Deriving and retrieving contextual categorical information through instance inheritance

• Autorzy: Analyti A. , Spyratos N. , Constantopoulos P.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

In semantic and object-oriented data models, each class has one or more typing properties that associate it to other classes, and carry type information about all instances of the class. We introduce a new kind of property that we call instance-typing property. An instance-typing property associates an instance of a class to another class, and carries type information about that particular instance (and not about all instances of the class). Instance-typing properties are important as they allow to represent summary information about an instance, in addition to specific information. In this paper, we study inheritance of properties from a class to an instance, using type information about the class, as well as type information about the instance. This kind of inheritance, that we call contextual instance-inheritance, provides us with the most specific type information about the instance, in a particular context. Intuitively, a context is a metaclass of interest with respect to which this most specific information is determined. We demonstrate that contextual instance-inheritance is a powerful conceptual modeling mechanism, capable of expressing valuable information about instances. We also provide a framework in which derived instance-inherited properties can be represented and retrieved in the same way as "usual" properties.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

instance-inheritance; type information; context; inference rule; conceptual modeling; object-oriented modeling

• Wydawca: IOS Press
• Czasopismo: Fundamenta Informaticae
• Rocznik: 2000
• Tom: Vol. 44, Nr 4
• Strony: 321--351
• Opis fizyczny: wykr., bibliogr. 29 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Analyti A.

autor

Spyratos N.

autor

Constantopoulos P.

• Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Iraklio, Greece Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Iraklio, Greece,