A framework for conceptual modeling and graphical interaction with knowledge-intensive domains

Lil Mohan, Purdue University

Abstract

The first part presents an interactive framework for modeling knowledge-intensive domains. We have designed and implemented a prototype framework SSONET (Structured Semantic Object NETwork) which has the potential to incorporate all the schema design and data management capabilities available in current Object-Oriented databases as well as the knowledge representation and reasoning capabilities available in artificial intelligence related systems. One goal of creating such a representational framework has been to impose a structural discipline on the creation and the manipulation of conceptual objects within Object-Oriented knowledge models. A fundamental design issue underlying the development of the SSONET modeling framework is the utilization of explicit links. The framework allows for the specification of meta-level conceptual relationships between the semantic links themselves. The second part presents a novel visual query language (VQL) for interacting with the SSONET knowledge model. VQL allows convenient access to the various types of knowledge captured by the knowledge model. It consists of a set of 'graphical primitives' along with a combination grammar for creating graphical queries. Apart from being able to create simple queries such as those that can be specified in SQL or QBE, VQL can be used for making queries on the ER model. Further, VQL handle complicated, indirect queries. Recursive queries on graph structures such as finding transitive closures of graphs can be pictorially specified in an elegant way. Perhaps the most powerful feature of VQL is that it provides high semantic expressibility (in being able to specify highly complex queries) without sacrificing ease of user query formulation. SSONET and VQL are embedded in an object-oriented visual knowledge base interaction environment that supports schema creation and manipulation as well as database querying and updation. The prototype framework has been implemented in Smalltalk-80 running on a Sun 3/60 workstation. The framework is illustrated through a particular domain knowledge model created for Computer Integrated Manufacturing applications. It is currently being used as a platform for designing various CIM applications such as knowledge based tools for engineering design, assembly planning and machine fault diagnosis. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Kashyap, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Electrical engineering|Computer science|Industrial engineering|Artificial intelligence

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