and more specific to the problem of determining the current position of a mobile device (1). If the mobile device (1) can attach itself to (wireless) networks (4) covering a small geographic area, the mobile device (1) can determine its position by querying stationary nodes attached to the network about their location. According to the invention a transmission of position information from a stationary node (3) to a mobile device (1) is effected above the transport layer (layer 4) of the OSI model such that the transmission is independent from the physical type of the networks (4) and/or the transmission (2) used.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a carry on service which allows a mobile device (10, 12) adapted for wireless communication over a permanent communication network (20) to carry information objects on behalf of other devices. Carry on information objects are transferred from a carry on user device (10) over a wireless ad-hoc network to a carry on provider device (12). There, they are stored until they can be forwarded to a carry on gateway device (14) of the permanent communication network (20). This device (14) forwards the carry on information objects to an appropriate service. The service provider checks the received information objects and executes the contained service requests.

Abstract: A portal application provides access from a client (11) to a multimedia service (1). The portal application comprises a plurality of services (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) respectively structured according to the model-view-controller (MVC) architectural pattern and respectively comprising at least one model (14) containing data, a controller (13) and at least one view (12, 12′, 12″) for the presentation of data of the model. The services are designed to communicate with each other by means of the controller (13). Therefore, services can be dynamically installed and removed. Due to the presence of a plurality of use associated with one controller (13) the services are supported to produce different kind of mark-up languages for different devices.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to the field of mobile multimedia middle-ware, computer networking, distributed processing systems, data bases, hand-held computers and wireless communication. A method for conveniently managing user profile information in an unified instant messaging system (7) is proposed. This method operates on a data base structure, which accommodates in a flexible way subscribers' information. More specifically, this method takes into account the mutable characteristics of the environment where subscribers' devices (9) are operating: subscribers can in fact freely modify their personal user profiles (1) as situations change and/or as they move to different geographical locations.