| A user profile is a structured representation of the characteristics and personal preferences of an individual user with respect to a software application or computing device. As the variety and complexity of applications and mobile devices increases, there is a growing need and interest in personalization. This situation necessitates methods of managing user profile information such that it can be accessed, updated, and potentially shared over communication networks. This thesis investigates User Profile Management (UPM) as a network-based service for managing user profile information. The major requirements for a good UPM service are defined. A reference model is proposed that includes an architecture, profile data schema, a protocol, basic command functions, and security mechanisms. A prototype UPM service and four client applications based on the reference model are developed using Java and Web services technologies. Scenarios are constructed to demonstrate the value of the UPM reference model and the Web services implementation. We conclude that the proposed referenced model provides a solid foundation for developing UPM services and that Web services technologies are suitable for implementing the reference model in a distributed network environment. |
