Application of the Ontology Axioms for the Development of OCL Constraints from PAL Constraints

Nowadays, ontologies play a central role in many computer science problems such as data modelling, data exchange, integration of heterogeneous data and models or software reuse. Yet, if many methods of ontology based conceptual data modelling have been proposed, only few attempts have been made to ontology axioms based modelling of business rules, which make an integral part of each conceptual data model. In this paper, we present the approach how ontology axioms can be used for business rules implementation. Our proposal we apply for the transformation of PAL (Protege Axiom Language) constraints (ontology axioms), which is based on KIF (Knowledge Interchange Format) and is part of KIF ontology, into OCL (Object Constraint Language) constraints, which are part of a UML class diagram. Z language is used to formalise the proposal and describe the transformation. The Axiom2OCL plug-in is created for automation of the transformation and a case study is carried out.

[1]  Adrian Giurca,et al.  On Interchanging Between OWL / SWRL and UML / OCL , 2006 .

[2]  Jose-Norberto Mazón,et al.  Extending OCL for OLAP querying on conceptual multidimensional models of data warehouses , 2010, Inf. Sci..

[3]  Ronald G. Ross,et al.  The Business Rule Book: Classifying, Defining and Modeling Rules , 1997 .

[4]  Olegas Vasilecas,et al.  Augmenting UML with decision table technique , 2009, CompSysTech '09.

[5]  Karel Richta,et al.  Deriving Triggers from UML/OCL Specification , 2002 .

[6]  Christian Wende,et al.  A Framework for Generating Query Language Code from OCL Invariants , 2007, Electron. Commun. Eur. Assoc. Softw. Sci. Technol..

[7]  Marite Kirikova.  Information systems development : advances in methodologies, components, and management , 2002 .

[8]  Yan Ha,et al.  UML for XML-GL Query Using Class Diagram and OCL , 2009, 2009 Seventh ACIS International Conference on Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications.

[9]  J. Michael Spivey,et al.  Understanding Z : A specification language and its formal semantics , 1985, Cambridge tracts in theoretical computer science.

[10]  Amit Raj,et al.  Transformation of SBVR business design to UML models , 2008, ISEC '08.

[11]  Rafael Radkowski,et al.  Unified Modeling Language to Enhance the Specification of Discrete Event Systems for Virtual Reality Applications , 2011 .

[12]  J. E. Nicholls,et al.  Understanding the differences between VDM and Z , 1994, SOEN.

[13]  Barbara von Halle,et al.  Business Rules Applied: Building Better Systems Using the Business Rules Approach , 2001 .

[14]  Donald Chapin,et al.  Semantics of Business Vocabulary & Business Rules (SBVR) , 2005, Rule Languages for Interoperability.

[15]  Jean Bézivin,et al.  Parsing SBVR-Based Controlled Languages , 2009, MoDELS.

[16]  François Pinet,et al.  OCL for formal modelling of topological constraints involving regions with broad boundaries , 2010, GeoInformatica.

[17]  Jordi Cabot,et al.  From UML/OCL to SBVR specifications: A challenging transformation , 2010, Inf. Syst..

[18]  Somchai Lekcharoen,et al.  An Adaptive Algorithms Translating and Back-Translating of Object Constraint Language into Structure Query Language , 2009, 2009 International Conference on Information and Multimedia Technology.

[19]  Andrius Armonas,et al.  USING ATTRIBUTES AND MERGING ALGORITHMS FOR TRANSFORMING OCL EXPRESSIONS TO CODE , 2009 .

[20]  Lina Nemuraite,et al.  VETIS TOOL FOR EDITING AND TRANSFORMING SBVR BUSINESS VOCABULARIES AND BUSINESS RULES INTO UML & OCL MODELS , 2010 .

[21]  Natarajan Shankar,et al.  Formal Verification for Fault-Tolerant Architectures: Prolegomena to the Design of PVS , 1995, IEEE Trans. Software Eng..

[22]  Jonathan P. Bowen.  Formal Specification and Documentation Using Z: A Case Study Approach , 1996 .

[23]  Giancarlo Guizzardi,et al.  TOWARDS A FORMAL METHOD FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF ONTOLOGY AXIOMS TO APPLICATION DOMAIN RULES , 2009 .

[24]  Olegas Vasilecas,et al.  Ontology Transformation: from Requirements to Conceptual Model * , 2009 .

[25]  Nicola Guarino,et al.  Formal Ontology and Information Systems , 1998 .

[26]  Valentin Zacharias.  Development and Verification of Rule Based Systems - A Survey of Developers , 2008, RuleML.

[27]  H. Lan,et al.  SWRL : A semantic Web rule language combining OWL and ruleML , 2004 .

[28]  Ontology Definition Metamodel 201 16 Mapping Uml to Owl , .

[29]  Robert Meersman,et al.  On Using Conceptual Data Modeling for Ontology Engineering , 2004, J. Data Semant..

[30]  Ali Hamie.  On the Relationship between the Object Constraint Language (OCL) and the Java Modeling Language (JML) , 2006, 2006 Seventh International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Computing, Applications and Technologies (PDCAT'06).

[31]  Veda C. Storey,et al.  An ontological analysis of the relationship construct in conceptual modeling , 1999, TODS.

[32]  Lina Ceponiene,et al.  Representation of Business Rules in UML&OCL Models for Developing Information Systems , 2008, PoEM.

[33]  David A. Carrington,et al.  Formalizing the UML Class Diagram Using Object-Z , 1999, UML.

[34]  Jiao Tao,et al.  Towards Integrity Constraints in OWL , 2009, OWLED.

[35]  Dieter Fensel,et al.  Formal specification languages in knowledge and software engineering , 1995, The Knowledge Engineering Review.