An approach of semantic cache for mobile devices to enhance the performance of applications

Abstract

Wireless mobile computing has become a differential aspect to a large number of distributed applications. The main research goal related to this subject is to provide to applications a similar level of services found in structured networks. An example of interesting research topic is to improve the data replication scheme that exists in a mobile device. The use of an elaborate method can represent an improved strategy to enhance the performance and availability of applications to wireless users. In this article we present a semantic cache model study, and its implementation, as a differentiate policy for the local management of data replication. The approach assumes that an answer for a query can be satisfied totally by a local semantic segment, considering the gathering action of partial segments or helping the connection to a server and then receiving the answer. We tested the implementation of the model in a real environment, assuming three classes of queries. The first class was characterized by those queries that could be promptly answered locally. The second type of queries was answered after a local gathering operation of semantic segments. In the last situation, queries were answered after a send-receive operation to a server node in a structured network. The empirical results indicate that the approach has improved successfully the performance of the applications, avoiding unnecessary connections to a server when an answer could be reached using one local cache segment, or gathering information from the local semantic segments to compound the answer. In the case of inexistence of any local semantic segment information to reply a query, the implementation works transparently to connect to a server and then answer the wireless user.