Allen's Interval Algebra Makes the Difference

Allen's Interval Algebra constitutes a framework for reasoning about temporal information in a qualitative manner. In particular, it uses intervals, i.e., pairs of endpoints, on the timeline to represent entities corresponding to actions, events, or tasks, and binary relations such as precedes and overlaps to encode the possible configurations between those entities. Allen's calculus has found its way in many academic and industrial applications that involve, most commonly, planning and scheduling, temporal databases, and healthcare. In this paper, we present a novel encoding of Interval Algebra using answer-set programming (ASP) extended by difference constraints, i.e., the fragment abbreviated as ASP(DL), and demonstrate its performance via a preliminary experimental evaluation. Although our ASP encoding is presented in the case of Allen's calculus for the sake of clarity, we suggest that analogous encodings can be devised for other point-based calculi, too.Comment: Part of DECLARE 19 proceeding

Shape-based Image Retrieval Using Spatio-temporal Relation Computations

[[abstract]]Content-based retrieval of multimedia information is one of the most difficult research topics in multimedia computing and information retrieval. In this paper, we present a visual system which allows content-based retrieval of still image. The recognition algorithms we used are based on spatio-temporal relations. Two approaches and algorithms were developed based on the similarity between polygons. The system is incorporated with a visual interface which allows the user to specify polygons as the shape specification of pictures. The preliminary experience shows that, within an image database containing about 300 bitmapped images, the system is able to retrieve correct information of a high satisfaction.[[notice]]補正完

Temporal reasoning in a logic programming language with modularity

Actualmente os Sistemas de Informação Organizacionais (SIO) lidam cada vez mais com informação que tem dependências temporais. Neste trabalho concebemos um ambiente de trabalho para construir e manter SIO Temporais. Este ambiente assenta sobre um linguagem lógica denominada Temporal Contextua) Logic Programming que integra modularidade com raciocínio temporal fazendo com que a utilização de um módulo dependa do tempo do contexto. Esta linguagem é a evolução de uma outra, também introduzida nesta tese, que combina Contextua) Logic Programming com Temporal Annotated Constraint Logic Programming, na qual a modularidade e o tempo são características ortogonais. Ambas as linguagens são formalmente discutidas e exemplificadas. As principais contribuições do trabalho descrito nesta tese incluem: • Optimização de Contextua) Logic Programming (CxLP) através de interpretação abstracta. • Sintaxe e semântica operacional para uma linguagem que combina de um modo independente as linguagens Temporal Annotated Constraint Logic Programming (TACLP) e CxLP. É apresentado um compilador para esta linguagem. • Linguagem (sintaxe e semântica) que integra de um modo inovador modularidade (CxLP) com raciocínio temporal (TACLP). Nesta linguagem a utilização de um dado módulo está dependente do tempo do contexto. É descrito um interpretador e um compilador para esta linguagem. • Ambiente de trabalho para construir e fazer a manutenção de SIO Temporais. Assenta sobre uma especificação revista da linguagem ISCO, adicionando classes e manipulação de dados temporais. É fornecido um compilador em que a linguagem resultante é a descrita no item anterior. ABSTRACT- Current Organisational Information Systems (OIS) deal with more and more Infor-mation that, is time dependent. In this work we provide a framework to construct and maintain Temporal OIS. This framework builds upon a logical language called Temporal Contextual. Logic Programming that deeply integrates modularity with tem-poral reasoning making the usage of a module time dependent. This language is an evolution of another one, also introduced in this thesis, that combines Contextual Logic Programming with Temporal Annotated Constraint Logic Programming where modularity and time are orthogonal features. Both languages are formally discussed and illustrated. The main contributions of the work described in this thesis include: • Optimisation of Contextual Logic Programming (CxLP) through abstract interpretation. • Syntax and operational semantics for an independent combination of the temporal framework Temporal Annotated Constraint Logic Programming (TACLP) and CxLP. A compiler for this language is also provided. • Language (syntax and semantics) that integrates in a innovative way modularity (CxLP) with temporal reasoning (TACLP). In this language the usage of a given module depends of the time of the context. An interpreter and a compiler for this language are described. • Framework to construct and maintain Temporal Organisational Information Systems. It builds upon a revised specification of the language ISCO, adding temporal classes and temporal data manipulation. A compiler targeting the language presented in the previous item is also given

