Contextor: capture and dynamic distribution of contextual information

ABSTRACT

Without the support of adequate software infrastructures, the implementation of context sensitive interactive systems is hard to achieve in a sound way. In this article, we propose the notion of contextor, a software abstraction that supports the operational deployment of interaction contexts. We show how contextors are organized into levels of abstraction, and how these levels fit within the Arch architecture reference model for interactive systems. Based on the P2P paradigm, the contextor infrastructure is intended to support both mobility and ubiquity. Similar in spirit to the Context Toolkit, we make the differences explicit.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
        D.2.11 Software Architectures

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Prototyping

General Terms:
Human Factors, Theory

Keywords:
context modeling, human computer interaction, interaction context, software architecture, ubiquitous computing