A review of interoperability assessment models

Interoperability is the ability of systems to provide services to and accept services from other systems, and to use the services exchanged so as to operate together in a more effective manner. The fact that interoperability can be improved means that the metrics for measuring interoperability can be defined. For the purpose of measuring the interoperability between systems, an interoperability assessment model is required. This paper deals with the existing interoperability assessment models. A compara- tive analysis among these models is provided to evaluate the similarities and differences in their philosophy and implementation. The analysis yields a set of recommendations for any party that is open to the idea of creating or improving an interoperability assessment model.     

A semantic interoperability framework for software as a service systems in cloud computing environments

In cloud computing environments in software as a service (SaaS) level, interoperability refers to the ability of SaaS systems on one cloud provider to communicate with SaaS systems on another cloud provider. One of the most important barriers to the adoption of SaaS systems in cloud computing environments is interoperability. A common tactic for enabling interoperability is the use of an interoperability framework or model. During the past few years, in cloud SaaS level, various interoperability frameworks and models have been developed to provide interoperability between systems. The syntactic interoperability of SaaS systems have already been intensively researched. However, not enough consideration has been given to semantic interoperability issues. Achieving semantic interoperability is a challenge within the world of SaaS in cloud computing environments. Therefore, a semantic interoperability framework for SaaS systems in cloud computing environments is needed. We develop a semantic interoperability framework for cloud SaaS systems. The capabilities and value of service oriented architecture for semantic interoperability within cloud SaaS systems have been studied and demonstrated. This paper is accomplished through a number of steps (research methodology). It begins with a study on related works in the literature. Then, problem statement and research objectives are explained. In the next step, semantic interoperability requirements for SaaS systems in cloud computing environments that are needed to support are analyzed. The details of the proposed semantic interoperability framework for SaaS systems in cloud computing environments are presented. It includes the design of the proposed semantic interoperability framework. Finally, the evaluation methods of the semantic interoperability framework are elaborated. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed semantic interoperability framework for SaaS systems in cloud computing environments, extensive experimentation and statistical analysis have been performed. The experiments and statistical analysis specify that the proposed semantic interoperability framework for cloud SaaS systems is able to establish semantic interoperability between cloud SaaS systems in a more efficient way. It is concluded that using the proposed framework, there is a significant improvement in the effectiveness of semantic interoperability of SaaS systems in cloud computing environments.     

Dimensional metrology interoperability and standardization in manufacturing systems

Dimensional metrology is an important part of any manufacturing system. It consists of distinct components and requires a large, diverse, and interconnected knowledge base. How to pass information seamlessly with minimal cost and minimal data loss between different components of a dimensional metrology system is a major issue that concerns software and hardware vendors, standards developers, and customers. This paper focuses on the four main elements of a dimensional metrology system: product definition, measurement process plan definition, measurement process execution, and analysis and reporting of quality data. The activities and software modules that are involved in these elements are discussed. Key issues that cause interoperability problems are identified. These issues are discussed as they relate to the current situation in dimensional metrology standards development. The STEP (ISO 10303) standards are the product of an international effort to achieve interoperability for manufacturing systems. Extending STEP is an appropriate way to solve the interoperability problem within dimensional metrology systems. Further development of STEP standards is proposed so that Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) information already available in STEP can be linked with manufacturing feature information, measurement technology, and measurement results. The proposed STEP data model is an attempt to provide a standard that will support automatic measurement process plan generation for in-process on-machine measurement. Some case studies are under way to test the model.     

Semantic interoperability in building design: Methods and tools

Semantic interoperability is a crucial element to make building information models understandable and model data sharable across multiple design disciplines and heterogeneous computer systems. This paper presents a new approach and its software implementation for the development of building design objects with semantics of interoperable information to support semantic interoperability in building designs. The novelty of the approach includes its incorporation of building design domain ontology, object-based CAD information modeling, and interoperability standard to make building information models and model data semantically interoperable. A set of methods are proposed to address the issues of object-based building information representation compliant with the Industrial Foundation Classes (IFC); extension of IFC models with the supplementary information; and semantic annotation of the interoperable and extensible information sets. The prototype implementation of these methods provides a set of Web-enabled software tools for effectively generating, managing, and reusing the semantically interoperable building objects in design applications of architectural CAD, structural analysis, and building code conformance checking.     

