Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A transformation-based approach to context-aware modelling

  • Theme Section Paper
  • Published:
Software & Systems Modeling Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Context-aware computing is a paradigm for governing the numerous mobile devices surrounding us. In this computing paradigm, software applications continuously and dynamically adapt to different “contexts” implying different software configurations of such devices. Unfortunately, modelling a context-aware application (CAA) for all possible contexts is only feasible in the simplest of cases. Hence, tool support verifying certain properties is required. In this article, we introduce the CAA model, in which context adaptations are specified explicitly as model transformations. By mapping this model to graphs and graph transformations, we can exploit graph transformation techniques such as critical pair analysis to find contexts for which the resulting application model is ambiguous. We validate our approach by means of an example of a mobile city guide, demonstrating that we can identify subtle context interactions that might go unnoticed otherwise.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heckel, R., Küster, J., Taentzer, G.: Confluence of typed attributed graph transformation systems. In: Corradini, A., Ehrig, H., Kreowski, H., Rozenberg, G. (eds.) Graph Transformation. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 2505, pp. 161–176. Springer, Berlin (2002)

  2. Bolchini C., Curino C.A., Quintarelli E., Schreiber F.A., Tanca L.: A data-oriented survey of context models. SIGMOD Rec. 36, 19–26 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Feather M.S., Fickas S., Finkelstein A., Van Lamsweerde A.: Requirements and specification exemplars. Autom. Softw. Eng. 4, 419–438 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Paternò, F., Santoro, C.: One model, many interfaces. In: Kolski, C., Vanderdonckt, J. (eds.) Proceedings of CADUI 2002, the 4th International Conference on Computer-Aided Design of User Interfaces, pp. 143–154. Kluwer, Dordrecht (2002)

  5. Schmidt D.C.: Guest editor’s introduction: model-driven engineering. Computer 39, 25–31 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Van den Bergh, J., Luyten, K., Coninx, K.: Cap3: context-sensitive abstract user interface specification. In: Proceedings of 3rd ACM SIGCHI Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems (EICS 2011), pp. 31–40. ACM Press, June 2011

  7. Schilit B., Theimer M.: Disseminating active map information to mobile hosts. IEEE Network 8(5), 22–32 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Preuveneers, D., Van~den Bergh, J., Wagelaar, D., Georges, A., Rigole, P., Clerckx, T., Berbers, Y., Coninx, K., Jonckers, V., De~Bosschere, K.: Towards an extensible context ontology for ambient intelligence. In: Markopoulos, P., Eggen, B., Aarts, E., Crowley, J.L. (eds.) Ambient Intelligence. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 3295, pp. 148–159. Springer, Berlin (2004)

  9. Dey, A.K., Abowd, G.D.: Towards a better understanding of context and context-awareness. In: CHI 2000 Workshop on the What, Who, Where, When, and How of Context-Awareness (2000)

  10. Schmidt, A., Aidoo, K.A., Takaluoma, A., Tuomela, U., Van Laerhoven, K., Van de~Velde, W.: Advanced interaction in context. In: Gellersen, H.-W. (ed.) HUC. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 1707, pp. 89–101. Springer, Berlin (1999)

  11. Coutaz, J., Rey, G.: Foundations for a theory of contextors. In: Kolski, C., Vanderdonckt, J. (eds.) Proceedings of 4th International Conference on Computer-Aided Design of User Interfaces (CADUI 2002), pp. 13–34. Kluwer, Dordrecht (2002)

  12. Brown, P.J., Bovey, J.D., Chen, X.: Context-aware applications: from the laboratory to the marketplace. Personal Communications, IEEE [see also IEEE Wireless Commun.] 4(5), 58–64 (1997)

  13. Taentzer, G.: AGG: a graph transformation environment for modeling and validation of software. In: Proc. AGTIVE 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 3062, pp. 446–453. Springer, Berlin (2004)

  14. Habel A., Heckel R., Taentzer G.: Graph grammars with negative application conditions. Fundam. Inform. 26(3/4), 287–313 (1996)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Runge, O., Ermel, C., Taentzer, G.: AGG 2.0: new features for specifying and analyzing algebraic graph transformations. In: Schürr, A., Várro, D. (eds.) Fourth International Symposium of Application of Graph Transformation with Industrial Relevance (AGTIVE’11), LNCS. Springer, Berlin (2011, to appear)

  16. Heckel, R., Küster, J.M., Taentzer, G.: Confluence of typed attributed graph transformation systems. In: Corradini, A., Ehrig, H., Kreowski, H.-J., Rozenberg, G. (eds.) Proceedings of 1st Int’l Conf. Graph Transformation (ICGT 2002). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 2505, pp. 161–176. Springer, Berlin (2002)

