The Contextor: a Computational Model for Contextual Information

This position paper proposes the contextor as a computational abstraction for modeling and computing contextual information. Here, context must be understood as a state vector of observables. An observable is a variable whose value can be acquired through sensing technology and or computed by the system. Contextors share a common I/O structure including control channels and meta-data to ensure and express QoS (e.g., precision, stability), as well as common properties such as reflexivity and ramanence. They can be combined as oriented graphs or encapsulated into higher computational units. We show how they fit into the Arch reference architectural model.