JSR 190: Event Tracking API for J2ME

The following information has been updated from the original JSR:

2006.11.08: PFD submission - January 2007

End of PFD - April 2007

FR submission - June 2007

Updates to the Original Java Specification Request (JSR)

The Spec Lead of the JSR changed from Tira Wireless to Amdocs Management Ltd. on 2005.06.07:

Specification Lead: Shai Gotlib

E-Mail Address: shai.gotlib@amdocs.com

Telephone Number: +972 9 776 1893

Fax Number: +972 9 776 1504

Identification | Request | Contributions

Original Summary: This specification will define an optional code package that will standardize the tracking of application events on a mobile device and the submission of these event records to an event-tracking server via a standard protocol.

Section 1. Identification

Submitting Member: Tira Wireless

Name of Contact Person: Allen Lau

E-Mail Address: alau@tirawireless.com

Telephone Number: +1 416 488 1999 x300

Fax Number: +1 416 488 1988

Specification Lead: Allen Lau

E-Mail Address: alau@tirawireless.com

Telephone Number: +1 416 488 1999 x300

Fax Number: +1 416 488 1988

Initial Expert Group Membership:

Mobilitec
TELUS Mobility
Leapstone

Supporting this JSR:

Mobilitec
TELUS Mobility
Leapstone

Section 2: Request

2.1 Please describe the proposed Specification:

This specification will define an optional package that will standardize the tracking of application events on a mobile device and the submission of these event records to an event-tracking server via a standard protocol. The events will be used for purposes such as billing, usage tracking, application revocation, update notification, reviews and ratings, high-scores etc.

The API/protocol shall work with devices supporting CLDC 1.0 and up. It is designed as an optional package that can be used with many J2ME profiles, in particular MIDP 1.0 and up. As a result, the protocol between the mobile device and the event-tracking server is expected to be HTTP based, which is the only mandatory transport protocol defined in MIDP 1.0 (HTTPS shall be preferred for MIDP 2.0).

2.2 What is the target Java platform? (i.e., desktop, server, personal, embedded, card, etc.)

The minimum configuration is the J2ME CLDC 1.0.

2.3 What need of the Java community will be addressed by the proposed specification?

Currently, there is no standard J2ME API for application developers to track and communicate application events (e.g. starting an application, downloading a new level of game etc.) to a centralized server. Developers either have to incorporate proprietary APIs from different provisioning platform vendors, or the provisioning vendors have to instrument the applications in their own proprietary ways so that these application events can be posted, tracked and therefore accurately billed for. Since each application will be instrumented with the same set of event-tracking code, valuable memory is wasted for these resource-constrained devices.

A standard would streamline the application creation, certification, memory-usage as well as the event-tracking process.

2.4 Why isn't this need met by existing specifications?

No existing Java^TM API specification addresses application event tracking.

2.5 Please give a short description of the underlying technology or technologies:

See section 2.1.

2.6 Is there a proposed package name for the API Specification? (i.e., javapi.something, org.something, etc.)

javax.microedition.events

2.7 Does the proposed specification have any dependencies on specific operating systems, CPUs, or I/O devices that you know of?

No, but the device needs to support at least HTTP as mentioned in section 2.1.

2.8 Are there any security issues that cannot be addressed by the current security model?

An implementation should take advantage of the security model of the underlying environment. An important issue is how to authenticate the specific application/device/user so that the server will be able to validate the source of the event.

2.9 Are there any internationalization or localization issues?

No

2.10 Are there any existing specifications that might be rendered obsolete, deprecated, or in need of revision as a result of this work?

No

2.11 Please describe the anticipated schedule for the development of this specification.

Community draft - Fall 2002
Final release - Spring 2003

Note that this information has been updated from the original JSR. However, the expert group will ultimately determine the schedule.

2.12 Please describe the anticipated working model for the Expert Group working on developing this specification.

The expert group members will determine the nature of the working model. It is anticipated that a mixture of email discussion, feedback on regular drafts and face-to-face meetings will work well.

Section 3: Contributions

3.1 Please list any existing documents, specifications, or implementations that describe the technology. Please include links to the documents if they are publicly available.

J2ME Platform specification
http://jcp.org/jsr/detail/68.jsp

J2ME Connected, Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) Version 1.0, May 2000
http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr030/index.html
http://java.sun.com/products/cldc

J2ME Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP)
http://jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr037/index.html (Version 1.0)
http://jcp.org/jsr/detail/118.jsp (MIDP_NG)
http://java.sun.com/products/midp

J2ME Connected Device Configuration
http://jcp.org/jsr/detail/36.jsp

Tira Wireless has developed its own proprietary way to track various application events. A document describing the API will be sent to the Executive Committee as a reference. Tira Wireless has decided to open up this API to become an open standard and optionally it can be used as the basis for this JSR.

3.2 Explanation of how these items might be used as a starting point for the work.

See section 3.1.