An evaluation and selection framework for interoperability standards

There is a wide range of standards available for the integration and interoperability of applications and information systems, both on domain-specific and domain-neutral levels. The evaluation and selection of interoperability standards are necessary in the application development and integration projects, when there is a need to assess the usefulness of existing models or to find open solutions. In addition, standards have to be evaluated when recommendations are made for a given domain or when their quality is examined. The evaluation of the scope and other aspects of interoperability standards is usually performed against project-specific requirements, but generic frameworks can be used for supporting the evaluation. In this article, we present a conceptual framework which has been developed for the systematic evaluation of interoperability standards. We also present an overview of a process for the evaluation of interoperability standards. We illustrate the use of these models with practical experience and examples.     

Conformance checking of PMI representation in CAD model STEP data exchange files

Recommended practices supplement data exchange standards by providing common implementation guidance associated with specific requirements. ISO 10303 (STEP) product data exchange files that conform to recommended practices ensure interoperability between computer-aided design (CAD) systems and with downstream applications such as manufacturing and inspection. Correct implementation of product and manufacturing information (PMI)–annotations associated with a CAD model’s edges and faces such as geometric tolerances, dimensional tolerances, and datum features–in CAD authoring systems and translators is essential for interoperability. This paper discusses an approach implemented in a software tool for checking the conformance of STEP files to the recommended practice for PMI representation.     

A federated approach to develop enterprise interoperability

Interoperability is one of the requisite features for existing enterprises in the increasing competitive and complex global market. In the last decade, enterprise interoperability has been developed and prescribed by various kinds of frameworks, methods, and techniques. However interoperability development is still not mature enough to become a science. Meanwhile, it keeps evolving according to different business requirement and market environment. Nowadays, networked environment causes unpredictable dynamical situations, thus sustainable interoperability becomes a new research dimension in the interoperability of enterprise systems and applications domain. In the sustainable interoperability, enterprise interoperability dynamics is one of the focal topics. This dynamic approach also called federated is originated from Enterprise Interoperability Framework of INTEROP NoE, which aims to establish interoperability on the fly. This paper presents current state on federated approaches to develop enterprise interoperability dynamics. Based on this study, a novel Federated interoperability approach is proposed. It aims at bridging the gap from interoperability concepts to the implementation of interoperable enterprise information systems development. This approach reuses distributed simulation interoperability concepts to facilitate and coordinate the communication between heterogeneous distributed information systems of the enterprises. This simulation part has been implemented into a software platform. This platform is complaint with the latest version of the high level architecture that is a distributed communication standard. This approach also proposes a development lifecycle that intends to reuse existing information systems without recoding them but by adapting them to the new requirements of interoperability dynamics.     

Achieving Mobile Agent Systems interoperability through software layering

Interoperability is a key issue for a wider adoption of mobile agent systems (MASs) in heterogeneous and open distributed environments where agents, in order to fulfill their tasks, must interact with non-homogeneous agents and traverse different agent platforms to access remote resources. To date, while several approaches have been proposed to deal with different aspects of MAS interoperability, they all lack the necessary flexibility to provide an adequate degree of interoperability among the currently available MASs. In this paper, we propose an application-level approach grounded in the software layering concept, which enables execution, migration and communication interoperability between Java-based mobile agent systems, thus overcoming major setbacks affecting the other approaches currently proposed for supporting MAS interoperability. In particular, we define a Java-based framework, named JIMAF, which relies on an event-driven, proxy-based mobile agent model and supports interoperable mobile agents which can be easily coded and adapted to existing MASs without any modifications of the MAS infrastructures. Results from the performance evaluation of MAS interoperability was carried by using JIMAF atop Aglets, Ajanta, Grasshopper, and Voyager, demonstrating that the high-level JIMAF approach offers high efficacy while maintaining overhead at acceptable levels for target computing environments.     

基于SOA的异构系统集成研究

分析了SOA和Web服务技术在实现异构系统集成方面的优势,提出了一种基于SOA思想,以Web服务为基础的异构系统集成框架.将该系统集成框架应用于实际项目中,解决了办公自动化系统和人力资源系统的人员数据集成.该系统集成框架用于解决企业信息化过程中相关异构系统之间互操作的问题有一定优势.     

