Mobile geonet: Anywhere, global and secure access to your geographic oriented information

Today, the mobile technology has set up devices and communication architectures which change the way to work and improve efficiency and interactivity. EADS Matra Systems and Information is involved into these changes and develops a generic technology, mobile geonet, which brings these new means to improve the link between people who works together. Mobile geonet is a framework to develop mobile applications with a high security level and geographic capabilities. It is based on fully networked technologies (intranet/extranet/internet). It uses common mobile devices, enhanced by localisation and communication add-ons, like GPS, GSM or satellite phones modules. All the information processed and produced by upstream activities is stored in the DB GEO database system. These can be reports, maps, satellite images, structured information, points of interest and anything else with an potential geographic component. The role of the ASP (Application Service Provider) is to integrate existing applications or provide new ones. These applications are activated whether server-side, to mine, prepare and encode data or client-side to decode, present or interact in particular means with the user. The applications and data are disseminated through an extranet server. A particular interest of distributing the client applications by the ASP is the deployment cost on all mobile and fixed terminals, which is very small, because it is automatically downloaded for each upgrade. The communication layer aims at delivering applications up to the mobile device and permits the data exchange between the mobile device and the central data repository. Different means can be used: GSM network, internet or satellite communications. The applications are adapted to the available bandwidth, especially when image parts are downloaded. The mobile device is chosen on the shelf, depending of the requirements of the application. The computer can be a very small Pocket PC or a typical portable PC. For instance, GPS modules will allow positioning, navigation through a site or a country. A modem, GSM or satellite communication module will provide a possible online connection, obviously with authentication mechanisms, as well as information retrieval, like in an internet session. The offline mode is also usable, with embedded data and downloaded applications. All application runs on the web browser of the mobile device, as well as encoding/decoding. Target applications are: Military activities; In-field information assessment, validation, acquisition and verification; Geography; Simulation of in-field crisis situations. Some known companies: SIR, 'Systeme d'Information Regimentaire' for the French army; HYPERGEO, a European Community Research and Development Program which aims to test and demonstrate the interest of mobility for tourism applications