Collaboration in Context-Aware Mobile Phone Applications

Context-aware applications are expected to become a remarkable application area within future mobile computing. As mobile phones form a natural tool for interaction between people, the influence of the current context on collaboration is desirable to take into account to enhance the efficiency and quality of the interaction. This paper presents role of context information in improving the collaboration of mobile communication by supplying relevant information to the cooperating parties, one being a mobile terminal user and the other either another person, group of people, or a mobile service provider.

1. Introduction

Mobile computing has become familiar for large user groups especially in the form of mobile phones. In addition to the conventional communication functions of mobile phones, i.e. call and messaging, they involve other functions, such as calendar and to-do notes, which are relevant for computer supported collaborative work (CSCW) and can be linked to concern the field of mobile computing in general. Mobile phones, which are inevitably used for distant communication, offer a potential platform for developing also other applications, which can assist in distant collaborative work.