Terminological reasoning with constraint handling rules

Constraint handling rules (CHRs) are a flexible means to implement \u27user-defined\u27 constraints on top of existing host languages (like Prolog and Lisp). Recently, M. Schmidt-Schauß and G. Smolka proposed a new methodology for constructing sound and complete inference algorithms for terminological knowledge representation formalisms in the tradition of KLONE. We propose CHRs as a flexible implementation language for the consistency test of assertions, which is the basis for all terminological reasoning services. The implementation results in a natural combination of three layers: (i) a constraint layer that reasons in well- understood domains such as rationals or finite domains, (ii) a terminological layer providing a tailored, validated vocabulary on which (iii) the application layer can rely. The flexibility of the approach will be illustrated by extending the formalism, its implementation and an application example (solving configuration problems) with attributes, a new quantifier and concrete domains

LAYLAB : a constraint-based layout manager for multimedia presentations

When developing advanced intelligent user interfaces composing text, graphics, animation, hypermedia etc., the question of automatically designing the graphical layout of such multimedia presentations in an appropriate format plays a crucial role. This paper introduces the task, the functionality and the architecture of the constraint-based multimedia layout manager LayLab

Verbmobil : translation of face-to-face dialogs

Verbmobil is a long-term project on the translation of spontaneous language in negotiation dialogs. We describe the goals of the project, the chosen discourse domains and the initial project schedule. We discuss some of the distinguishing features of Verbmobil and introduce the notion of translation on demand and variable depth of processing in speech translation. Finally, the role of anytime modules for efficient dialog translation in close to real time is described

The application of two-level morphology to non-concatenative German morphology

In this paper I describe a hybrid system for morphological analysis and synthesis. This system consists of two parts. The treatment of morphonology and non-concatenative morphology is based on the two-level approach proposed by Koskenniemi (1983). For the concatenative part of morphosyntax (i.e. affixation) a grammar based on feature-unification is made use of. Both parts rely on a morph lexicon. Combinations of two-level morphology with feature-based morphosyntactic grammars have already been proposed by several authors (c.f. Bear 1988a, Carson 1988, Görz & Paulus 1988, Schiller & Steffens 1989) to overcome the shortcomings of the continuation-classes originally proposed by Koskenniemi (1983) and Karttunen (1983) for the description of morphosyntax. But up to now no linguistically satisfying solution has been proposed for the treatment of non-concatenative morphology in such a framework. In this paper I describe an extension to the model which will allow for the description of such phenomena. Namely it is proposed to restrict the applicability of two-level rules by providing them with filters in the form of feature structures. It is demonstrated how a well-known problem of German morphology, so-called "Umlautung", can be described in this approach in a linguistically motivated and efficient way

Optimización en la planificación de tareas en ambientes cambiantes utilizando técnicas de razonamiento basado en restricciones

El trabajo de este proyecto está orientado a investigar la problemática de la Optimización en la Planificación de Tareas sobre aplicaciones industriales complejas, con el propósito de proponer soluciones mediante técnicas provenientes de la Inteligencia Artificial, basadas en el razonamiento con restricciones de acuerdo diferentes criterios para satisfacer los requerimientos del mundo real. Para tal fin se establecerá convenio de Vinculación y Asistencia Tecnológica, en la empresa industrial ALUFLEX de San Luis, dedicada a la manufactura del envase flexible. En aplicaciones industriales, la disponibilidad de recursos para la Panificación de actividades juega un rol fundamental en el proceso de producción. En este contexto se deben satisfacer las demandas de productos a producir, teniendo en cuenta un conjunto de restricciones internas a lo largo del proceso de producción. La performance en la resolución para estos tipos de problemas es considerada de significativa importancia en la empresa actual. Bajo esta condiciones el problema a resolver, ya no es solo un problema matemático puro, resoluble con técnicas especializadas para problemas con hipótesis restringidas, sino que intervienen una serie de factores relacionados con la interacción de la empresa con el medio, y de estrategias propias de la empresa, ambas cambiantes con el tiempo.Eje: Inteligencia Artificial Distribuida, Aspectos Teóricos de la Inteligencia Artificial y Teoría de la ComputaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Designing a structured lexicon for document image analysis

