Schema- and Ontology-Based XML Data Exchange in Semantic E-Business Applications
Jolanta Cybulka, Adam Meissner, Tadeusz Pankowski · 2006
The problem of the semantics-preserving data transformations during their exchange by e-business applications is addressed. A method for automatic generation of schema mappings is proposed, which is based on the XML schema definition and the specification of the schema semantics via the relevant ontology. 1. Introduction The semantic e-business is considered as an approach to managing knowledge for the coordination of e-business processes through the application of Semantic Web technologies including ontologies, knowledge representation methods, and intelligent software agents [Singh 2005]. These technologies provide means to design collaborative and integrative, inter- and intra-organizational business processes founded on efficient exchange of data among trusted business partners. Such an approach opens up new possibilities of cooperation among business partners, where their offers can be comp ared, even complex negotiations can be conducted electronically, and a contract can be drown up and fulfilled via an electronic marketplace [Pankowski 2005, Quix 2002]. Such a scenario requires the integration and the interoperation of applications (e.g. product databases, order processing systems) across multiple organizations. This integration is achieved through semantics-preserving data exchange, it means that there is a common understanding of exchanged data between their sender and receiver even though the data are structured using different terminologies and different formats. Such semantic integration of e-business processes must be carried out in a highly dynamic environment where companies enter the marketplace while some others drop out. Moreover, the system must be adaptable for different environments, as the electronic marketplace covers many countries with different languages and different legal regulations.