EDIF/CFI Core Model: Methodology for the Specification of Transformations between Information Models

Information models are more and more used to specify a domain interest, as e.g. netlist information for electronic circuits. But in spite of all standardisation efforts, with the wider adoption of the information modelling technology several models of a single domain are created. Often, these information models describe conceptual views of different languages, different tools or different standards of the respective domain. In this paper, the problems of comparing these models, describing their differences and commonalities and specifying transformations between them is addressed. A methodology is proposed based on the use of a "core model", i.e. yet another information model, which describes the concepts common to both original models. Formal relationships exist between the core model and the original models describing how instances of one model can be transformed to instances of the other model. As a case study, this methodology is applied to compare and formally relate infomation models of EDIF (Electronic Design Interchange Format) and CFI (CAD Framework Initiative).