A Generic Framework for Context Aware and Adaptation Behaviour of Reconfigurable Systems

Abstract

It is clear that the reconfiguration of mobile SDR terminals requires complex interactions between the mobile terminal and the network or application server entities. To enable mobile devices to utilize different radio access technologies and communication protocols depending on the requested application QoS and to enable development of context aware application that can adapt their level of functionality to dynamic radio resource restrictions like available bandwidth, delay and link interruptions, a generic software framework for adaptation and reconfiguration is necessary. In this paper we describe a generic technical and methodical framework for designing context awareness and adaptation behaviour that is based on formal methods, thus allowing for a sophisticated engineering approach in designing and implementing complex context aware adaptive systems. This framework supports the development of customized middleware, reconfigurable protocol stacks and adaptive application services for the three main phases of reconfiguration: profile and context management, adaptation decisions, and technical deployment.