A Client-Server Architecture for Context-Aware Search Application

Abstract

This paper develops a client-side context-aware search application which is built on the context-aware infrastructure. A context-aware architecture is designed to collect the mobile user’s context information, derive mobile user’s current context, distribute user context among context-aware applications, and support the context-aware applications. The context acquisition is centralized at the context server to ensure the reusability of context information among mobile devices, while context reasoning remains at the application level. Algorithms are proposed to consider the user context profiles. By promoting feedback on the dynamics of the system, prior user selection is now saved for further analysis expediting a subsequent search. A software-based proxy is set up at the client side which includes the context reasoning component. Implementation of such a proxy supports that the context applications are able to derive the user context profiles. To meet the practical demands required of a testing environment, a software simulation using Yahoo search API is provided as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of the design approach in a realistic way. The integration of user context into Yahoo search engines proves how context-aware searches can meet user demands for tailored services and products in and around the user’s environment.