Conceptual Model for Communication
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(IJCSIS) International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2009 Conceptual Model for Communication Sabah Al-Fedaghi Ala'a Alsaqa Computer Engineering Department Computer Engineering Department Kuwait University Kuwait University P.O. Box 5969 Safat 13060 Kuwait P.O. Box 5969 Safat 13060 Kuwait [email protected] [email protected] Zahra'a Fadel Computer Engineering Department Kuwait University P.O. Box 5969 Safat 13060 Kuwait [email protected] Abstract—A variety of idealized models of communication 2) furnish order and structure to multifaceted systems exist, and all may have something in common. Starting communication events, and with Shannon’s communication model and ending with the OSI 3) lead to insights into hypothetical ideas and relationships model, this paper presents progressively more advanced forms of involved in communication. modeling of communication systems by tying communication models together based on the notion of flow. The basic A variety of communication systems models exist, and communication process is divided into different spheres (sources, “perhaps they all [have] something in common” [12]. channels, and destinations), each with its own five interior stages: Shannon’s model of communication and its variations are the receiving, processing, creating, releasing, and transferring of most common models adopted in many fields. The seven-layer information. The flow of information is ontologically distinguished from the flow of physical signals; accordingly, OSI model is well known as a reference model for describing Shannon’s model, network-based OSI models, and TCP/IP are networks and network applications. It is a reference model for redesigned. the five-layer TCP/IP model. The OSI model can also be extended to include a human perspective, as will be described in this paper. Keywords-conceptual model, information communication, The need for a general communication model can be seen communication systems in the evolution of the original Shannon’s model based on efforts of engineers to find the most efficient way of I. INTRODUCTION transmitting electrical signals. Nevertheless, the model has been enhanced to interpret all instances of communication, Communication is typically defined as a process of sending that is, to organize biological communication systems along and receiving. Such a communication process can be found in the same lines as telecommunications systems, with the notion many disciplines, ranging from psychology and sociology to of interactivity overcoming the linearity of the original model. engineering, technology, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, great interest has been shown in finding an Modeling communication is an evolutionary process in idealized communication model that provides “both general which new concepts enhance and complement earlier perspective and particular vantage points from which to ask communication models. This paper presents one more step in questions and to interpret the raw stuff of observation” [8]. the evolutionary process of models with a proposal to base modeling of communication on the notion of flow. It ties A communication model is an idealized systematic communication models together through a flow model of representation of the communication process. Such models communication that focuses on abstract description without serve as standardization tools, and they provide the means to involving details of the communication environment. This 1) question and interpret actual communication systems that flow-based model contributes to building an idealized are diverse in their nature and purpose, communication model through enhancing and integrating 29 http://sites.google.com/site/ijcsis/ ISSN 1947-5500 (IJCSIS) International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2009 different conceptualizations of the communication process. It II. MODELS OF COMMUNICATION is different from other models in three main aspects: Hartley [6] was the first to quantify “signals as means to • Most current communication models treat participants convey information'” through the equation I = N log S, where I (e.g., nodes) in the communicative act as a is the amount of information each message contains, N is the send/receive system. In the flow-based model, the number of signs in a message, and S is the number of different interior anatomy of the participants in the signs in the vocabulary. Shannon formalized information as communication process includes stages of receiving, reduction of uncertainty: I = log2 C, where I is the amount of processing, creating, release, and transfer of information each message contains, and C is the number of information. This provides many advantages, such as possible choices. Shannon and Weaver [11] point out that the ability to identify the participant’s role in transmission in such a model conveys physical codes. The communication acts. For example, the sender may be "meaning" is taken out prior to transmission and reinstated after just a mere receive-and-send agent (e.g., dumb reception through encoding and decoding, respectively. terminal), or a source (creator) of the transferred Shannon’s model (Figure 1) has influenced all information, and so forth. communication models. Shannon also introduced a mechanism • Most current communication models do not explicitly that accounts for differences between the transmitted and distinguish among different types of flow (e.g., received signals; this has evolved into the current feedback information, messages, and signals). Such a concept. conceptualization is analogous to representing the gas, If such a model were applied to human communication, water, and electricity lines in the design of a building “effectively, the model proposes a speaker consisting only of a by one type of arrow in the design blueprint. In the mind (the source) and a mouth (the transmitter), and a listener flow-based model, each type of thing that flows has its consisting only of ears (the receiver) and a mind (the own map of flow that can trigger other types of flow. destination). It therefore totally fails to reflect the many • Most current idealized communication models do not intermediate cognitive processing stages” [12]. Accordingly, grant the channel of communication full status as a cognitive communication models have expanded Shannon’s participant in the communication process. In contrast, model to incorporate some of these intermediate cognitive in our model, the channel incorporates full processing stages. Smith [12], as shown in Figure 2, illustrates functionality equal to that of other participants; that is, how at least some of this intermediate processing can be it receives, processes, creates, releases, and transfers represented. The model now includes three intermediate layers information, as will be described. at either end of the transmission channel. Information Transmitter Channel Receiver source (Encoder) (Decoder) Destination Noise source Figure 1. Shannon’s model of communication. Node A Node B Messages Semantic Output Encode message Encode message Output Semantic system A syntax and monitor and monitor syntax system B Feedback feedback feedback Figure 2. Idealized communication system (modified from Smith [12] after Osgood and Sebeok [9]). 30 http://sites.google.com/site/ijcsis/ ISSN 1947-5500 (IJCSIS) International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2009 In our flow-based perspective, Shannon’s model reflects a III. OSI MODEL limited view of states of entities being communicated, because The evolution of idealized communication models evolved in such a model information is observed in either sent or with the seven-layered Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) received states. Implicitly, the model indicates that information that includes many details such as authentication, routing passes, or is transferred, through the presence of a channel in identification, governing, data compression and the model. Such a view is analogous to conceptualizing the decompression, and detection of errors in transmission and notion of travel as transfer from one point and arrival at arranging for their correction. In this paper, we concentrate on another point. In a more comprehensive view, the process of its main feature as a model of communication. (air) travel includes the notions of being received at the travel station (airport), processed (e.g., luggage and passports), The seven layers of the OSI model were established in 1977 released to boarding (waiting for boarding), and actual transfer by the International Organization for Standardization. It is a onto the plane. On the other end, after being transferred, reference tool for understanding data communications. It passengers arrive, are processed, released, and then transfer represents the entire process of transmitting data from one (leave for hotels). Similarly, information in the communication computer to another. It divides the communications process stream is not just sent and received, but also has repeated into seven layers, as follows: lifecycle states: received, processed (changing its form), Layer 7—Application layer: This is the "end-user" level of created (generating information from information), released communication. It is the level of pragmatic exchange between (e.g., waiting for channel to be available), and transferred. minds [12]. It is the point of origin of the message intended to A basic claim in our communication model is that the