Interoperability Technology Assessment

Interoperability between heterogeneous computer systems is vital to many types of enterprise applications where pressing new requirements may arise quickly and change rapidly. Achieving interoperability, however, is a complex task involving a delicate mixture of cooperation and competition. This paper assesses seven approaches to software interoperability in distributed environments respective of six evaluation criteria.     

基于WS-N的发布订阅消息模式的研究

基于Web服务的软件开发被视为软件进化的下一阶段。WS—Notification的消息模型为不同平台、不同系统的软件通信定义了统一消息格式，实现了各种系统、程序和组件之间的互操作。阐述了WS—N的基本原理，研究分析了WS—N发布订阅消息模式的机制；提出了基于通知代理的消息发布订阅模式的设计构想。     

互操作信任的模糊变权动态综合评价方法

随着信息化的发展,"信息孤岛"成为阻碍跨部门、跨域信息资源共享的主要问题,而解决这个问题的关键技术就是互操作.不同部门之间实现互操作的前提是建立良好的信任关系.以信息系统互操作为背景,从组织信任关系的角度,对互操作的信任机制进行了研究.在构建互操作联盟的基础上,一方面,从组织信任关系背景下,分析了影响互操作信任的定性和定量的因素,建立了互操作信任评价指标体系;另一方面,为符合互操作局部自治和动态变化的特点,研究了基于模糊变权理论的互操作信任动态综合评价方法.最后,通过仿真对上述研究内容的可行性进行了验证.通过分析证明该方法能够实现互操作信任的动态变化以及基于信任的互操作逻辑重构.     

User model interoperability: a survey

Nowadays a large number of user-adaptive systems has been developed. Commonly, the effort to build user models is repeated across applications and domains, due to the lack of interoperability and synchronization among user-adaptive systems. There is a strong need for the next generation of user models to be interoperable, i.e. to be able to exchange user model portions and to use the information that has been exchanged to enrich the user experience. This paper presents an overview of the well-established literature dealing with user model interoperability, discussing the most representative work which has provided valuable solutions to face interoperability issues. Based on a detailed decomposition and a deep analysis of the selected work, we have isolated a set of dimensions characterizing the user model interoperability process along which the work has been classified. Starting from this analysis, the paper presents some open issues and possible future deployments in the area.     

作战系统互操作应用效能的仿真评估研究

作战系统互操作是实现多军种联合作战并进而在战争中取得信息优势的关键技术.实现作战系统互操作必须解决的一个问题是互操作的应用效能评估,即评估互操作可以在何种程度上提升作战系统的应用效能.文章旨在通过对作战系统互操作应用效能评估方法进行仿真来证明评估指标体系和评估方法的有效性.仿真系统基于已建立的作战系统互操作的应用效能评估指标体系和综合评估方法,通过Vc 进行了实现.文中给出了仿真评估的运算步骤和计算实例.仿真结果表明了该作战系统互操作应用效能评估方法的可行性.     

Multidisciplinary modelling of biomedical systems

This paper describes general principles and example results of a new software tool being developed for physiologically-based modelling of biomedical systems within a multidisciplinary framework. The aim is to overcome some limitations of currently available software designed either for general purpose or for highly specialised modelling applications. In fact, general purpose tools usually impose explicit coding of mathematical model equations or non-intuitive system representations, whereas specialised software use domain-specific notations that allow efficient and convenient model building only for special classes of systems. The aim of the present study is to pursue intuitive representation of various, possibly interacting, types of biological systems described as interconnected physical components, such as mass and energy storage elements, active and passive transport or biochemical transformations. The presented software generates automatically the mathematical model equations that can be coded in different formats. This allows interoperability with other existing software, e.g. for numerical simulation, symbolic analysis or text processing. A multi-domain structural language has been defined for an intuitive, hierarchical and self-explanatory specification of physiological models. The proposed strategies may become useful for dissemination and integration of multidisciplinary modelling knowledge.     

