Identification & Reconciliation of Semantic Conflicts Using Metadata

随着复杂信息系统的发展，异构系统的集成，以及大量在线计算机数据源的可用性，开发考虑这些系统中使用的数据含义的方法变得越来越重要。例如，需要以美元表示财务数据的应用程序不能从以其他货币报告的源接收数据，这一点很重要。数据的含义可能随时发生变化，这一事实使问题进一步复杂化。为了解决这一问题，信息系统必须具有表示数据语义、检测和自动解决语义冲突的能力。本研究的重点是数据语义（即元数据）的表示和操作。本研究开发：(1)基于规则的元数据规范方法，(2)识别语义冲突的查询处理技术，(3)使用转换例程自动解决这些冲突的方法。当应用于源-接收系统时，这些技术创建了一个允许更改数据语义的动态系统环境。类似地，在异构信息系统中，这些技术定义了一个动态模式集成环境，在这个环境中，集成系统可以继续运行，因为组件系统可以独立地修改数据语义。

With the development of complex information systems, the integration of heterogeneous systems, and the availability of numerous online computer data sources, it has become increasingly important that methods be developed that consider the meaning of the data used in these systems. For example, it is important that an application requiring financial data in US dollars does not receive data from a source that reports in another currency. This problem is further complicated by the fact that the meaning of data may change at any time. To deal with this problem, information systems must have the ability to represent data semantics and detect and automatically resolve semantic conflicts. This research focuses on the representation and manipulation of data semantics (i.e., metadata). This research develops: (1) a rule-based approach to metadata specification, (2) query processing techniques that identify semantic conflicts, (3) methods that use conversion routines to automatically resolve these conflicts. When applied to source-receiver systems, these techniques create a dynamic system environment that permits changes in data semantics. Similarly, in heterogeneous information systems these techniques define a dynamic schema integration environment where the integrated system can continue to operate as the component systems independently modify data semantics.