A Software Architecture for the m-Learning

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A Software Architecture for the
m-Learning in Instrumentation and Measurement
P. Daponte, S. Rapuano Dept. of Engineering,
University of Sannio, Benevento D. Grimaldi,
DEIS University of Calabria, Rende (CS) Italy
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Outline

• LA.DI.RE. and m-learning,
• Hardware architecture of the traditional W-DMS,
• The idea underlying the Dynamical Measurement
  Application Repository Server (D-MARS),
• Architecture of the D-MARS,
• New design approach of the VI,
• Access and management policy,
• Application example,
• Conclusions.

Bases of the problem
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LA.DI.RE. and m-learning

• Services delivered
• Synchronous virtual laboratory, student follows
  on-line a laboratory activity hold by the
  teacher,
• Experiment visualization, student observes the
  automatic execution of the experiment,
• Experiment Control, student performs an
  experiment controlling remotely one or more
  instruments,
• Experiment Creation, student creates remotely the
  experiment by interacting directly the
  measurement instruments.

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Hardware architecture of W-DMS
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Trend of the research in W-DMS

• The software architecture of the W-DMS is subject
  of the research interest.
• The software architecture devoted to the
  management aspects is topical question in
  consideration of the large diffusion of W-DMS.
• The interesting aspects concern
• services in the wireless networks,
• connections with low service times,
• interaction occurring between client and
  service.

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The idea underlying Dynamical Measurement
Application Repository Server (D-MARS)
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Functionalities of D-MARS

• D-MARS provides the mobile devices with all the
  newest measurement applications any place and any
  time.
• D-MARS permits to download the VI concerning
• all the functionality of only one MI,
• the specific functionality of more MIs selected
  by the mobile user and co-operating into the
  W-DMS.

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Measurement Application Browser

• To access, download and run the measurement
  instruments stored in the D-MARS,
• the Measurement Application Browser (MAB)
• has been designed and implemented on the PDA.
• MAB can download
• full measurement application,
• the modules that the user needs.
• MAB can organize the order list of modules to
  configure the measurement procedure.

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Architecture of the D-MARS Server
side Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Web
Service in Microsoft C, running on .NET
Framework, Windows 2003 Server running Internet
Information Server 6.0 (IIS 6.0) and Microsoft
Data Engine (MSDE 2000) as Relational Database
Management System (RDBMS). PDA side MAB has
been designed and implemented by using C and
.NET Compact Framework. The Microsoft .NET
Compact Framework is a version of the .NET
Framework designed to run on PDA and mobile
phones.
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VI Traditional Design
VI Menu channel
VI Trigger Set
VI Graphical User Interface
SubVI Set
SubVI Init
SubVI Sca/Res
SubVI Global var
Cluster of commands group of the DSO organized in
the VI.
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Innovative Approach
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The criteria and the steps to be followed

• define the different logical functionalities of
  the MI
• implement the commands of each functionality in
  autonomous and self containing module
• module receives the command from their own GUI
• module exchanges command and data by virtual bus
  only
• module executes the procedure without exchange of
  command and data with others modules
• module communicates by using specific file in a
  custom XML format
• module can be written in a different language and
  communicate with the other module by using
  specific file,
• module produces a specific file in a custom XML
  format in order to save the info and to be easily
  read by different module written in different
  language

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VI design new approach
New design approach required by MAB is based on
splitting up the VI in several self-contained
modules.
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INTERACTION CLIENT D-MARS MANAGEMENT POLICY
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Application example
measurement applications composed by user on PDA
MAB on PDA login, available applications,
modules of each application, list of available
modules.
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Application example
PDA connected to the D-MARS
MAB on PDA connection to the D-MARS, selection
the VI category, download module or VI.
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Application example
configuration of the measurement procedure on PDA
The configuration of the measurement procedure
is performed on the PDA by organizing the order
list of modules by using the MAB.
MAB on PDA, GUI of trigger module, measurement
module, acquisition module.
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chamber is used and reservation is permitted
set parameters, alarm settings, data transfer,
graduation of graphical representation
chamber is not used
chamber used and identification number
choose each chamber
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Conclusions

• The use of the Mobile Device in the teaching of
  the electrical and electronic measurement and
  instrumentation has been explored.
• The functionalities of the MD has been integrated
  with the services delivered to the student by
  LA.DI.RE.
• Experiment Visualization,
• Experiment Control,
• Experiment Creation.
• In order to create the experiment by the MD, the
  VI design approach based on the module is
  adopted.
• The modules are obtained by splitting up the
  traditional VI in several functional entities
  implementing specific functionalities of the MI.
• The selection among modules allows to customize
  the measurement procedure on MD.