An ontology-based metamodel for multiagent-based simulations

Multiagent-based simulations enable us to validate different use-case scenarios in a lot of application domains. The idea is to develop a realistic virtual environment to test particular domain-specific procedures. This paper presents our general framework for interactive multiagent-based simulations in virtual environments. The major contribution of this paper is the integration of the notion of ontology as a core element to the design process of a behavioral simulation. The proposed metamodel describes the concepts of a multiagent simulation using situated agents moving in a semantically enriched 3D environment. The agents perceive the geometric and semantic data in the surrounding environment. They are also able to act in this environment by using high-level actions, which are described by the ontology of the environment. The concepts relating to the environment, the agent, and the entire simulation models are presented. Additionally, guidelines are given to exploit the simulation results to characterize the agents. Finally, a simple application of the metamodel is presented, based upon the use of Industry Foundation Classes.     

GoBIS: An integrated framework to analyse the goal and business process perspectives in information systems

ContextOrganisational reengineering, continuous process improvement, alignment among complementary analysis perspectives, and information traceability are some current motivations to promote investment and scientific effort for integrating goal and business process perspectives. Providing support to integrate information systems analysis becomes a challenge in this complex setting.ObjectiveThe GoBIS framework integrates two goal and business process modelling approaches: i^⁎ (a goal-oriented modelling method) and Communication Analysis (a communication-oriented business process modelling method).MethodIn this paper, we describe the methodological integration of both methods with the aim of fulfilling several criteria: i) to rely on appropriate theories; ii) to provide abstract and concrete syntaxes; iii) to provide scenarios of application; iv) to develop tool support; v) to provide demonstrable benefits to potential adopters.ResultsWe provide guidelines for using the two modelling methods in a top-down analysis scenario. The guidelines are validated by means of a comparative experiment and a focus-group session with students.ConclusionsFrom a practitioner viewpoint (modeller and/or analyst), the guidelines facilitate the traceability between goal and business process models, the experimental results highlight the benefits of GoBIS in performance and usability perceptions, and demonstrate an improvement on the completeness of the latter having an impact on efficiency. From a researcher perspective, the validation has produced useful feedback for future research.     

A variable fidelity information fusion method based on radial basis function

Radial basis function (RBF) model has been widely used in complex engineering design process to replace the computational-intensive simulation models. This paper proposes a variable-fidelity metamodeling (VFM) approach based on RBF, in which different levels fidelity information can be integrated and fully exploited. In the proposed VFM approach, a RBF metamodel is constructed for the low-fidelity (LF) model as a start. Then by taking the constructed LF metamodel as a prior-knowledge and mapping the output space of the LF metamodel to that of the studied high-fidelity (HF) model, a variable fidelity (VF) metamodel is created to approximate the relationships between the design variables and corresponding output responses. A numerical illustrative example is adopted to make a detailed comparison between the VFM approach developed in this research and three existing scaling function based VFM approaches, considering different sample sizes and sample noises. Results illustrate that the proposed VFM approach outperforms the scaling function based VFM approaches both in global and local accuracy. Then the proposed VFM approach is applied to two engineering problems, modeling aerodynamic data for a three-dimensional aircraft and the prediction of weld bead profile in laser welding, to illustrate its ability in support of complex engineering design.     

刻蚀机装备设计中的序贯试验设计方法研究

450mm晶圆刻蚀机开发中大量应用确定性仿真来模拟腔室内部物理、化学环境,并通过仿真结果指导装备结构的详细设计。为控制仿真试验的采样规模以缩短开发周期,本文详细介绍一种新型的基于采样密度和非线性度的序贯设计方法。此方法通过蒙特卡洛方法,在设计空间中获得采样密度信息,进而对低采样密度区域增加采样点。另外,通过对每个采样的领域进行发掘,以获得采样的梯度和非线性度信息,进而对高度非线性的区域增加采样点。以450mm刻蚀机约束环设计模型和Goldstein-Price模型为背景,采用拉丁超立方和新型序贯设计方法同时采样,以代理模型精度和特征捕捉能力两个角度来对比采样结果的优劣,结果证明,在达到同样精度的前提下,新型序贯设计方法能有效减小采样规模,符合刻蚀装备设计的需要。     

