1. DKE
2. Research
3. Projects
4. multilevel

Multi-Level Objects

Short description

Using traditional semantic data modeling, multi-level modeling can be achieved by representing objects in different abstraction hierarchies, namely classifcation, aggregation and generalization. This, however, leads to accidental complexity, complicating maintenance and extension. Several modeling techniques, like deep instantiation, powertypes and materialization, have been proposed to reduce unnecessary complexity in modeling objects at multiple levels. Multi-level objects (m-objects) and multi-level relationships (m-relationships) build on these results and provide a natural, intuitive representation of the concretization of objects and relationships along multiple levels of abstraction. By integrating aspects of the different abstraction hierarchies in a single concretization hierarchy, they improve readability and simplify maintenance and extension as compared to previous approaches.

Project team

Bernd Neumayr (DKE)

Michael Schrefl (DKE)

Publications

B. Neumayr, M. Schrefl: Multi-Level Conceptual Modeling and OWL In: In : Advances in Conceptual Modeling - Challenging Perspectives, Proceedings of the Joint International Workshop on Metamodels, Ontologies, Semantic Technologies and Information Systems for the Semantic Web (MOST-ONISW 2009) held in conjunction with the 28th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2009), November 9-12, 2009, Gramado, Brazil, Springer Verlag, ISBN 978-3-642-04946-0, pp. 189-199, 2009.

B. Neumayr, K. Grün, M. Schrefl: Multi-Level Domain Modeling with M-Objects and M-Relationships In: Markus Kirchberg, Sebastian Link (eds.): Proceedings of the 6th Asia-Pacific Conference on Conceptual Modeling (APCCM), January 20-23, 2009, Wellington, New Zealand, Australian Computer Society, Inc. (ACS), Conferences in Research an d Practice in Information Technology (CRPIT), Volume 96, Conceptual Modelling 2009, Australian Computer Science Communications, Volume 31, No. 6, pp. 107-116, ISBN 978-1-920682-77-4, ISSN 1445-1336, 2009.

B. Neumayr, M. Schrefl: Comparison Criteria for Ontological Multi-Level Modeling Institute report 08.03, November 2008.

J. Huber: Multi-Level Modelling und OWL: Implementierung von Mapping und Werkzeug-Unterstützung (Master Thesis, 2011) Diplomarbeit, Betreuung: o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael Schrefl, unter Anleitung von Dr. Bernd Neumayr, ausgeführt an der Universität Linz, Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik - Data & Knowledge Engineering, September 2011.