Software architecture knowledge for intelligent light maintenance

The maintenance management plays an important role in the monitoring of business activities. It ensures a certain level of services in industrial systems by improving the ability to function in accordance with prescribed procedures. This has a decisive impact on the performance of these systems in terms of operational efficiency, reliability and associated intervention costs. To support the maintenance processes of a wide range of industrial services, a knowledge-based component is useful to perform the intelligent monitoring. In this context we propose a generic model for supporting and generating industrial lights maintenance processes. The modeled intelligent approach involves information structuring and knowledge sharing in the industrial setting and the implementation of specialized maintenance management software in the target information system. As a first step we defined computerized procedures from the conceptual structure of industrial data to ensure their interoperability and effective use of information and communication technologies in the software dedicated to the management of maintenance (E-candela). The second step is the implementation of this software architecture with specification of business rules, especially by organizing taxonomical information of the lighting systems, and applying intelligence-based operations and analysis to capitalize knowledge from maintenance experiences. Finally, the third step is the deployment of the software with contextual adaptation of the user interface to allow the management of operations, editions of the balance sheets and real-time location obtained through geolocation data. In practice, these computational intelligence-based modes of reasoning involve an engineering framework that facilitates the continuous improvement of a comprehensive maintenance regime.     

An ontology for videogame interoperability

During the last 20 years, video games have become very popular and widely adopted in our society. However, despite the growth on video game industry, there is a lack of interoperability that allow developers to interchange their information freely and to form stronger partnerships. In this paper we present the Video Game Ontology (VGO), a model for enabling interoperability among video games and enhancing data analysis of gameplay information. We describe the creation process of the ontology, the ontology conceptualization and its evaluation. In addition, we demonstrate the applicability of the Video Game Ontology in action with three example games that take advantage of the created ontology. Also, we demonstrate the use of the VGO in enabling interoperability among the example games.     

Capturing the workflows of music information retrieval for repeatability and reuse

Many solutions for the reuse and re-purposing of Music Information Retrieval (MIR) methods, and the tools implementing those methods, have been introduced over recent years. Proposals for achieving interoperability between systems have ranged from shared software libraries and interfaces, through common frameworks and portals, to standardised file formats and metadata. Here we assess these solutions for their suitability to be reused and combined as repurposable components within assemblies (or workflows) that can be used in novel and possibly more ambitious ways. Reuse and repeatability also have great implications for the process of MIR research: the encapsulation of any algorithm and its operation—including inputs, parameters, and outputs—is fundamental to the repeatability and reproducibility of an experiment. This is desirable both for the open and reliable evaluation of algorithms and for the advancement of MIR by building more effectively upon prior research. At present there is no clear best practice widely adopted by the field. Based upon our analysis of contemporary systems and their adoption we reflect as to whether this should be considered a failure. Are there limits to interoperability unique to MIR, and how might they be overcome? Beyond workflows how much research context can, and should, be captured? We frame our assessment within the emerging notion of Research Objects for reproducible research in other domains, and describe how their adoption could serve as a route to reuse in MIR.     

互操作GIS模型及其在空间信息基础设施体系结构中的实现途径

随着地理空间信息应用的不断增加,完成一个复杂的任务需要多学科多部门的参加与合作,因此有必要将提出了５个层次的互操作模型。地理信息的互操作是集成和融合的基础。互操作可以在不同层次上实施。该文提出了５个层次的互操作模型。     

Cross-lingual thesaurus for multilingual knowledge management

The Web is a universal repository of human knowledge and culture which has allowed unprecedented sharing of ideas and information in a scale never seen before. It can also be considered as a universal digital library interconnecting digital libraries in multiple domains and languages. Beside the advance of information technology, the global economy has also accelerated the development of inter-organizational information systems. Managing knowledge obtained in multilingual information systems from multiple geographical regions is an essential component in the contemporary inter-organization information systems. An organization cannot claim itself to be a global organization unless it is capable to overcome the cultural and language barriers in their knowledge management. Cross-lingual semantic interoperability is a challenge in multilingual knowledge management systems. Dictionary is a tool that is widely utilized in commercial systems to cross the language barrier. However, terms available in dictionary are always limited. As language is evolving, there are new words being created from time to time. For examples, there are new technical terms and name entities such as RFID and Baidu. To solve the problem of cross-lingual semantic interoperability, an associative constraint network approach is investigated to construct an automatic cross-lingual thesaurus. In this work, we have investigated the backmarking algorithm and the forward evaluation algorithm to resolve the constraint satisfaction problem represented by the associative constraint network. Experiments have been conducted and show that the forward evaluation algorithm outperforms the backmarking one in terms of precision and recall but the backmarking algorithm is more efficient than the forward evaluation algorithm. We have also benchmarked with our earlier technique, Hopfield network, and showed that the associate constraint network (either backmarking or forward evaluation) outperforms in precision, recall, and efficiency.