Kriging和距离因子辅助的全局优化方法

基于Kriging元模型的优化方法通常存在优化效率较低、收敛速度较慢、昂贵估值次数较多且难以有效平衡Kriging模型的局部与全局搜索行为等弊端。为此,提出一种序列Kriging和距离因子辅助的全局优化方法。其实现过程主要包含两个阶段:一是利用Kriging模型近似复杂昂贵的黑箱函数;二是利用Kriging模型与距离因子的乘积构造加点采样法则,并通过免于求导的DIRECT算法优化该法则,以获取新的昂贵估值点。六个数值函数测试和一个摆线泵仿真实例验证所提出方法的有效性。     

Probabilistic uncertainty analysis of an FRF of a structure using a Gaussian process emulator

This paper introduces methods for probabilistic uncertainty analysis of a frequency response function (FRF) of a structure obtained via a finite element (FE) model. The methods are applicable to computationally expensive FE models, making use of a Bayesian metamodel known as an emulator. The emulator produces fast predictions of the FE model output, but also accounts for the additional uncertainty induced by only having a limited number of model evaluations. Two approaches to the probabilistic uncertainty analysis of FRFs are developed. The first considers the uncertainty in the response at discrete frequencies, giving pointwise uncertainty intervals. The second considers the uncertainty in an entire FRF across a frequency range, giving an uncertainty envelope function. The methods are demonstrated and compared to alternative approaches in a practical case study.     

Kriging metamodel management in the design optimization of a CNG injection system

This paper deals with the use of Kriging metamodels in multi-objective engineering design optimization. The metamodel management issue to find the tradeoff between accuracy and efficiency is addressed. A comparative analysis of different strategies is conducted for a case study devoted to the design of a component of the injection system for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines. The computational results are reported and analyzed for a performance assessment conducted with a data envelopment analysis approach.     

Towards a formal definition of methods

The absence of a formal specification of methods permits application engineers to interpret method concepts in any way they want. Further, different CASE tool designers can implement the same method concepts in different ways. The approach to formal method specification described here is in three levels: the generic level, the method independent level, and the method level. The generic level provides a model of a method which can be instantiated to yield a method-independent view of methods. This view can, in turn, be instantiated to yield the formal method of interest. The attempt is to represent methods independently of any underlying way-of-working or paradigm, remove the process/product dichtomy by tight coupling of the process and product aspects of methods, and permit extensibility of methods. The formal specification can be used as a basis for building CASE tools, as an output to be produced by a CAME tool, and for defining development processes.     

基于CWM和EMF的数据库元数据处理

针对各种数据库元数据的异构问题,以及封装元数据的领域模型和存储元数据所需的表结构需要手工建立且工作量较大的问题,提出基于公共仓库元模型(CWM)和Eclipse模型化框架(EMF)的数据库元数据处理,其中包括数据库元数据的获取、封装、扩展、持久化等操作,以及领域模型的实现和表结构的生成。结果证明,基于CWM和EMF的数据库元数据处理能够解决数据库元数据的异构问题,免去手工构建领域模型和表结构的工作,减少了工作量。     

Model‐based code generation for HLA federates

This paper addresses the problem of automated code generation for a High Level Architecture compliant federate application given its behavior model. The behavior model is a part of the architectural model of a federation that the federate can participate in. The federate behavior model is based on Live Sequence Charts, adopted as the behavioral specification formalism in the Federation Architecture Metamodel (FAMM). FAMM serves as a formal language for describing federation architectures. An objective is to help the testing of federation architecture by means of its prototype implementation early in the development lifecycle. A further objective is to help developers construct complete federate applications that are well modularized. The approach to achieve these objectives is aspect‐oriented in that the generated code, which handles the federate's interactions with a federation execution, serves as the base code, where the computation logic is to be weaved as an aspect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.