Summary In this article, we introduce a method for reasoning with words based on hedge algebra using linguistic cognitive map. Our model consists of set of vertices and edges with value to be linguistic variables which are constrained by linguistic lattice. We figure out relationship between numeric and linguistic domain for fuzzifying data. We also prove convergence theorem on learning method for linguistic cognitive map.

Summary The special issue with the title of “Context‐Aware Computing: Theory and Applications” edited by Prof. Phan Cong Vinh is presented to researchers in the field of context‐aware computing. This issue does not introduce a methodology for formal specification and reasoning in context‐aware computing. It presents theoretical bases in context‐aware computing and connects basic reasoning problems to other fundamental issues in context‐aware computing. In short, the special issue tries to get answer to the following question: “How far can it go in context‐aware computing specification and reasoning by representing context‐aware computing with formal notions in process algebras sense and reasoning with formal logics?”.

Summary Software Defined Networking (SDN) with multiple controllers draws more attention for the increasing scale of the network. Multi‐controller architectures can handle what SDN with single controller is not able to address. In order to understand what these architectures can accomplish and face precisely, we analyze them with formal methods. In this paper, we apply Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP) to model the routing service of SDN under multi‐controller architectures, in particular the HyperFlow architecture and the Kandoo architecture based on OpenFlow protocol. By using model checker Process Analysis Toolkit (PAT), we verify that the models satisfy three properties, namely deadlock freeness, consistency, and fault tolerance. In addition, for studying the security of those models, some extension is added. We find that the extended models are capable of coping with Denial of Service and may suffer from Information Disclosure. Moreover, a fake path and a tampered message could be present in SDN.

This paper presents a conceptual framework and multi-agent model for context-aware decision support in dynamic smart environments based on heterogeneous knowledge sources. A Protégé plug-in for rules extraction from distributed ontologies has been developed, which allows us to model context-aware agents using the notion of multi-context systems. Extracted rules can be annotated to match the users’ needs and to develop a preference model to support their preferences so as to provide a user with a more personalized services. The use of the proposed framework is illustrated using a simple fact-based preference model developed from ontologies considering two different smart environment domains.

Mobile ad hoc computing (MAC) is a form of concurrent computing by which computational processes are executed in parallel by assigning each computational process to one of mobile devices on a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). The overall goal of MAC is to support such MANETs capable of management and high performance. Meeting this grand challenge of MAC requires that MANET processes concurrency not tackled before is necessarily featured. To this end, this paper presents a firm formal development for featuring concurrency of MANET processes.

For aspect-oriented modular reconfigurable computing, we specify a notion of "aspect" in the context of modular reconfigurable computing systems. In our formal approach, an aspect is determined as a coalgebraic transformation on modular reconfigurable computing systems. Then, based on this fundamental concept of aspect, inheritance and super- imposition properties of aspects are studied. Specifically, the inheritance property is shown to be a bisimulation relation and the superimposition property is determined in the context of coalgebraic reconfiguration. Moreover, we also justify that our approach is sufficiently expressive to combine aspect-orientation and modular reconfigurable computing.

Dynamically reconfigurable computing within embedded computer-based systems can be partially modified at runtime without stopping the operation of the whole system. In this paper, a provable algorithm for runtime evolution of a logical configuration is formally represented by the appropriate graph transformation. In other words, programming is considered as a visual transformation of the logical configuration by the formulated rules. Their soundness is proved. A logical configuration in evolution is provable from another by applying these rules. Subsequently, an algorithmic approach to programming is formally developed and analyzed

Efficient management of the logic resource available is one of the biggest problems faced by the embedded systems based on FPGA, in which their functionality can be partially modified at run-time without stopping the operation of the whole system. When the sequence of reconfigurations to be performed is not predictable, resource allocation decisions have to be made on-line. Dynamical reconfiguration can be necessary to relocate a running physical configuration, and to rearrange the logic resources into the variety of physical portions. Our proposed algorithm is formally developed to enable implementing an on-line management of FPGA logic resources, supporting the rearrangement of running functions, releasing enough contiguous space for configuration of new incoming functions, and performing the defragmentation in a way completely transparent to the applications currently running. Therefore, on-line scheduling of tasks in the spatial and temporal domains becomes possible, enabling the implementation of virtual hardware concept.