Research On Adaptive Awareness In Real-Time CSCW In Heterogenous Environment

Unbalanced distribution of resources is the main problem of the heterogenous environment, when the mobile computing or embedded system communicates with the desktop system, we will be confronted with the problem of low computing ability, limited storage, limited screen size and low bandwidth network, such unbalanced distribution of resources brings new challenges to the CSCW. Adaptive Awareness in real-time CSCW in the heterogeneous environment is the main study point in this dissertation.An algorithm based on the mappings to eliminate the difference of the heterogeneous environment is introduced. By mapping, the operation object in the cooperative work space will be simpler than its original form, and the properties and topology can be adapted to the resource limited computer. Three types of mappings are presented, first is the topology mappings, which changes the topology of the original pattern to make it simple, it also contains sub-graph mapping, path merging and vertex contraction; Second is the property mappings, which is a supplement of the topology mapping, changes the value of some property in the pattern; The last is the user-defined and application-dependent policies, which is used to solve the problem that both topology and property mappings can't achieve, or satisfy the individual preference. Because mappings alter the original structure or property, the operation of varied environment may destroy the consistence of them, in order to solve this problem, a method to maintain the consistency in the cooperative work space in heterogeneous environment is proposed.A novel algorithm named multiple representations is presented to provide multiple resource required types, it includes data translation, choice of multi-representation and viewing. For the different resource composition, we must choose the best representation for the special environment. I propose a resource model, it contains four parts, according to the resource requirement of the each representation, and server can decide which one fit for the flat. But cooperative work emphasizes particularly on collaboration with each other, so we must also consider the benefit of the group besides local benefit, the benefit of the group is to minimize the difference of the each site. Local optimization and group optimization are described in this dissertation.Mapping and Multiple Representations are realized in our prototype system,which is a real-time CSCW system in heterogenous environment. The design and system picture are presented.