Abstract
Classification is a key concept in conceptual modeling. However, the recognition that there might be different kinds of classes has received limited attention in conceptual modeling research. Most work has focused on the concept of role. However, confusion exists on the definition, properties, and representation of role. In this paper, we propose a metamodel of classifiers based on ontological foundations. We focus on the notion of role in the object-oriented and conceptual modeling literature. The metamodel conforms to the fundamental role features identified in the literature and handles several problems associated with role modeling. Furthermore, we contrast conceptual models created using our metamodel to those created using traditional ER or class modeling approaches, and highlight the database design implications of the differences. Using examples, we demonstrate that relational database schemata generated using our approach are more stable with respect to changing requirements.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Al-Jadir, L., Leonard, M.: If we refuse the inheritance. In: Bench-Capon, T.J.M., Soda, G., Tjoa, A.M. (eds.) DEXA 1999. LNCS, vol. 1677, Springer, Heidelberg (1999)
Bunge, M.: Treatise on Basic Philosophy, vol. 3, Ontology I: The Furniture of the World, Boston: Reidel (1977)
Bunge, M.: Treatise on Basic Philosophy vol. 4, Ontology II: A World of Systems, Boston: Reidel (1979)
Dahchour, M., Pirotte, A., Zimanyi, E.: A role model and its metaclass implementation, Information Systems. 29(3), 235–270 (2004)
Elmasri, R., Navathe, S.: Fundamentals of Database Systems, 3rd edn. AddisonWesley, London, UK (2000)
Evermann, J.: The Association Construct in Conceptual Modelling - An Analysis Using the Bunge Ontological Model. In: Pastor, Ó., Falcão e Cunha, J. (eds.) CAiSE 2005. LNCS, vol. 3520, pp. 33–47. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)
Evermann, J., Wand, Y.: Ontology based object-oriented domain modelling: fundamental concepts. Requirements Eng. 10(2), 146–160 (2005)
Gottlob, G., Schrefl, M., Rock, B.: Extending Object-Oriented Systems with Roles. ACM Trans. Inf. Syst. 14(3), 268–296 (1996)
Guarino, N.: Concepts, attributes and arbitrary relations. Data & Knowledge Engineering 8, 249–261 (1992)
Guarino, N., Welty, C.: An overview of OntoClean. In: Staab, S., Studer, R. (eds.) Handbook on Ontologies, pp. 151–159. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)
Guarino, N., Welty, C.: Evaluating ontological decisions with OntoClean, Commun. ACM 45(2), 61–65 (2002)
Guarino, N., Welty, C.: A formal ontology of properties. In: Dieng, R. (ed.) Proceedings of the 12th Int. Conf. On Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management. LNCS, Springer, Heidelberg
Guizzardi, G., Wagner, G., Guarino, N., McBrien, P., Rizopoulos, N.: An Ontologically Well-Founded Profile for UML Conceptual Models. In: Persson, A., Stirna, J. (eds.) CAiSE 2004. LNCS, vol. 3084, pp. 112–126. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)
Guizzardi, G., Wagner, G., Sinderen, M.: A Formal Theory of Conceptual Modeling Universals, WSPI (2004)
Halpin, T.A.: Business rules and object-role modeling, DBP&D 9(10) (October 1996)
Loebe, F.: An Analysis of Roles - Toward Ontology-Based Modelling, Master’s Thesis, University of Leipzig (2003)
Masolo, C., Guizzardi, G., Vieu, L., Bottazzi, E., Ferrario, R.: Relational Roles and Qua-individuals. In: Roles, an interdisciplinary perspective, AAAI Fall Symposium (2005)
Renouf, D.W., Henderson-Sellers, B.: Towards a Role-Based Framework Approach for User Interfaces. Australian Computer Journal 28(3), 96–106 (1996)
Sowa, J.F.: Conceptual Structures: Information Processing in Mind and Machine. Addison-Wesley, New York (1984)
Sowa, J.F.: Using a lexicon of canonical graphs in a semantic interpreter. In: Evens, M.W. (ed.) Relational Models of the Lexicon, pp. 113–137. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1988)
Sowa, J.F.: Knowledge Representation: Logical, Philosophical, and Computational Foundations, Thomson Learning (2000)
Steimann, F.: On the representation of roles in object-oriented and conceptual modeling. Data & Knowledge Engineering 35, 83–106 (2000)
Steimann, F.: A radical revision of UML’s role concept. In: Evans, A., Kent, S., Selic, B. (eds.) UML 2000. LNCS, vol. 1939, pp. 194–209. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)
Steimann, F.: Role = Interface: A merger of concepts. Journal of Object-Oriented Programming 14(4), 23–32 (2001)
Steimann, F.: The Role Data Model Revisited. In: Roles, an interdisciplinary perspective, AAAI Fall Symposium (2005)
Wand, Y., Storey, V., Weber, R.: An Ontological Analysis of the relationship Construct in Conceptual Modeling. ACM Transactions on Database Systems 24(4), 494–528 (1999)
Welty, C., Guarino, N.: Supporting ontological analysis of taxonomic relationships. Data & Knowledge Engineering 39(1), 51–74 (2001)
Wieringa, R., Jonge, W., de Spruit, P.: Using Dynamic Classes and Role Classes to Model Object Migration. Theory and Practice of Object Systems 1(1), 61–83 (1995)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Parsons, J., Li, X. (2007). An Ontological Metamodel of Classifiers and Its Application to Conceptual Modelling and Database Design. In: Parent, C., Schewe, KD., Storey, V.C., Thalheim, B. (eds) Conceptual Modeling - ER 2007. ER 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4801. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-75563-0_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-75563-0_16
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-75562-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-75563-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)