ABYSS: an architecture for software protection

ABYSS (a basic Yorktown security system) is an architecture for protecting the execution of application software. It supports a uniform security service across the range of computing systems. The use of ABYSS in solving the software protection problem, especially in the lower end of the market, is discussed. Both current and planned software distribution channels are supportable by the architecture, and the system is nearly transparent to legitimate users. A novel use-once authorization mechanism, called a token, is introduced as a solution to the problem of providing authorizations without direct communication. Software vendors may use the system to obtain technical enforcement of virtually any terms and conditions of the sale of their software, including such things as rental software. Software may be transferred between systems, and backed up to guard against loss in case of failure. The problem of protecting software on these systems is discussed, and guidelines to its solution are offered     

OntoPipeliner: An ontology-based automatic semantic service pipeline generator

The Web is a distributed environment rich with Web services going through continual metamorphosis; thus, sustaining semantic stability of service composition has become a major challenge. Automatic service composition – enabled both by the use of ontologies that describe service domains and by user-specified constraints bound to the ontologies – provides us candidate service pipelines at composition design time. The ontology-based languages for semantically describing web services, such as OWL-S, have been widely used. Though rich and comprehensive in their expressiveness, the use of these languages still leaves much of composition process manual. In this work, we present an ontology-based semantic web service composition system called OntoPipeliner. It employs a novel way of utilizing characteristics of Web services that reflect the classes and properties of domain ontologies and provides the ontology-guided constraints for automatic composition of services, in order to guide the user toward the best pipeline that meets the user requirements.     

KnowBaSICS-M: an ontology-based system for semantic management of medical problems and computerised algorithmic solutions

In this paper, an ontology-based system (KnowBaSICS-M) is presented for the semantic management of Medical Computational Problems (MCPs), i.e., medical problems and computerised algorithmic solutions. The system provides an open environment, which: (1) allows clinicians and researchers to retrieve potential algorithmic solutions pertinent to a medical problem and (2) enables incorporation of new MCPs into its underlying Knowledge Base (KB). KnowBaSICS-M is a modular system for MCP acquisition and discovery that relies on an innovative ontology-based model incorporating concepts from the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). Information retrieval (IR) is based on an ontology-based Vector Space Model (VSM) that estimates the similarity among user-defined MCP search criteria and registered MCP solutions in the KB. The results of a preliminary evaluation and specific examples of use are presented to illustrate the benefits of the system. KnowBaSICS-M constitutes an approach towards the construction of an integrated and manageable MCP repository for the biomedical research community.     

Application of knowledge-based approaches in software architecture: A systematic mapping study

ContextKnowledge management technologies have been employed across software engineering activities for more than two decades. Knowledge-based approaches can be used to facilitate software architecting activities (e.g., architectural evaluation). However, there is no comprehensive understanding on how various knowledge-based approaches (e.g., knowledge reuse) are employed in software architecture.ObjectiveThis work aims to collect studies on the application of knowledge-based approaches in software architecture and make a classification and thematic analysis on these studies, in order to identify the gaps in the existing application of knowledge-based approaches to various architecting activities, and promising research directions.MethodA systematic mapping study is conducted for identifying and analyzing the application of knowledge-based approaches in software architecture, covering the papers from major databases, journals, conferences, and workshops, published between January 2000 and March 2011.ResultsFifty-five studies were selected and classified according to the architecting activities they contribute to and the knowledge-based approaches employed. Knowledge capture and representation (e.g., using an ontology to describe architectural elements and their relationships) is the most popular approach employed in architecting activities. Knowledge recovery (e.g., documenting past architectural design decisions) is an ignored approach that is seldom used in software architecture. Knowledge-based approaches are mostly used in architectural evaluation, while receive the least attention in architecture impact analysis and architectural implementation.ConclusionsThe study results show an increased interest in the application of knowledge-based approaches in software architecture in recent years. A number of knowledge-based approaches, including knowledge capture and representation, reuse, sharing, recovery, and reasoning, have been employed in a spectrum of architecting activities. Knowledge-based approaches have been applied to a wide range of application domains, among which “Embedded software” has received the most attention.     

