LLM CMS reference architecture

In order to refer to functional entities in the CMS specification, a reference architecture of the LLM system is assumed. The LLM CMS specification will refer to parts of this reference architecture when it comes to specify attibutes or behaviour or interfaces between entities.

The shaded elements in the picture are objects of the LLM CMS specification. All other objects are used as LLM CMS has interfaces to them or their interfaces are used by LLM CMS too.

Concepts in the reference architecture

This reference architecture has been chosen to reflect the most probable functional component landscape the LLM system (the LLM system is assumed to be the technical system providing the LLM service) will be composed of.

Seperated and not separated components: LUI and RUI

There are components that look similar but have completely seperate behaviour and implementation. Examples of such component "pairs" are the  LUI and RUI components.

Each component has a LUI - Local User interface - and a RUI - Remote User Interface. The LUI is the user interface for the local user and performs user-centric tasks. The RUI is the user interface for the remote access user and the administrator and performs user-centric tasks as well as administrative, management, configuration and troubleshooting tasks. To a certain extent (detailed with each component having LUI and RUI) the LUI is a (rather small and simple) subset of the RUI.

The RUI is an built-in functionality of each component and as of LLM system architecture V 1.0 an HTML-based web user interface. It provides all user interaction the respective component is capable of. As a result, the RUI is tightly bound the the component itself and uses only loose coupling to other RUIs and therefore assumed as being part of the component itself.

The LUI is more simply and user-centered. All LUIs of a LLM-system are much more tightly and seamlessly integrated to provide maximum usability and comfort. Therefore, the LUIs share a lot of common functionality and are more tightly interwoven than the RUIs. Moreover, the LUIs are in some places "wrappers" around the "original" user interface of a component. As a result, the LUI of a component makes sense to be separated from the component.

Integration of already existing components

Moreover, already existing components, as CTC, ILC and (to become) PTC, shall be able to take part in this architecture as-is.

However, ILC, CTC and PTC are here referred to as placeholders for any ILC, CTC or PTC that fulfils the behaviour required for taking part in a functional LLM system. How this can be accomplished is detailed below in the respective section(s) covering these components.

LUI - Local User Interface and LLF - Local user interface framework

There are a number of LUI - Local User Interface - Components in the LLM reference architecture. The LUI is a user interface intended for the local, not technically skilled and, most probably, physically challenged, user.

For the purpose of the LLM CMS the assumption will be made that the eHome LUI already has proven to be able to meet the requirements for a LLM LUI. Furthermore, it is already existing and can be easily adapted to the functions required in LLM LUI.

Therefore, the eHome LUI software component and platform shall be adopted for all LUI components in the LLM architecture. The framework extracted from the eHome software package shall be called LLF - LLM LUI framework - for the sake of brevity and identification.

The LLF is a windows application running on a specific set of touch-enabled net-top intel x86 hardware and operating system platforms. It is specified in the LLF specification

part of this specification.

Components of the reference architecture

The reference architecture is divided up into components each fulfilling a specific functionality.

The LLM-LUI

The LLM -LUI is the central local user interface to one LLM-system. It is the central entry point to all components of an LLM instance. The LLM-LUI shall allow access to:

• ILC-LUI - The local user interface of the independent living component
• CTC-LUI - the user interface of the cognitive training component
• PTC-LUI - the user interface of the physical training component
• CMS-LUI - the administration user interface for the whole LLM system

The LLM-LUI shall also present the single point of authentication for a user. After login into the LLM-LUI, all user credentials shall be carried on to the connected subsystems and their LUIs. A user shallonly need to login once and then be known to all subsystems with all their data and access rights.

The process of making one LUI visible, most probably implemented by bringing its window to the front of the display screen, is named switching.

The LLM-LUI shall switch between the respective user interfaces as seamless as possible (depending on the ways viable in integrating the user interfaces of already existing components).

Switching shall not only be initiated by the human user, but also by a subsystem needing attention shall be able to bring its LUI to the front and attention of the user.

The ILC-LUI

The ILC-LUI is the user interface of the independent living component. It is integrated into the LLM-LUI.

As of the time of releasing this specification, the only available ILC implementation used in LLM is eHome . It is assumed that the LLM-LUI will use the same base technical implementation as the eHome-LUI. Therefore, integration shall be as tight as possible and the ILC-integration into LLM-LUI shall serve as the blueprint of an "Integrated Application" in terms of LUI-interaction.

The CTC-LUI

The CTC-LUI is the user interface of the cognitive training component. It is integrated into the LLM-LUI.

The PTC-LUI

The PTC-LUI is the user interface of the physical training component. It is integrated into the LLM-LUI.

The CMS-LUI

The CMS-LUI is the user interface of LLM-CMS, the Central Management System. The CMS-LUI covers a subset of all possible administrative activity of the CMS, namely the part important for the local user, like viewing statistics and results, changing password or other user parameters. More detailed administrative and management activties are handled by the CMS-RUI built into the CMS.

The LLM-Database / LLM-DB

The LLM-DB is the central data storage component of one LLM-system. It holds all persistent data centrally for one LLM-system. All other components are required to refer to the LLM-DB to store and retrieve persistent data.

The LLM-DB exposes the LLM-Web-Service-Interface built on SOAP for all data manipulation and retrieval.