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
Università della Calabria
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.
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Solution
Bases of
the
problem
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)
MI#1
RS232/WiFi
protocol
converter
MI#2
USB/WiFi
protocol
converter
MI#n
Access
point
Connected
to MI#1
Connected
to MI#n
MARS
WiFi
Wireless
comunication
to transfer the VI
on mobile device
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Mobile
device
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 Trigger
Set
Measurement
Instrument
VI
SubVI Init
SubVI
Global var
Acquisition
Horizontal
Trigger
Vertical
Waveform
Command
Group
Measurement
Miscellaneus
Chose of the
command cluster
of interest
VI
Graphical
User
Interface
VI Menu
channel
SubVI Set
SubVI
Sca/Res
Cluster of commands
group of the DSO
organized in the VI.
Cluster of command
group of the DSO
organized in the manual
Command
cluster #1
Command
cluster #1
Command
cluster #n
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Command
cluster #K
SubVI
SubVI
VI
cluster1 Graphical cluster …
User
Interface
SubVI
SubVI
cluster …
cluster1
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.
Measurement Procedure #2
PDA Directory
VI
Trigger
File
Data
File
Data
VI
Acquisition
Virtual Bus
PDA
Directory
File
Data
File
Data
Measurement
Procedure #2
Measurement
Procedure #1
PDA
Directory
Measurement
Procedure #n
File
Data
File
Data
VI
Measurement
VI
Visualization
Virtual
Bus
Virtual
Bus
Application Main
Measurement
Procedure #1
Measurement
Procedure #n
GUI
PDA
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INTERACTION CLIENT D-MARS
MANAGEMENT POLICY
D-MARS
CLIENT
Module
Request
Grant
Accorded
Work with
Module
Answare
Client request
Module
Grant
Not
Available
Reservation
Available
Yes
Reserve
No
No
Is TK>0
Request
evaluation
Yes
End of use
Yes
Reserved
Exit
No
Reservation
Yes
TK=TK-1
TK=TK+1
End of use
Not
Available
Not
confirm
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No
Available
Response
Send
Module
Grant
Confirm
Reserve
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
used and
identification
number
choose
each
chamber
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chamber is
not used
chamber is set parameters,
used and
alarm settings,
reservation
data transfer,
is permitted graduation of
graphical
representation
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.
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