A Framework for Dynamic Validation of Context-Aware Applications

Abstract

The development of context-aware applications is a complex process that involves the tasks of analysis, design, validation and implementation. This process is typically performed using context modelling approaches that consider context-awareness and apply static context model validation, at the modelling level, using Object Constraint Language rules. This paper proposes a framework that combines the Model Driven Engineering paradigm with the Petri Nets formalism to support the development of context-aware applications. In contrast to existing context modelling approaches, the focus is on dynamic validation of context-aware applications using Petri Nets. Dynamic validation complements the static validation of context models and ensures the validity of the operational semantics of context-aware applications. The applicability of the framework presented in this work is exemplified through the development of a context-aware application prototype.