Showing papers by "Zheng Yan published in 2009"

Method and apparatus for providing credibility information over an ad-hoc network

Abstract: An approach for providing credibility information over an ad-hoc network is described. A trust manager receives content from a transmitting node over an ad-hoc network. The trust manager retrieves one or more trust values associated with the content, the transmitting node, or both, wherein the trust values are assigned by a trust server and further adjusted based on locally collected credibility information. The trust manager conducts a local evaluation of credibility information regarding the content, the transmitting node, or both. The trust manager then generates one or more combined trust values for the content, the transmitting node, or both from the trust values and the local evaluation.

Preservation of user data privacy in a network

Abstract: An example apparatus is provided that receives a pseudonym and encrypted identifier, where the pseudonym is of a user's personal data. The pseudonym has been generated using a first secret key, and the encrypted identifier has been generated by encrypting the identifier using a second secret key. The first and second secret keys are known to other user(s) authorized to access the data, and are unknown to the apparatus. The operations also include storing the personal data in a database under the pseudonym, and indexed by the encrypted identifier. The keys used for encryption and pseudorandom generation can be provided by a second apparatus (e.g. an offline security manager), which may employ a proxy re-encryption scheme to provide proper keys to the apparatus based on access policies. Only the authorized users can decrypt the keys with their private keys, thus can query the user records stored in the apparatus.

Formalizing Trust Based on Usage Behaviours for Mobile Applications

Abstract: A mobile application is a software package that can be installed and executed on a mobile device. Which mobile application is more trustworthy for a user to purchase, download, install, consume or recommend becomes a crucial issue that impacts its final success. This paper proposes a computational trust model based on users' behaviors, which assists the evaluation and management of the mobile application's trust with user friendliness. We achieve our model through formalizing a trust behavior construct achieved from a user survey experiment though principle component analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. It is indicated that a user's trust behavior is a multidimensional construct composed of three main aspects: using behavior, reflection behavior, and correlation behavior. Particularly, we simulate a set of test data to visualize the validity of the formalization.

A Methodology towards Usable Trust Management

Abstract: Trust management is emerging as a promising technology to facilitate collaboration among entities in an environment where traditional security paradigms cannot be enforced due to lack of centralized control and incomplete knowledge of the environment. However, prior art generally lack considerations on usable means to gather and disseminate information for effective trust evaluation, as well as provide trust information to users. This could cause a trust management solution to be hard to understand, use, and thus accept by the users. This paper proposes a user driven trust modeling and management method in order to design and develop a usable trust management solution that could be easily accepted by the users towards practical deployment. We illustrate how to apply this method into the design of a mobile application's reputation system in order to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Exploring trust of mobile applications based on user behaviors

Abstract: A mobile application is a software package that can be installed and executed on a mobile device. Which mobile application is more trustworthy for a user to purchase, download, install, consume or recommend becomes a crucial issue that impacts its final success. This paper explores trust of mobile applications based on users' behaviors. It proposes a conceptual trust model according to trust behavior study. We achieve our model through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), reliability analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) based on data collected from a questionnaire survey. It is indicated that a user's trust behavior is a multidimensional construct composed of three main aspects: using behavior, reflection behavior, and correlation behavior. They are further delineated into twelve measurable sub-constructs and relate to a number of external factors. The data analysis showed that the questionnaire has positive psychometric properties with respect to model construct validity and reliability. Particularly, the practical significance of our work towards usable trust management, the limitations of current empirical study and future work are also discussed.

Dual Stopbands Ultra-Wideband Antenna with Defected Ground Structure

Abstract: A novel compact ultra-wideband (UWB) microstrip-fed planar monopole antenna with dual band-notched characteristics is presented. By etching two simple U-shaped defected ground structure (DGS) with different length in the feedline, the dual stopbands can be obtained respectively. The expetimental results show that the proposed antenna achieved an impedance bandwidth of 3.1–10.6 GHz with VSWR < 2, except the bandwidths of 3.3–3.8 GHz for worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) and 5.1–6.3 GHz for wireless local area network (WLAN) application. The fabricated antenna also shows the broadband impedance-matching, stable gain, good group delay and approximate omnidirectional radiation patterns across the major bandwidths.

Apparatus and method for determining a decision recommendation in a network

Abstract: An example apparatus is provided that includes a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform a number of operations. The operations include preparing for transmission a query for feedback data regarding a decision to select one of a set of actions in a given context. The query includes an indication of the given context and a decision metric reflecting historical decisions at the apparatus to select the respective action in each of a plurality of contexts. The operations also include receiving feedback data, and calculating a recommendation value as a function thereof. In this regard, the feedback data has been calculated by one or more nodes as a function of the decision metric and another decision metric reflecting historical decisions at the respective node(s).

Small Printed Ultra-Wideband Antenna with an Inverted F-Slotted Ground

Abstract: A novel printed antenna having a frequency band notched function for UWB application is proposed and studied. With a pair of inverted-F-shaped slots introduced around the microstrip line on the ground and inserting a semicircle-rectangle radiating element, the designed antenna satisfies the VSWR requirement of less than 2.0 in the frequency band between 2.9 GHz–11.15 GHz while showing the band rejection performance in the frequency band from 4.96 GHz to 6.03 GHz. The experiment results and characteristics of the proposed antenna are shown in this paper.

Trust Indication's Influence on Mobile Application Usage - Comparison of Results Achieved in Finland and China

Abstract: This report investigates the effects of displaying trust information on mobile application usage. As trust helps users overcome perceptions of uncertainty and risk and engages in usage, visualizing trust information could leverage usage behavior and decision. In the work presented here, we used experimental toolkits and interviews to explore the effects of trust information’s visualization on mobile application usage in Finland and China with different culture background. In Experiment 1, we studied users’ opinion on various mobile applications’ importance and usage risk. In Experiment 2, a trust indicator’s effect on the mobile application’s usage was evaluated by separate groups of participants based on the applications with different importance selected in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, a trust/reputation indicator’s effect on the mobile application’s usage was examined by different groups of participants based on the same selected applications. Although the results achieved in the two countries showed some differences, both indicated that displaying an application’s reputation value and/or a user’s individual trust value could assist in mobile application usage.