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--- at:urbiflock [2010/08/04 17:40] – * elisag
+++ at:urbiflock [2010/08/04 17:56] – * elisag
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ==== Urbiflock architecture ====
 The architecture of the Urbiflock framework shown below is divided in three layers: applications, Urbiflock core, and Urbiflock infrastructure.
 {{ :uf:urbiflock_architecture.png?375x400 |:uf:urbiflock_architecture.png}}
-The application layer includes several core applications which are currently available in the framework such as flock and profile editors, and several users applications such as //I rate you// (IR8U), and //Guanotes//. The Urbiflock's core is composed of three main facilities specially designed to enable social interactivity and deal with the highly dynamic environment to which mobile devices exposes them: flockr, user profile and the TOTAM framework for flock communications.
+The application layer includes the API of an "application object" to be plugged in the framework. There exists several core applications:
-The infrastructure layer consists of three low-level abstractions on which the framework core is based: a RETE engine which orchestrates the flock composition, and the service discovery and communication APIs to discover and communicate with nearby applications, respectively.
+    * [[uf:viewer|Flock Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing flocks and to create new flocks.
+    * [[uf:profile_viewer|Profile Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing flockr profiles and to update your profile.
+    * [[uf:app_viewer|Application Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing applications and install/delete them.
-In the rest of this subsection we list the relevant parts of the Urbiflock framework.
+There are also several user applications in the framework:
+    * [[uf:guanotes|Guanotes]]: a messenger application that sends post-its to flocks.
+    * [[uf:ir8u|IR8U]]: an application that allows users to ask proximate users to rate them on a certain subject.
+    * [[uf:iflocku|IFlockU]] (Coming): a friend suggestor based on profile similarity and time spent in proximity.
-  * [[uf:flockr|Flockr]]: A flockr represents a user in the framework.
+The Urbiflock's core is composed of three main facilities specially designed to enable social interactivity and deal with the highly dynamic environment to which mobile devices exposes them: flockr, user profile and the TOTAM framework for flock communications.
+  * [[uf:flockr|Flockr]]: A flockr represents a user in the framework. A flockr is also the gateway that other applications can use to get information about the user or about the applications that the user has installed.
   * [[uf:profiles|User Profile]]: Profiles in Urbiflock represent the user identity (e.g. name, gender, hobbies, etc.).
-  * [[uf:flock|Flock]]: a loosely defined group of users. It is an alternative representation of user groups specially designed to enable the dynamic interaction of social networks in pervasive social applications. A flock is defined in terms of a characteristic function.
+  * [[uf:flock|Flock]]: a loosely defined group of users. It is an alternative representation of user groups that allows the semantic specification of user groups in a modular manner and manages the constant changes of the group's contents in mobile social networking applications in an event-driven way. A basic flock is defined in terms of a characteristic function. Basic flocks can be composed to form more complex flocks (e.g. "nearby flockrs who like Belgian beers" can be defined by composing the "nearby" flock and a flock with "people who like Belgian beers").
   * [[uf:proximities|Characteristic Functions]]: "functions" that determine whether or not a user belongs to a Flock.
   * [[uf:totam|TOTAM]]: tuple-based middleware for flock communication.
-  * [[uf:application|Applications]]: define the API of an "application object" to be plugged in the framework. What follows is the list of applications in Urbiflock.
-    * [[uf:viewer|Flock Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing flocks and to create new flocks.
-    * [[uf:app_viewer|Application Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing applications and install/delete them.
-    * [[uf:profile_viewer|Profile Viewer]]: a viewer and editor to view existing flockr profiles and to update your profile.
-    * [[uf:iflocku|IFlockU]]: a friend suggestor based on profile similarity and time spent in proximity.
-    * [[uf:guanotes|Guanotes]]: a messenger application that sends post-its to flocks.
-    * [[uf:ir8u|IR8U]]: an application that allows users to ask proximate users to rate them on a certain subject.
+The infrastructure layer consists of three low-level abstractions on which the framework core is based: a RETE engine which orchestrates the flock composition, and the service discovery and communication APIs to discover and communicate with nearby applications, respectively.
 ==== Development ====