Method and system for providing spatial-based context-aware service

An apparatus for creating a geocontext for a context-aware service, the apparatus comprising:

• a spatial region setting unit configured to set information regarding a space, in which the context-aware service is provided;
• a diagram editor configured to provide interfaces defining input/output adapters needed to create the geocontext for a context-aware service;
• and
• a geocontext creation unit configured to create the geocontext including sensor data from sensors and a context catalog server, one or more contexts, spatial information set by the spatial region setting unit and input/output adapter,
• wherein the geocontext created by the geocontext creation unit includes:
• an input/output data handler configured to provide an interface for inputting and outputting the context data, spatial information and a list of recommended services;
• a common data bus configured to exchange data with the input/output data handler between the adapters selected through the use of the diagram editor.

An apparatus for offering spatial-based context-aware service, the apparatus comprising:

• a database configured to store a geocontext including spatial information, one or more contexts, and sensor data;
• a sensor/context catalog server configured to manage meta data of the contexts and the sensor data;
• a context processing server configured to generate a list of contexts applicable to the mobile device based on the sensor data and the meta data upon a receipt of the sensor data from the mobile device;
• a geocontext search server configured to search the database for candidate geocontexts appropriate for the user of the mobile device by using the location information of the mobile device and the list of contexts;
• and
• a context-aware management server configured to generate a list of recommended services by executing the searched candidate geocontexts,
• wherein the context-aware management server is configured to give a priority to each of the recommended services depending on the spatial importance based on the location information and spatial information, and to prescribe the priority of each of the recommended services in inverse proportion to the amount of the spatial information of the geocontext.

A method for providing spatial-based context-aware service, the method comprising:

• generating a list of contexts appropriate for a user by using meta data regarding sensors and contexts in accordance with a list of the sensors;
• generating a list of candidate geocontexts based on a current location of the user;
• executing the respective candidate geocontexts to generate a list of recommended services;
• and
• providing the list of recommended services to the user,
• wherein said generating a list of contexts includes:
• encoding IDs of the contexts in the form of a single bit stream as an encoded stream of context;
• encoding IDs of the sensors in the form of a bit stream as an encoded stream of sensors;
• comparing the encoded stream of context and the encoded stream of sensors to determine whether the encoded streams are identical to each other;
• and
• when it is determined that the encoded streams are identical to each other, generating the list of contexts by using the sensor list.