This paper presents a structured, multi-level architecture of a lexicon which is a central component of our knowledge-based document analysis system. Our system has the task to transform incoming business letters into an equivalent electronic representation automatically. Moreover, partial text analysis and understanding of a letter\u27s body and relevant parts are initiated to enrich the conceptual knowledge about the actual document (e.g., by a classification). In such an application domain, a well-designed lexicon has to consider requirements of both, text recognition and text analysis. For that purpose, we propose an appropriate lexicon architecture and the internal structure of corresponding lexical entries being a prerequisite for successful higher-level interpretations of documents

Optimización en la planificación de tareas en ambientes cambiantes utilizando técnicas de razonamiento basado en restricciones

El trabajo de este proyecto está orientado a investigar la problemática de la Optimización en la Planificación de Tareas sobre aplicaciones industriales complejas, con el propósito de proponer soluciones mediante técnicas provenientes de la Inteligencia Artificial, basadas en el razonamiento con restricciones de acuerdo diferentes criterios para satisfacer los requerimientos del mundo real. Para tal fin se establecerá convenio de Vinculación y Asistencia Tecnológica, en la empresa industrial ALUFLEX de San Luis, dedicada a la manufactura del envase flexible. En aplicaciones industriales, la disponibilidad de recursos para la Panificación de actividades juega un rol fundamental en el proceso de producción. En este contexto se deben satisfacer las demandas de productos a producir, teniendo en cuenta un conjunto de restricciones internas a lo largo del proceso de producción. La performance en la resolución para estos tipos de problemas es considerada de significativa importancia en la empresa actual. Bajo esta condiciones el problema a resolver, ya no es solo un problema matemático puro, resoluble con técnicas especializadas para problemas con hipótesis restringidas, sino que intervienen una serie de factores relacionados con la interacción de la empresa con el medio, y de estrategias propias de la empresa, ambas cambiantes con el tiempo.Eje: Inteligencia Artificial Distribuida, Aspectos Teóricos de la Inteligencia Artificial y Teoría de la ComputaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Corporate agents

The logic of belief and intention in situations with multiple agents is increasingly well understood, but current formal approaches appear to face problems in applications where the number of agents greatly exceeds two. We provide an informal development of Corporate Agents, an intensional approximation of individual and group states which treats groups symmetrically with autonomous agents. Corporate Charters, constraints derived from typical patterns of information flow, replace detailed reasoning about the propagation of attitudes in most contexts. The approximation to an ideal logical formulation is not tight, but the model appears to function well in information-poor environments and fails in ways related to characteristic human errors. It may therefore be particularly appropriate to application in the area of natural language discourse

CTL : a description logic with expressive concrete domains

Compared with frame-based systems, description logics have the advantage of well-defined semantics and powerful inferences. In order to exploit these advantages in technical domains, the ability to use concrete domains is needed, e.g. systems of (in)equalities over (non)linear polynomials to handle physical laws. Existing systems can only cope with comparisons between attributes. We present an approach that considerably improves the expressiveness of the concrete domains. CTL (Configurable (or Constraint-based) Terminological Logic) is based on the ideas presented in [Baader, F. & Hanschke, P. 1991] and [Hanschke, P. 1993]. Concrete domains are realised through a well-defined interface to external algorithms. Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) systems allow us to easily realise a whole range of concrete domains, e.g. over sets of symbols and numbers. In particular, we are able to handle systems of arbitrary linear polynomials. They also enable us to automatically participate in recent and future improvements in the areas of CLP and computer algebra, e.g. systems capable of handling arbitrary non-linear polynomials

Using integrated knowledge acquisition to prepare sophisticated expert plans for their re-use in novel situations

Plans which were constructed by human experts and have been repeatedly executed to the complete satisfaction of some customer in a complex real world domain contain very valuable planning knowledge. In order to make this compiled knowledge re-usable for novel situations, a specific integrated knowledge acquisition method has been developed: First, a domain theory is established from documentation materials or texts, which is then used as the foundation for explaining how the plan achieves the planning goal. Secondly, hierarchically structured problem class definitions are obtained from the practitioners\u27 highlevel problem conceptualizations. The descriptions of these problem classes also provide operationality criteria for the various levels in the hierarchy. A skeletal plan is then constructed for each problem class with an explanation-based learning procedure. These skeletal plans consist of a sequence of general plan elements, so that each plan element can be independently refined. The skeletal plan thus accounts for the interactions between the various concrete operations of the plan at a general level. The complexity of the planning problem is thereby factored in a domain-specific way and the compiled knowledge of sophisticated expert plans can be re-used in novel situations