8.CORBA AND NOKIA 30

The CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) is a widely distributed computing infrastructure, standardised by the Object Management Group (OMG) consortium. In short, CORBA applications are composed of objects which can be located within different machines. Objects have services and they are utilised with request messages. The CORBA hides the underlying transferring network, such as the Internet or GSM network as well as the underlying protocols, so that a user can use functions as local procedure calls.

Object services are described with an abstract language named IDL (Interface Definition Language). The IDL also provides the necessary information required to develop clients that use an object's interface operations. The interface definition specifies which member functions, data types, attributes and exceptions are available to a client, without making any assumptions about an object’s implementation. An IDL compiler is responsible for mapping IDL interfaces onto the particular programming language, such as C, C++ or Java. Thus, the programming language that is used in CORBA implementation does not have to be object- oriented.

Example applications implemented using CORBA IDL can be found at the Forum Nokia web pages; http://www.forum.nokia.com.

8.1THE NOKIA 30 GSM CONNECTIVITY TERMINAL IDLS

The Nokia 30 offers services through three IDLs: wirelessDevice, Nokia GSM connectivity terminal and Remote IO Control. The wirelessDevice IDL is common for all kinds of devices. Terminal-specific services are described in the Nokia GSM Connectivity Terminal IDL and features related to remote input/output control in the Remote IO Control IDL.

The services offered by WirelessDevice IDL are divided into four groups: Device, ParamObserver, EventObserver and IOControlObserver. The Device group has functions to handle dynamic parameters and counters. It also has functions to manage event and parameter observation. The EventObserver services are used to provide information regarding unusual events like incoming calls or network connection loss. ParamObserver functions are used in the same way, but in their case, are used to receive notification of changes in dynamic parameters. The IOControlObserver is used to indicate changes in the general-purpose input and output pins.

The Nokia GSM connectivity terminal IDL provides GSM-related operations, such as call control, SMS, USSD, supplementary service and light indicator control functions. They provide easy access to basically all mobile network services.

Remote IO Control IDL has functions for the remote control of input/output pins residing in the M2M System Connector.

All dynamic parameters and counters in the Nokia GSM connectivity terminal are described with XML (Extensible Markup Language) so they are easily available in a simple and universal format.

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