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A context-aware and workflow-based framework for pervasive environments

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Abstract

Using currently available infrastructure in pervasive environments it is possible to provide intelligent mechanisms that offer people help and guidance for organizing their daily activities. In this study, a framework providing such capabilities is proposed. This framework allows users to model their daily activities in the form of workflows, which are adaptable at run-time according to context information collected in pervasive environments. A workflow engine is used for modelling and management of workflows, while a separate rule engine with complex event processing (CEP) capability is incorporated into the framework for enhancing workflow adaptation and execution. The adaptation model in the framework allows for the modelling of activities in a hierarchical manner, from high level abstract activities to more detailed ones. An event-driven architecture (EDA) is utilized for loosely coupled interaction between the workflow engine and the rule engine, allowing these engines and other context sources to exchange data among themselves. Moreover, the EDA allows incorporation of context information into the workflow models without modifying the workflow language. A level of automation higher than the level supported by workflows is proposed by processing events in pervasive environments using CEP. A prototype implementation is developed and the framework is evaluated with some real life examples that demonstrate its applicability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, TED University, Ziya Gökalp Caddesi No. 48, Kolej Çankaya, 06420, Ankara, Turkey

    Bilgin Avenoğlu

  2. Informatics Institute, Middle East Technical University, Üniversiteler Mah, Dumlupınar Blv. No: 1, Çankaya, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    P. Erhan Eren

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  1. Bilgin Avenoğlu
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  2. P. Erhan Eren
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Correspondence to Bilgin Avenoğlu.

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Avenoğlu, B., Eren, P.E. A context-aware and workflow-based framework for pervasive environments. J Ambient Intell Human Comput 10, 215–237 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12652-017-0633-y

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