The PARCTAB mobile computing system
Schilit, B.N.; Adams, N.; Gold, R.; Tso, M.M.; Want, R.
Workstation Operating Systems, 1993. Proceedings., Fourth Workshop on
Volume , Issue , 14-15 Oct 1993 Page(s):34 - 39
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/WWOS.1993.348175
Summary:The PARCTAB is a personal digital assistant (PDA) that
communicates via infrared (IR) datapackets to a network of IR
transceivers. The infrared network is designed for in-building use,
where each room becomes a communication cell. In contrast to the
approach used by other PDAs, most PARCTAB applications run on remote
hosts and therefore depend on reliable communication through the IR
network. The infrastructure provides reliability as well as
uninterrupted service when a PARCTAB moves from cell to cell. The
PARCTAB and a supporting infrastructure has been operational since March
1993 at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox PARC. The system currently
comprises thirty cells and twenty-five PARCTABs and will expand in the
near future. There are three types of software components in the PARCTAB
system: gateways, agents, and applications. Gateways implement a
datagram service for sending and receiving packets using IR signals.
Each tab is represented by an agent. An agent tracks the location of its
tab and provides location independent reliable remote procedure calls.
The protocols enforce security, preventing, for example, an unauthorized
application from taking control of a tab
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