Towards Conceptual Modelling Interoperability in a Web Tool for Ontology Engineering

The definition of suitable visual paradigms for ontology modelling is still an open issue. Despite obvious differences between the expressiveness of conceptual modelling (CM) languages and ontologies, many proposed tools have been based on UML, EER and ORM. Additionally, all of these tools support only one CM as visual language, reducing even more their modelling capabilities. In previous works, we have presented crowd as a Web architecture for graphical ontology designing in UML and logical reasoning to verify the relevant properties of these models. The aim of this tool is to extend the reasoning capabilities on top of visual representations as much as possible. In this paper, we present an extended crowd architecture and a new prototype focusing on an ontology-driven metamodel to enable different CMs visual languages for ontology modelling. Thus facilitating inter-model assertions across models represented in different languages, converting between modelling languages and reasoning on them. Finally, we detail the new architecture and demonstrate the usage of the prototype with simple examples

UML for the Semantic Web: Transformation-Based Approaches

The perspective role of UML as a conceptual modelling language for the Semantic Web has become an important research topic. We argue that UML could be a key technology for overcoming the ontology development bottleneck thanks to its wide acceptance and sophisticated tool support. Transformational approaches are a promising way of establishing a connection between UML and web-based ontology languages. We compare some proposals for defining transformations between UML and web ontology languages and discuss the different ways they handle the conceptual differences between these languages. We identify commonalities and differences of the approaches and point out open questions that have not or not satisfyingly been addressed by existing approaches

Towards Conceptual Modelling Interoperability in a Web Tool for Ontology Engineering

The definition of suitable visual paradigms for ontology modelling is still an open issue. Despite obvious differences between the expressiveness of conceptual modelling (CM) languages and ontologies, many proposed tools have been based on UML, EER and ORM. Additionally, all of these tools support only one CM as visual language, reducing even more their modelling capabilities. In previous works, we have presented crowd as a Web architecture for graphical ontology designing in UML and logical reasoning to verify the relevant properties of these models. The aim of this tool is to extend the reasoning capabilities on top of visual representations as much as possible. In this paper, we present an extended crowd architecture and a new prototype focusing on an ontology-driven metamodel to enable different CMs visual languages for ontology modelling. Thus facilitating inter-model assertions across models represented in different languages, converting between modelling languages and reasoning on them. Finally, we detail the new architecture and demonstrate the usage of the prototype with simple examples.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Towards Conceptual Modelling Interoperability in a Web Tool for Ontology Engineering

The definition of suitable visual paradigms for ontology modelling is still an open issue. Despite obvious differences between the expressiveness of conceptual modelling (CM) languages and ontologies, many proposed tools have been based on UML, EER and ORM. Additionally, all of these tools support only one CM as visual language, reducing even more their modelling capabilities. In previous works, we have presented crowd as a Web architecture for graphical ontology designing in UML and logical reasoning to verify the relevant properties of these models. The aim of this tool is to extend the reasoning capabilities on top of visual representations as much as possible. In this paper, we present an extended crowd architecture and a new prototype focusing on an ontology-driven metamodel to enable different CMs visual languages for ontology modelling. Thus facilitating inter-model assertions across models represented in different languages, converting between modelling languages and reasoning on them. Finally, we detail the new architecture and demonstrate the usage of the prototype with simple examples.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

UML-based DEMO Profiles as Metaconcepts for Interlocking Institutional Worlds

An information system supporting an organisation is based on concepts from the organisation\u27s institutional world. An institutional world consists of a collection of speech acts and institutional facts . For a group of information systems to interoperate, the organizations responsible for these systems must first agree on what the words mean in the interoperation. This agreement is called an ontology. The ontology is generally defined as an explicit specification of a conceptualization . One of the major uses of ontology is to support interoperation of information systems. Many institutions whose systems are to interoperate are not fully autonomous; they do sometimes cooperate with each other, so that their institutional worlds will interlock therefore interlocking ontologies . Modeling interlocking institutional worlds (IWs) requires a dedicated representation system that gives a formal model which is the specification of institutional facts as well as the specification of speech acts . The ontology is the specification of institutional facts. However, we do not have a system that can give a formal model for the speech acts. Therefore, this paper adopts a synthesis approach to propose the UML extension for modeling speech acts in the context of interlocking institutional worlds. DEMO is one of the most popular Language Action Paradigms (LAP)-based methodologies based on speech act theory so is close to the concept of IWs. The UML is a standard modelling language in the world of information system development and currently there is a growing interest in its adoption as a language for conceptual modeling and business process representation. Taking advantage of the fact that UML is an OMG standard and its use is growing quickly, this paper proposes UML-based DEMO profiles purposely for modelling IWs

Semantic model-driven development of web service architectures.

