A Graph-Based Knowledge Representation Language for Concept Description

In this paper, we propose an expressive concept description language, GDL, for real world applications combining features of both Conceptual Graphs (CGs) and Description Logics (DLs). Regarding concept descriptions in CGs, namely existential, positive and conjunctive graphs, GDL is the closure of this language under the Boolean operations. Now regarding DLs, GDL is an extension of ALC with graph structures in concept descriptions. GDL extends ALC with the intersection ∏, composition o, converse of roles .- and role identity id(.): we show how these constructs can be expressed with EG and GR constructs. We provide a sound and complete tableaux algorithm to prove the satisfiability of GDL in NEXPTIME.