Abstract Core Ontology for SWSL Processes

While we are at it... I am not keen on calling things preconditions, 
effects... these are just two instances of the more general class of world 
state constraints that may be on time points or sets of time points related 
to a process or activity.  You can have world state constraint on the end 
time point of an activity, or on a range form the begin to the end time 
points, or effects that occur as soon as the activity begins.  As well as 
the more traditional world state constraint on the begin of ac activity 
(usually called a precondition) and world state constraint from the end 
time point of an activity (usually called a postcondition or effect).

The same goes for the different ways in which Inputs, Outputs, Resources 
and other "used" entities can be modelled.

I have argued that SWSL should simply allow a process description to be 
made up of:

a) a set of activities to be performed, each of which are considered to 
have a begin and end time point

b) a set of constraints (of predefined and extendible types) on and between 
those activities and the objects/entities in the world associated with them

c) a set of annotations (of predefined and extendible types) on the above

We would then re-engineer back those predefined things we want from OWL-S 
to make sure we cover the specific instance everyone knows and loves... but 
in a more coherent and very extendible framework.

Austin

Received on Friday, 16 January 2004 09:48:48 UTC