Building service-based architectures has become a major area of interest since the advent of Web services. Modelling these architectures is a central activity. Model-driven development is a recent approach to developing software systems based on the idea of making models the central artefacts for design representation, analysis, and code generation. We propose an ontology-based engineering methodology for semantic model-driven composition and transformation of Web service architectures. Ontology technology as a logic-based knowledge representation and reasoning framework can provide answers to the needs of sharable and reusable semantic models and descriptions needed for service engineering. Based on modelling, composition and code generation techniques for service architectures, our approach provides a methodological framework for ontology-based semantic service architecture

Semantic model-driven development of service-centric software architectures

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a recent architectural paradigm that has received much attention. The prevalent focus on platforms such as Web services, however, needs to be complemented by appropriate software engineering methods. We propose the model-driven development of service-centric software systems. We present in particular an investigation into the role of enriched semantic modelling for a modeldriven development framework for service-centric software systems. Ontologies as the foundations of semantic modelling and its enhancement through architectural pattern modelling are at the core of the proposed approach. We introduce foundations and discuss the benefits and also the challenges in this context

Towards Conceptual Modelling Interoperability in a Web Tool for Ontology Engineering

The definition of suitable visual paradigms for ontology modelling is still an open issue. Despite obvious differences between the expressiveness of conceptual modelling (CM) languages and ontologies, many proposed tools have been based on UML, EER and ORM. Additionally, all of these tools support only one CM as visual language, reducing even more their modelling capabilities. In previous works, we have presented crowd as a Web architecture for graphical ontology designing in UML and logical reasoning to verify the relevant properties of these models. The aim of this tool is to extend the reasoning capabilities on top of visual representations as much as possible. In this paper, we present an extended crowd architecture and a new prototype focusing on an ontology-driven metamodel to enable different CMs visual languages for ontology modelling. Thus facilitating inter-model assertions across models represented in different languages, converting between modelling languages and reasoning on them. Finally, we detail the new architecture and demonstrate the usage of the prototype with simple examples.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Transformation of UML Activity Diagram for Enhanced Reasoning

IT industry has adopted the unified modelling language activity diagram (UML-AD) as a de facto standard. UML AD facilitates modellers to graphically represent and document business processes to show the flow of activities and behaviour of a system. However, UML AD has many drawbacks such as lack of formal semantics i.e. ontology used for the constructs based on intuition, that vaguely describes processes and no provision for verifiability. Petri Net (PN) has been around for decades and used to model the workflow systems but PNs and its variants are too complex for business process modellers with no prior experience. A logical foundation is desirable to construct a business process with a precision that facilitates in transforming UML AD into a formal mechanism supported by verifiability capabilities for enhanced reasoning. Therefore, in this paper, we will provide a framework that will provide formal definitions for UML AD core terms and constructs used for modelling, and subsequently transform them to formal representation called point graph(PG). This will provide an insight into UML AD and will improve the overall functionality required from a modelling tool. A case study is conducted at King’s College Hospital trust’ to improve their patient flows of an accident and emergency (A&E) department

An ontology framework for developing platform-independent knowledge-based engineering systems in the aerospace industry

This paper presents the development of a novel knowledge-based engineering (KBE) framework for implementing platform-independent knowledge-enabled product design systems within the aerospace industry. The aim of the KBE framework is to strengthen the structure, reuse and portability of knowledge consumed within KBE systems in view of supporting the cost-effective and long-term preservation of knowledge within such systems. The proposed KBE framework uses an ontology-based approach for semantic knowledge management and adopts a model-driven architecture style from the software engineering discipline. Its phases are mainly (1) Capture knowledge required for KBE system; (2) Ontology model construct of KBE system; (3) Platform-independent model (PIM) technology selection and implementation and (4) Integration of PIM KBE knowledge with computer-aided design system. A rigorous methodology is employed which is comprised of five qualitative phases namely, requirement analysis for the KBE framework, identifying software and ontological engineering elements, integration of both elements, proof of concept prototype demonstrator and finally experts validation. A case study investigating four primitive three-dimensional geometry shapes is used to quantify the applicability of the KBE framework in the aerospace industry. Additionally, experts within the aerospace and software engineering sector validated the strengths/benefits and limitations of the KBE framework. The major benefits of the developed approach are in the reduction of man-hours required for developing KBE systems within the aerospace industry and the maintainability and abstraction of the knowledge required for developing KBE systems. This approach strengthens knowledge reuse and eliminates platform-specific approaches to developing KBE systems ensuring the preservation of KBE knowledge for the long term