The Architecture of a Cooperative Respondent

If natural language question-answering (NLQA) systems are to be truly effective and useful, they must respond to queries cooperatively, recognizing and accommodating in their replies a questioner\u27s goals, plans, and needs. Transcripts of natural dialogue demonstrate that cooperative responses typically combine several communicative acts: a question may be answered, a misconception identified, an alternative course of action described and justified. This project concerns the design of cooperative response generation systems, NLQA systems that are able to provide integrated cooperative responses. Two questions must be answered before a cooperative NLQA system can be built. First, what are the reasoning mechanisms that underlie cooperative response generation? In partial reply, I argue that plan evaluation is an important step in the process of selecting a cooperative response, and describe several tests that may usefully be applied to inferred plans. The second question is this: what is an appropriate architecture for cooperative NLQA (CNLQA) systems? I propose a four-level decomposition of the cooperative response generation process and then present a suitable CNLQA system architecture based on the blackboard model of problem solving

Representation and recognition of action in interactive spaces

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (p. 246-258).This thesis presents new theory and technology for the representation and recognition of complex, context-sensitive human actions in interactive spaces. To represent action and interaction a symbolic framework has been developed based on Roger Schank's conceptualizations, augmented by a mechanism to represent the temporal structure of the sub-actions based on Allen's interval algebra networks. To overcome the exponential nature of temporal constraint propagation in such networks, we have developed the PNF propagation algorithm based on the projection of IA-networks into simplified, 3-valued (past, now, future) constraint networks called PNF-networks. The PNF propagation algorithm has been applied to an action recognition vision system that handles actions composed of multiple, parallel threads of sub-actions, in situations that can not be efficiently dealt by the commonly used temporal representation schemes such as finite-state machines and HMMs. The PNF propagation algorithm is also the basis of interval scripts, a scripting paradigm for interactive systems that represents interaction as a set of temporal constraints between the individual components of the interaction. Unlike previously proposed non-procedural scripting methods, we use a strong temporal representation (allowing, for example, mutually exclusive actions) and perform control by propagating the temporal constraints in real-time. These concepts have been tested in the context of four projects involving story-driven interactive spaces. The action representation framework has been used in the Intelligent Studio project to enhance the control of automatic cameras in a TV studio. Interval scripts have been extensively employed in the development of "SingSong ", a short interactive performance that introduced the idea of live interaction with computer graphics characters; in "It/I", a full-length computer theater play; and in "It", an interactive art installation based on the play "It /I" that realizes our concept of immersive stages, that is, interactive spaces that can be used both by performers and public.by Claudio Santos Pinhanez.Ph.D

Modeling IoT-aware Business Processes - A State of the Art Report

This research report presents an analysis of the state of the art of modeling Internet of Things (IoT)-aware business processes. IOT links the physical world to the digital world. Traditionally, we would find information about events and processes in the physical world in the digital world entered by humans and humans using this information to control the physical world. In the IoT paradigm, the physical world is equipped with sensors and actuators to create a direct link with the digital world. Business processes are used to coordinate a complex environment including multiple actors for a common goal, typically in the context of administrative work. In the past few years, we have seen research efforts on the possibilities to model IoT- aware business processes, extending process coordination to real world entities directly. This set of research efforts is relatively small when compared to the overall research effort into the IoT and much of the work is still in the early research stage. To create a basis for a bridge between IoT and BPM, the goal of this report is to collect and analyze the state of the art of existing frameworks for modeling IoT-aware business processes.Comment: 42 page

Analysing the familiar : reasoning about space and time in the everyday world

The development of suitable explicit representations of knowledge that can be manipulated by general purpose inference mechanisms has always been central to Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, there has been a distinct lack of rigorous formalisms in the literature that can be used to model domain knowledge associated with the everyday physical world. If AI is to succeed in building automata that can function reasonably well in unstructured physical domains, the development and utility of such formalisms must be secured. This thesis describes a first order axiomatic theory that can be used to encode much topological and metrical information that arises in our everyday dealings with the physical world. The formalism is notable for the minimal assumptions required in order to lift up a very general framework that can cover the representation of much intuitive spatial and temporal knowledge. The basic ontology assumes regions that can be either spatial or temporal and over which a set of relations and functions are defined. The resulting partitioning of these abstract spaces, allow complex relationships between objects and the description of processes to be formally represented. This also provides a useful foundation to control the proliferation of inference commonly associated with mechanised logics. Empirical information extracted from the domain is added and mapped to these basic structures showing how further control of inference can be secured. The representational power of the formalism and computational tractability of the general methodology proposed is substantiated using two non-trivial domain problems - modelling phagocytosis and exocytosis of uni-cellular organisms, and modelling processes arising during the cycle of operations of a force pump