  17. Corradini, A., Ehrig, H., Kreowski, H.-J., Rozenberg, G. (eds.) Proceedings of 1st Int’l Conf. Graph Transformation (ICGT 2002). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 2505. Springer, Berlin (2002)

  18. Jouault, F., Allilaire, F., Bézivin, J., Kurtev, I., Valduriez, P.: ATL: a QVT-like transformation language. In: Companion to the 21st ACM SIGPLAN Symposium on Object-oriented Programming Systems, Languages, and Applications, OOPSLA ’06, pp. 719–720, New York, NY, USA. ACM (2006)

  19. Jouault, F., Kurtev, I.: Transforming models with ATL. In: Bruel, J.-M. (ed.) Satellite Events at the MoDELS 2005 Conference. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 3844, pp. 128–138. Springer Berlin-Heidelberg (2006)

  20. Kurtev, I.: State of the art of QVT: a model transformation language standard. In: Schürr, I., Nagl, M., Zündorf, A. (eds.) Applications of Graph Transformations with Industrial Relevance. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 5088, pp. 377–393. Springer, Berlin, October 2008

  21. Henricksen K., Indulska J.: Developing context-aware pervasive computing applications: models and approach. Pervasive Mobile Comput. 2(1), 37–64 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Gonzalez, S., Cardozo, N., Mens, K., Cadiz, A., Libbrecht, J.-C., Goffaux, J.: Subjective-C. In: Malloy, B., Staab, S., van~den Brand,~M. (eds.) Software Language Engineering. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 6563, pp. 246–265. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (2011)

  23. Calvary G., Coutaz J., Thevenin D., Limbourg Q., Bouillon L., Vanderdonckt J.: A unifying reference framework for multi-target user interfaces. Interact. Comput. 15(3), 289–308 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Pribeanu, C., Limbourg, Q., Vanderdonckt, J.: Task modelling for context-sensitive user interfaces. In: Johnson, C. (ed.) DSV-IS. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 2220, pp. 49–68. Springer, Berlin (2001)

  25. Limbourg, Q.: Multi-path development of user interfaces. Ph.D. thesis, Université catholique de Louvain (2004)

  26. Clerckx T., Luyten K., Coninx K.: Generating context-sensitive multiple device interfaces from design. In: Jacob, R.J.K., Limbourg, Q., Vanderdonckt, J. (eds) CADUI, pp. 281–294. Kluwer, Dordrecht (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Van den Bergh, J., Coninx, K.: Contextual concurtasktrees: integrating dynamic contexts in task based design. In: PerCom Workshops, pp. 13–17. IEEE Computer Society (2004)

  28. Dey A.K., Mankoff J.: Designing mediation for context-aware applications. ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact. 12(1), 53–80 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Van den Bergh, J., Coninx, K.: Cup 2.0: high-level modeling of context-sensitive interactive applications. In: Nierstrasz, O., Whittle, J., Harel, D., Reggio, G. (eds.) MoDELS. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 4199, pp. 140–154. Springer, Berlin (2006)

  30. Lohmann, S., Kaltz, J.W., Ziegler, J.: Model-driven dynamic generation of context-adaptive web user interfaces. In: Kühne, T. (ed.) MoDELS Workshops. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 4364, pp. 116–125. Springer, Berlin (2006)

  31. Fleurey, F., Solberg, A.: A domain specific modeling language supporting specification, simulation and execution of dynamic adaptive systems. In: Schrr, A., Selic, B. (eds.) Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 5795, pp. 606–621. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg (2009)

  32. Sama M., Elbaum S., Raimondi F., Rosenblum D.S., Wang Z.: Context-aware adaptive applications: Fault patterns and their automated identification. IEEE Trans. Softw. Eng. 36, 644–661 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium

    Sylvain Degrandsart & Serge Demeyer

  2. Institut d’Informatique, Université de Mons, Place du Parc 20, 7000, Mons, Belgium

    Sylvain Degrandsart & Tom Mens

  3. Expertise Centre for Digital Media, Hasselt University, tUL, IBBT, Wetenschapspark 2, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium

    Jan Van den Bergh

Authors
  1. Sylvain Degrandsart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Serge Demeyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jan Van den Bergh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tom Mens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sylvain Degrandsart.

Additional information

Communicated by Dr. Andy Schürr and Arend Rensink.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Degrandsart, S., Demeyer, S., Van den Bergh, J. et al. A transformation-based approach to context-aware modelling. Softw Syst Model 13, 191–208 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-012-0239-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-012-0239-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation