Ricardo Tesoriero PhD Tesis defended in 2009.

1. PhD. Dissertation
Candidate:
Ricardo Tesoriero
Supervisors:
PhD. José Antonio Gallud Lázaro
PhD. María Dolores Lozano Pérez

2. Introduction
CAUCE Model-driven Development
CAUCE CASE tool
Conclusions and Future Work

3. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Inspiration
Major trends in computing
Calm Technology
Context awareness
Related Work
Conclusions

4. “The world is not a desktop”
“A good tool is an invisible tool. By invisible,
we mean that the tool does not intrude on
your consciousness; you focus on the task,
not the tool.”
Eyeglasses are a good tool
Mark Weiser, November 7th, 1993

5. The major trends in computing


Mainframe computing (N users 1 computer)
Personal computing (1 user 1 computer)
▪

Internet – widespread distributed computing
(transition)
Ubiquitous computing (N users - N computers)
Mark Weiser and John S. Brown (1997)

6. 
“Calm technology engages both the center and
the periphery of our attention, and in fact moves
back and forth between the two”
Mark Weiser and John S. Brown

By placing things in the periphery we are able to
attune many more things than we could if
everything had to be at the center

By re-centering something formerly in the
periphery we take control of it.

7. Context Awareness

The Context is any information that can be used to
characterize the situation of an entity. An entity is a
person, place, or object that is considered relevant to
the interaction between a user and an application,
including users and applications themselves.

A system is context-aware if it uses the context to
provide relevant information and/or services to the
user, where relevancy depends on the user's task
Understanding and using context , A. Dey, 2001

8. Context awareness feature space
User Information
Human Factors
Social Environment
User Task
Physical conditions
Physical Environment
Infrastructure
Light
Pressure
Acceleration
Audio
Temperature
Level
Flikering
WaveLenght
Location
There is more context than location, Albrecht Schmidt et al., 1999

9. Development of a set of applications in a
distributed environment
 Do not have a fixed architecture
 Deployed in heterogeneous platforms
 Connectivity affects how the information is
transported
 Multiple devices should exchange information
to carry out system tasks
 Society of entities (collaboration)
 Location of the entity
 Knowledge about which task is being performed
by entities to assist them


10. 


The capability to define metamodels to
match specific characteristics of the system,
no matter the level of abstraction it
addresses.
Tools for merging and transforming models
to reuse information from one layer of
abstraction to the next.
Tools to turn these models into source code
for different platforms

11. 
A Meta Object Facility (MOF) Metamodel for the Development of Context-Aware
Mobile Applications




Model-driven Composition of Context-aware Web Services Using ContextUML and
Aspects



Entity vision vs. service vision
Low semantic meaning (services)
Context-aware model-driven development by parameterized transformation



Handles business logic and context-dependent service behavior as two separate concerns
Focused in Web applications only (SOA) and services
Towards Context Independence in Distributed Context-aware Applications by the
Model-driven Approach



Provides contextual model independent of the application domain
Manages low level concepts only (event and service) does not support task or role concepts.
Does not take into account deployment issues, it is based on SOA
Different layers of PIMs by parameterized transformations (includes additional information)
Context is not characterized, very high level of abstraction that does not provide enough information
about context
Towards a Model-Driven Approach for Ontology-Based CAA Development: A Case
Study




Step based development
Embraces concepts such as Device, Event, Communication, Channel and Activity
Does not take into account Roles , Location, etc.
Steps are not part of a development process

12. 
Model-Driven Development of Context-Aware Services





Managing an Integrated Ubicomp Environment Using Ontologies and Reasoning




Good description of the systems
Enterprise applications only (client-server)
Lack of insulation between context and domain logic, social environment, etc.
An Ontology for Context-Aware Pervasive Computing Environments







Development process (preparation and service creation phases)
Modelling process (PI Service design, PS service design)
Low level concepts (events, queries and actions)
Lack of task, space, location and role concepts
Space composition
Location modelling is not technology independent
Notion of agent (entity)
No role based functionality
Task is taken into account
No history is supported at any level
Aspect-Oriented Model-Driven Development for Mobile Context-Aware
Computing



Combination of AOP and MDD
Attached to AspectJ
Low level concepts, instead of tasks, roles, spaces, entities and so on

13. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Conclusions
Main goal
Proposal
The analysis layer
The information layer
Analysis to information layer M2M
transformation
Mapping model
Information to source code M2T transformation

14. 
The main goal of this work is:
“The definition of a semi-formal methodology
to tackle the development of Context-aware
Applications for Ubiquitous Computing
Environments”.

15. 1.
Perform a review of the main characteristics of CAAs for UCEs.
2.
Perform a review of the most relevant design processes to
develop CAAs for UCEs.
3.
Define a methodology together with modeling languages to
specify the design of CAAs for UCEs based on the characteristics
presented in 1.
4.
Implement a CASE tool to support the defined methodology
allowing the developer to create and edit models conforming
metamodels as defined in 3.
5.
Define and implement a set of transformations to generate the
basic structure of the system source code.
6.
Apply the process to a set of scenarios that embraces most CAS
features for UCEs to prove the validity of the proposal.

16. PIM
Information Layer
Software - Characteristics
Social model
Social Metamodel
Entity Context model
EC Metamodel
Referential Space model
RS Metamodel
M2T Transformation
Space model
Space Metamodel
Information Flow model
IF Metamodel
M2M Transformation
Task model
Task Metamodel
Platform Characteristics
Mapping
model
Mapping
Metamodel
Source Code
Analysis Layer
CAS - Characteristics
PSM

17. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
Task model
Social Model
Space model
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation

18. 
The goal of this layer is the provision of
modeling tools to represent the high-level
features of CAAs for UCEs defined in (Schmidt,
1999)
Entity Factors
Social
Entity Task
Environment
Social model
Social Metamodel
Entity
Information
Time
Context-aware application feature model
Task model
Task Metamodel
Physical Environment
Physical
Infrastructure Location
Conditions
Space model
Space Metamodel

19. Introduction
Analysis layer
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation
The TaMM provides a modeling tool to
represent the relationship between tasks and
entities that are immersed into CAS for UCEs.
Based on:
Petri Nets (Workflows) – To relate tasks and entities
Regular Expressions – To express conditions that relate the TaMM models to
SoMM and SpMM models

20. Workflow Concept *
TaMM Concept
Task
Task
Condition
Condition
Sequential Routing
Task dependency
Selective Routing
Task dependency
Iteration Routing
Task dependency
Parallel Routing
Task synchronization/Communication
Process
Work session
Token
Entity session
* According to the Workflow Management Coalition.

21. -outputCondition
-routeTask
TaskOutputCondition
Join
Condition
1
*
-outputConditions
-routeTask
1
-id : int
-socialExpression : SocialExpression
-spaceExpression : SpaceExpression
-taskExpression : TaskExpression
-logicExpression : LogicExpression
-dataExpression : DataExpression
-condition
1
1
-inputConditions
1
1
1..*
Task
-id : int
TaskInputCondition
-inputCondition
-inputCondition
FinalCondition
PreCondition
InitialCondition
1
PostCondition
1 -routeTask
-routeTask
Split
*
1
-precondition
-initialConditions
1..* -postConditions
-system_1
1
-postCondition_1
-systemTask_1
-systemTasks_1
1
1
*
SystemTask
*
-system
-finalConditions
-preConditions
1..*
1
1-system
-systemTask
1
1
1
ContextAwareSystem
1
-system
-system
-id : int
-name : string
1
-system
-routeTask
RouteTask
-routeTasks
*

22. 
System Tasks

Route Tasks

23. Prefix
Condition
Attribute
Metaclass
Regular
Expression
Template
[So:]
socialExpression
SocialInstance
SocialSynchronization
SocialAlternative
Word
Concatenation
Union
socialInstance
socialExpr , socialExpr
socialExpr + socialExpr
[Ta:]
taskExpression
TaskPerformance
TaskDependence
TaskAlternative
TaskRepetition
TaskAtLeastOnce
Word
Concatenation
Union
Kleene Clausure
KleeneClausure +
socialInstance(task)
taskExpr , taskExpr
taskExpr + taskExpr
taskExpr*
taskExpr!
[Sp:]
spaceExpression
SpaceEvent
SpacePath
SpaceAlternative
SpaceRepetition
SpaceAtLeastOnce
Word
Concatenation
Union
Kleene Clausure
KleeneClausure +
socialInstance(event,space)
spaceExpr , spaceExpr
spaceExpr + spaceExpr
spaceExpr*
spaceExpr!
[Lo:]
logicExpression
LogicExpression
-
(string)
[Da:]
dataExpression
DataExpression
-
socialInst(data),...

24. Introduction
Analysis layer
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation
The SoMM provides the specification of the
relationships among individuals and group of
individuals that are part of a CAS.
Based on
Subset of Penichet’s Organization Structure Diagram (OSD)

25.  Elements
▪ Individual: represents particular entity instances (a
token in the workflow during a work session)
▪ Role: represents the characteristics of a group of entities
 Relationships
▪ Initialization: represents the “plays” relationship
▪ Specialization: represents inheritance

26. -realizes
-source
Realization
0..*
1
-id : int
-name : string
1
-realizations
-isRealizedByIndividual
0..*
SocialInstance
Instance
-individuals
0..*
-target
Role
11
Society
1
-society
-governedBy
-children
-source
-parent
0..*
0..*
-name : string
-society
Specialization
1
1
1
0..*
-id : int
-name : string
-target
-society
0..*
-generalizations
1
-society

27. Social model
Task model
Task model
X
Social model

28. Expresses task alternatives according to entity roles
Social model
Task model
X

29. Expresses tasks performed by actors belonging to different roles
Social model
Task model
any time
any time

30. Expresses task concurrency or parallelism between two or more entities
Social model
Task model
same time
same time

31. Expresses a synchronization points among entities
Social model
Task model
same time
same time

32. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation
The main goal of SpMM is the expression of
location aware characteristics of CAS for UCEs
Basic concepts:
Positioning reference (space)
Space granularity (composition / grouping)
Space characteristics (generalization)
Time (regular expressions)

33. 1
-universe
Universe
-universe
-id : int
-name : string
LocartionUnit
-universe
1
-child
Space
1
1
1
-universe
1
-universe
-groupedBy
0..*
0..*
1
-id : int
-name : string
-virtualSpaces
-locationUnit
-generalizes
0..*
1
-physicalSpaces
0..*
Grouping
VirtualSpace
-groupRelationships
PhysicalSpace
1
-parent
-contains
0..*
-parent
1
-parent
0..1
-inclusions
Contention
0..*
-container
0..*
-innerSpaces
1
0..*
-generalizations
-generalizes
0..*
1
Generalization
-child
-generalizedBy
0..*

35. Expresses task execution restrictions according to entity location
Space model
Task model
X

36. Expresses task execution restrictions according entity location history
Space model
Task model
X

37. 
Syntax sugar (abbreviations)

How to represent concepts






Initialization
Pre-conditions
Post-conditions
Roles vs. Instances
Expression calculus
Empty expression interpretations

Extensions (to represent CTT constructors)

Comparison to related work
 Based on Schmidt characteristics we expose the advantages of
this approach compared to related work

38. Introduction
Analysis layer
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Information Flow model
Entity Context model
Referential Space model
Conclusions
Transformation

39. 
The goal of this layer is the provision of modeling
tools for designers to represent the context of an
entity from the software perspective.
communication Information Flow
features
Metamodel
referential
features
Space Reference
Metamodel
Entity Context contextual
Metamodel
features
Entity Core
Metamodel
Software perspective of a CAS
essential
features
Intra-entity view
Inter-entity view
Two views of the system

40. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
(Inter-entity view)
Conclusions
Transformation
The goal of the IFMM is the description of the
information flows among entities of a CASs for
UCEs
Basic concepts
Entities involved in the system
The Information flow data exchange through information flows among
entities
The Information flow data definition
How Information is delivered

41. 1
SystemInformationFlow
-id : int
-name : string
1
-system
*
-entities
-system
-target -incomingInformationFlows
ContextAwareEntity
InformationFlow
-id : int
-name : string
+incomingFlow(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
-source -ongoingInformationFlows
1
*
1
CollectionDataDefinition
-name : string
-id : int
+flow()
1
*
-system
*
VaraibleDataDefinition
-name : string
1
-flow
-pointToPointInformationFlows
PointToPointInformationFlow
*
-broadcastInformaitonFlows
BroadcastInformationFlow
-data
-data
UnaryOperationDataDefinition
OutputData
Data
*
NotEmptyCollectionDataDefinition
InputData
1
-param
-param2
1
DataDefinition
*
TerminalDataDefinition
-definition
-name : string
SequenceDataDefinition
-param1
1
TypeDataDefinition
BinaryOperationDataDefinition
AlternativeDataDefinition
ConstantDataDefinition
1

42. Point to Point information flow
Entity
Output data
Input data
Entity
Broadcast information flow
Entity
Entity
Output data

43. Inf. Exchange
Actuator
Pooling
Event-driven

44. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
(Inter-entity view)
Conclusions
Transformation
The goal of the RSMM is the definition of the
runtime environment of the entity contexts in
CASs for UCEs
Basic concepts
Context –aware entity (Context-aware entity reference)
Runtime Environment (Referential Space)
Bounding Relationship (Dependence relationship)
Cardinality

45. Cardinality (a Shopping cart is associated to a single
user interface)
Cardinality (the Virtual shopping is composed by
many user interfaces)
An entity reference can be defined by the Send button
A referential space can be defined by the Login interface
Dependency relationships

47. Session modeling
Information Exchange
Information flow model
Referential space model

48. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
(Intra-entity view)
Conclusions
Transformation
The goal of the ECMM is the description of the
context that an entity is able to perceive from
the environment
Basic concepts:
Entity context
Context situation
Context Condition
Data Definition

50. Information flow
Referential space model model

51. 1
-variables
EntityCore
VaraibleDataDefinition
-entity
-core
1
-target1
-source
1
UnaryOperationDataDefinition
-name : string
*
1
1
ContextAwareEntity
1
-id : int
-name : string
+incomingFlow(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
+ongoingFlow(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
EntityContext
-entity
*
1
-context
+incoming(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
+ongoing(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
-situations
-context
1
1
ContextSituation
*
-conditions
-situation
-parent
-context
LogicMemory
-name : string
+matches(entrada flow : InformationFlow)
*
ContextCondition
DictionaryMemory
1
+satisfies(entrada flow : InformationFlow) : bool
-situation
-memory
ContextMemory
-name : string
1
SensingContextCondition
-state
+match(entrada expression : string) : bool
+update(entrada expression : string)
HolderMemory
ContextMemoryCondition
-expression
1
-actions
ContextAction
-memory
1
TimeMemory
StackMemory
-expression
-informationFlow
1
*
+execute()
-ongoingInformationFlows
1
-param
-data
InformationFlow
-incomingInformationFlows*
-action
PointToPointInformationFlow
-name : string
-id : int
+flow()
Data
-definition
DataDefinition
*
1
*
BroadcastInformationFlow
1
-flow
OutputData
1
-data

53. Context-aware sensing
Pooling
Explicit Initialization
Implicit Initialization

55. 
The underlying infrastructure
 Detailed description of semantics
 Services provided to support these models (such as, time service)
 Communication infrastructure
 How changes are propagated and assimilated by contexts
 Memory behavior description
 Memory synchronization
 How situations are executed

More patterns

Comparison to related work

56. Introduction
Analysis layer
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation
The analysis to information layer
transformation
The information layer to source code
transformation + The mapping model

57. 
Main goal:
Social model
(SoMM)
Task model
(TaMM)
Space model
(SpMM)
Multi-model Transformation (ATL)
Entity Context model
(ECMM)
Information Flow model
(IFMM)
Referential Space model
(RSMM)

58. 
The transformation is composed by:
 5 modules to process:
▪ regular expressions
▪ the Social model
▪ the Task model
▪ the Space model
▪ a common interface to access these modules
 Containing rules and helper functions

59. 
Main goal:
Entity Context model
(ECMM)
Information Flow model
(IFMM)
Model to Text Transformation (MOFScript)
Source Code
Referential Space model
(RSMM)
Mapping model
(Mapping MM)

60. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Analysis layer
CAUCE CASE
Information layer
Conclusions
Transformation
The goal of this model is the specification of the
mapping between information layer models and the
source code to be generated
Basic concepts:
•Mapping elements
•Devices
•Connections
•Definition elements
•Protocols
•Mediums
•Operating systems
•Programming languages

61. -protocol
Protocol
-type : string
-technology : string
-version : string
The same PIM can be defined for several PSMs
1
1
ConnectionPlatform
Medium
*
Connection
-medium
*
1
-protocols
1
1
-informations
-name : string
-edges
Platform
Entity
*
-name : string
-os
-entities
1
*
DevicePlatform
ProgrammingLanguage
-name : string
-version : string
-revision : string
-profile : string
Edge
-id : int
-name : string
*
*
-incoming
Information
-environment
-environment
-environment
1
1
1
1
-environment -environment
OperatingSystem
-os
-name : string
-version : string
-revision : string
*
-programmingLanguages
*
*
DevelopmentEnvironment
1
0..*
-target
* 1
*
-name : string
ConnectionToDeviceEdge
-platforms
-connections
1
-environment -environment
-ongoing
-name : string
-connection
-name : string
-version : string
-mediums
-source
-platforms
-devices
1
Device
1
-language
-target
*
1
*
-name : string
-source
-device
1
*
-ongoing
-incoming
DeviceToConnectionEdge

63. Underlying infrastructure
(Model semantics)
Modelled by
Conceptual Architecture
(Class level)
Implemented by
Compiles to
Abstract Framework
(Source code)
Generated
Source
code

64. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
CAUCE CASE Tool
Study cases
CAUCE CASE
Conclusions

65. 
The CAUCE CASE tool supports the CAUCE model-driven
development


Developed using the Eclipse platform (EMF, GMF, etc)
Editors:








The Social model editor
The Space model editor
The Task model editor
The Information Flow model editor
The Entity Context model editor
The Referential Space model editor
The Mapping model editor
Transformations
 ATL Model to Model transformation
 MOFScript Model to Text transformation

Abstract Framework structure

66. 
For validation purposes we have defined three
scenarios that cover Schmidt CAS characteristics
Scenarios
Feature Light
Controller
Healthy
Screen
Shared
Blackboard
Entity Factors
Information on Entities
X
Social environment
X
Tasks
X
Physical Environment
Physical conditions
X
Infrastructure
X
Location
X

67. Introduction
CAUCE MDD
Revision
Proposal
Implementation
Contributions
Publications
Future Work
CAUCE CASE
Conclusions

68. 
The context awareness concept

The ubiquitous computing concepts

UML, MDA, EMOF, OCL, ATL, MOFScript

Formal Methods:
 Petri Nets
 Workflows
 Regular Expressions

Related work on
 Model-driven development of CAS using MOF
 Model-driven development of CAS using UML profiles
 Ontology driven development of CAS

Implementation
 Eclipse platform (EMF, GMF, etc.)
 Java Technology

69. 
The analysis layer to define the characteristics of CAS to be developed,
composed by




The Task metamodel
The Social metamodel
The Space metamodel
The information layer to define the software characteristics of the CAS to be
developed, composed by:



The Information Flow metamodel
The Referential Space metamodel
The Entity Context metamodel

An analysis to information layer M2M transformation to turn CAS characteristics
into software artefacts

An information layer to source code M2T transformation to turn CAS software
characteristics into source code

The Mapping metamodel to specify the PSM of the system

The underlying infrastructure to describe model behaviour

A conceptual architecture to support the proposed models

An abstract framework to decouple generated code from implementation

70. 
To develop CAS for UCE we have implemented the CAUCE CASE Tool:








The Space model editor
The Task model editor
The Social model editor
The Information Flow model editor
The Entity Context editor
The Referential Space editor
ATL M2M transformation between analysis and information layer models
MOFScript M2M transformation from information layer models to source
code
 Abstract Conceptual Framework

We have also generated the source code structure for three study cases
covering all CAS for UCE characteristics exposed by Schmidt.
 The light controller
 The healthy screen
 The shared blackboard

71. 
MDA


Ubiquitous Computing



Description of interaction elements in terms of regular expressions providing a precise syntax
to describe events
Groupware


The use of semi-formal methods to model high level characteristics (Petri Nets, Workflows
and Regular Expressions)
HCI


3 metamodels and DSLs to describe CAS for UCE characteristics.
3 metamodels and DSLs to describe software characteristics of CAS for UCE
Verification and formal methods


Implementation of the CAUCE CASE tool
Some of the methods used to describe CAS for UCE may be used to describe Groupware
systems
AI and Agents

The ECMM provides designers to model entity contexts in terms of Horn clauses.

72. 
About 20 publications
 More than 25% of them were published in journals
that belong to Q1 and Q2 (JCR 2008).
 More that 50 % of them where published in
International congresses

A patent “Interaction device to explore georeferenced documents” (Spain)

73. 
Intra-layer inter-model consistency verification

Adaptation to commercial APIs and programming
interfaces

Automatic generation of code for system testing

Verification of Petri Nets properties liveness, bounderness,
etc (export to Petri Nets files)

Simulators for the task and flow models.

Metamodel extension to provide the proposed operators
in the analysis layer

Implementation of the proposed syntax sugar in the
analysis layer

74. PhD. Dissertation
Candidate:
Ricardo Tesoriero
Supervisors:
PhD. José Antonio Gallud Lázaro
PhD. María Dolores Lozano Pérez