Profile Sets (Informal)

This chapter gives an overview about possible combinations of optional components when implementing MEEP 8. The necessity to take dependencies into account makes it non-trivial to find the best combination for the own purpose.

Of course the combinations shown here are just samples and not part of the normative specification. The number of possible combinations is much higher and by far not limited to the combinations below. But those combinations are good examples for popular use cases, and many implementers may find here what they have in mind.

Java ME Embedded Profile 8 "Minimal Profile Set"

Use case: Single-Function Device

This profile set supports a single application model and is defined to cover use cases of small edge-node devices with a limited and focused set of functionality and where footprint must be minimized.

Example: Smart sensors.

These devices are typically connected directly to peripheral I/O and/or have limited networking capabilities, limited remote management capabilities, and are focused on the specific use case requirements.

The intent of this profile set is to describe the smallest possible memory footprint for very resource-constrained or low-cost embedded devices.

Typical hardware parameters are:

• Single-function device category
• Integrated peripheral I/O, such as serial, GPIO, SPI, I2C, DAC/ADC
• Limited connectivity (may be local or intermittent) or no connectivity

These devices run a single application dedicated to a specific function. The application's suite can be pre-installed or installed in a limited use-case-specific manner. The function may change over time, but is principally limited in scope and flexibility.

The following requirements apply to the single-function device application model:

• It is assumed the device is controlled by a trusted entity
• There is only (one application suite with) one application installed and running on the device at any time
• The implementation may use a provisioning model for update (or not)
• The application 'owns' the device (controls the operation of the device, is assigned maximum permissions, need not share any resources)
• The application is automatically started by the runtime when the runtime starts and executes until the runtime is terminated

The above requirements allows simplifying assumptions to be made. These are

• The application provisioning (if any) and management can be reduced to a minimum needed to support the requirements
• No application-level SWM API (javax.microedition.swm) is required
• Removal of features and optional packages designed to support a multi-application application model (MVM, concurrency, inter-application events, IMC, shared libraries, etc)

Simplified application installation:

Since only one application can be present on the device and the device is controlled by a single trusted entity, application installation can be simplified. One of two ways is possible:

1. The application' suite may be pre-installed (bundled with the runtime), in which case no post-deployment installation or update mechanism is necessary.
2. The application's suite is installed separately from the runtime through some limited and implementations-specific installation method and channel (e.g. serial port, LAN, WAN, etc)

The MEEP 8 "Minimal Profile Set" includes the following APIs/functionality:

• MEEP 8 application lifecycle based on the underlying CLDC 8 implementation with single application execution (SVM)
• MEEP 8 javax.microedition.midlet
• No, or a small number of, MEEP 8 optional packages depending on the use case.

A typical use case solution would include:

• MEEP 8 Minimal Profile Set
• Peripheral I/O API
• Few, if any, optional JSRs
• A single application of low to moderate complexity

The minimal memory needed Minimum for a combination of a single-function device without or with very few optional packages is 128 kB RAM and 1 MB Flash.

The recommended memory for a combination of a single-function device without or with very few optional packages is 256 kB RAM and 2 MB Flash (including application(s)).

Java ME Embedded Profile 8 "IMP-NG Profile Set"

Use case: Device with IMP-NG compliant implementation

The intent of this profile set is to describe a runtime which is IMP-NG compliant and which allows execution of IMP-NG-based applications without modifications.

Typical hardware parameters are:

• Full multi-function device category
• Set of peripheral I/O, such as serial, GPIO, SPI, I2C, DAC/ADC
• Networking and connectivity as required by IMP-NG

The MEEP 8 "IMP-NG Profile Set" includes the following APIs/ functionality:

• MEEP 8 application lifecycle based on the underlying CLDC 8 implementation (the execution capabilities - SVM or MVM - are irrelevant with respect to IMP-NG)
• MEEP 8 javax.microedition.midlet
• All MEEP 8 capabilities and optional packages required for IMP-NG compliance (including deprecated functionality as necessary for compatibility), with or without audio media support (being optional to IMP-NG) depending on the use case

A typical use case solution would include:

• MEEP 8 IMP-NG Profile Set
• Zero or more optional JSRs
• One or more (possibly concurrent) applications of moderate to high complexity

Java ME Embedded Profile 8 "Standard Profile Set"

Use case: Multi-Function Device

The multi-function model covers use cases where devices are more powerful, address more general use cases, and there can be one or more application suites installed and applications running at any time.

These devices typically are capable of running multiple applications, implement a wider and more flexible set of functionality, are connected to a variety of peripheral I/O, have full networking capabilities, and can be managed remotely (e.g. application provisioning and lifecycle control).

The intent of this profile set is to describe the base of a runtime which is applicable to a wide range of use cases.

Typical hardware parameters are:

• Standard multi-function device category
• Rich set of peripheral I/O, full networking

The MEEP 8 "Standard Profile Set" includes the following APIs/ functionality:

• MEEP 8 application lifecycle based on the underlying CLDC 8 implementation with multi-application execution (MVM)
• MEEP 8 javax.microedition.midlet
• Appropriate MEEP 8 capabilities (such as multi-application support, application management, shared libraries, security model, communication, events, etc) as required by the chosen optional packages and dependencies.

A typical use case solution would include:

• MEEP 8 Standard Profile Set
• Likely several  MEEP 8 optional packages, as required by the use case
• Peripheral I/O API
• Zero or more optional JSRs
• Multiple (likely concurrent) applications, modules, services, or shared libraries of varying complexity providing a combined set of functionality
• Note: It is also possible that the implementation contains support for a bitmap-oriented display and user interface, both of which are outside the scope of MEEP 8

The minimal memory needed for "standard" combination of a multi-function device with some optional packages for basic functionality, e.g. in order to enable IMP-NG backward compatibility, is 512 kB RAM and 2 MB Flash.

The recommended memory for such a combination is 1 MB RAM and 3 MB Flash (including application(s)).

Java ME Embedded Profile 8 "Full Profile Set"

Use case: Complete MEEP 8 functionality for Multi-Function Device

The intent of the MEEP 8 Full Profile Set is to describe a runtime which includes all MEEP 8 APIs/functionality, including all optional functionality (as long as the packages are not mutually exclusive). Such a Profile Set is useful for defining the maximum  functionality that can be implemented by a MEEP 8 implementation, for example for reference purposes or to describe a full MEEP 8 development platform.

Typical hardware parameters are:

• Full multi-function device category
• Rich set of peripheral I/O, full networking

The MEEP 8 "Full Profile Set" includes the following APIs/ functionality:

• MEEP 8 application lifecycle based on the underlying CLDC 8 implementation with multi-application execution (MVM)
• MEEP 8 javax.microedition.midlet
• All MEEP 8 optional packages and MEEP 8 capabilities (such as multi-application support, application management, shared libraries, security model, communication, events, etc)
• Note: It is also possible that the implementation contains support for a bitmap-oriented display and user interface, both of which are outside the scope of MEEP 8

The minimum for a "full" combination of a multi-function device with all or almost all optional packages implemented is 2 MB RAM and 4 MB Flash (including application(s)).

There is no recommended memory for this, but it is "the more the better", strongly dependent on the number and character of the applications.

Copyright (c) 2014, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.