A Cross-Layer Context Aware Middleware Architecture for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

Is work we design a reflective context aware middleware for interoperability of protocols in adhoc smart spaces. The middleware is termed reflective since many context and services may be added to it simultaneously at any instant of time. Context typically refers to three different aspects – the environment, activity and location of the user. The profile of the user is sensed by sensor nodes, and depending on the profile appropriate services are offered to the user.

Smart spaces may consist of various heterogeneous mobile devices, sensors, atteuators, smart and dummy nodes. The context aware middleware is designed in the middleware layer – a new layer between the routing and the transport layer. All the nodes in the smart space are mobile and the middleware provides the functionality of interoperability. Seamless interoperability is obtained among the service discovery protocols in the middleware. The service discovery protocols considered in our work are Pervasive Discovery Protocol (PDP), Service Location Protocol (SLP) and the Universal plug and play Protocols (UPnP).

Our middleware design is efficient since it does not use any interfaces or plug-ins. Interoperation makes all services in different smart spaces available seamlessly to the user irrespective of the location. The middleware can serve multiple users simultaneously on varying and fixed context at the same time. To test the feasibility and efficiency of our proposed design, we simulate the middleware and its various components in a mobile adhoc environment under various network conditions using the network simulator NS-2.