Device Independence approach for ICT-based PFTL Solutions

Abstract

The different roles participating in a Paperless Freight Transports Logistics (PFTL) value chain can improve their productivity by accessing the information they need anywhere at any time in the best way. Technology currently supports desktop and mobile access to information systems but it seldom takes into account the universality of services and the need to support the vast heterogeneity of devices in the market. There is a trend in ICT development called Device Independence, tightly coupled to the concept of Service Oriented Architectures, which involves strategies for application generation and service provision for diverse device clients regardless of their hardware and software features. This work proposes an architecture which allows developers to easily define ICT solutions for the whole PFTL value chain including the generation of both desktop and mobile clients in a device-independent manner. Regarding such generation, applications and services will take into account the different roles in the value chain adapting information in a proper way for each of them. Based on all the requirements identified and the proposed architecture, the ICT developer community devoted to PFTL solutions will obtain an important reduction of the time-to-market of their software, whereas the amount of target platforms and of potential customers will be significantly increased. Finally, and more important, the users of those PFTL ICT-based solutions will obtain ubiquitous access to information systems based on software designed to cater to the identified requirements.