COMS E6998-8 Cellular Networks and Mobile Computing

Dept. of CS, Columbia University Spring 2012
Mon 6:10-8:00PM, 1220B Seeley W. Mudd Building

Instructors
Li Erran Li ,office: Computer Science Building 457

Teaching Assistants
1. Hemin Merchant (iOS platform), hkm2112@columbia.edu, office hour: Thu 4:10p-5:10p Mudd 122A
2. Jiawen Sun (Android platform), js3990@columbia.edu, office hour: Fri 3:00-4:00p Mudd 122A

Course Description: Despite the tremendous popularity of mobile applications, our user experience is hampered by the limitations of cellular networks, the mobile devices' inability to tap into cloud resources, and the cellular unfriendly application design. This seminar course will study cellular networks and mobile computing with an emphasis on principles and technologies that can greatly improve mobile user experience. Topics covered with include basics of 3G/4G cellular networks, mobile operating systems and development environments, network resource usage characterization of mobile applications, network support of mobile applications, cellular-aware application design, mobile cloud computing, future cellular network trends such as software-defined networks and dynamic spectrum access.

The course will be research and project oriented. Students will read a number of research papers on seminal topics as well as more contemporary work in the area. Basic topics such as cellular networks, iOS and Android platform will be presented by the lecturer. For advanced topics, each student will be given one 15 min slot to present an overview. The lecturer will then give an in-depth presentation for the rest of the lecture. A course project will be required. Students will be evaluated by class participation, class presentation, programming assignments and final project.

Grading: You are required to work on a research project in a team and present your work at the end of the semester. Grading will be done as follows:
50% -- Project reports, presentation/demo
30% -- Three programming assignments (10% each)
10% -- Paper presentation and summary
10% -- Class discussion participation

Prerequisites: COMS W3137 Data Structures and Algorithms, COMS W3157 Advanced Programming, COMS W3827 Fundamentals of Computer Systems or the equivalent. If you are not sure, please feel free to contact me.