Automating the semantic mapping between regulatory guidelines and organizational processes

The mapping of regulatory guidelines with organizational processes is an important aspect of a regulatory-compliance management system. Automating this mapping process can greatly improve the overall compliance process. Currently, there is research on mapping between different entities such as ontology mapping, sentence similarity, semantic similarity and regulation-requirement mapping. However, there has not been adequate research on the automation of the mapping process between regulatory guidelines and organizational processes. In this paper, we explain how Natural Language Processing and Semantic Web technologies can be applied in this area. In particular, we explain how we can take advantage of the structures of regulation-ontology and the process-ontology in order to compute the similarity between a regulatory guideline and a process. Our methodology is validated using a case study in the Pharmaceutical industry, which has shown promising results.     

基于个性化本体的图像语义标注和检索

针对目前图像检索系统较难实现语义检索的问题,提出了一种新的以本体为核心的图像语义标注和检索模型。构建个性化本体描述图像语义,继而提取基于概念集的图像语义特征并利用本体中“Is-A”关系设计相似性度量方法最终实现语义扩展检索。其难点在于顶级本体向个性化本体进化,以及基于概念集和“Is-A”关系实现语义相似度量的方法。通过系统的初步实现与相关实验的验证,该模型的检索准确度可达88.6%,明显高于传统的基于关键字和基于通用本体的图像检索,实现了图像智能检索功能。     

Bridging the gap between software architecture rationale formalisms and actual architecture documents: An ontology-driven approach

Documenting software architecture rationale is essential to reuse and evaluate architectures, and several modeling and documentation guidelines have been proposed in the literature. However, in practice creating and updating these documents rarely is a primary activity in most software projects, and rationale remains hidden in casual and semi-structured records, such as e-mails, meeting notes, wikis, and specialized documents. This paper describes the TREx (Toeska Rationale Extraction) approach to recover, represent and explore rationale information from text documents, combining: (1) pattern-based information extraction to recover rationale; (2) ontology-based representation of rationale and architectural concepts; and (3) facet-based interactive exploration of rationale. Initial results from TREx’s application suggest that some kinds of architecture rationale can be semi-automatically extracted from a project’s unstructured text documents, namely decisions, alternatives and requirements. The approach and some tools are illustrated with a case study of rationale recovery for a financial securities settlement system.     

Applying empirical software engineering to software architecture: challenges and lessons learned

In the last 15 years, software architecture has emerged as an important software engineering field for managing the development and maintenance of large, software-intensive systems. Software architecture community has developed numerous methods, techniques, and tools to support the architecture process (analysis, design, and review). Historically, most advances in software architecture have been driven by talented people and industrial experience, but there is now a growing need to systematically gather empirical evidence about the advantages or otherwise of tools and methods rather than just rely on promotional anecdotes or rhetoric. The aim of this paper is to promote and facilitate the application of the empirical paradigm to software architecture. To this end, we describe the challenges and lessons learned when assessing software architecture research that used controlled experiments, replications, expert opinion, systematic literature reviews, observational studies, and surveys. Our research will support the emergence of a body of knowledge consisting of the more widely-accepted and well-formed software architecture theories.     

仿生学与软件体系结构联系的研究

生物信息学的发展为软件体系结构的研究带来的认识,基于仿生学的软件体系结构的研究就是其中之一,它是以仿生学为基础,从设计思维出发,并体现概念设计的全过程,运用拟态、演化、嵌套等方法构造出具有生物特性的软件体系结构.更深层次的研究过程是从软件结构的深层含义、仿生的数学原理以及软件结构与生物结构的相似性等方面展开的,将为软件体系结构的创新提供新的方向,为软件危机的解决找到新的途径.     

Microcomputer-based software to perform lease versus buy analysis

The primary purpose of this paper is to present a computerized lease-versus-buy program utilized by the Defense Contract Audit Agency to monitor defense contractor data processing hardware procurement. The main points of the paper shall pertain to the financial elements incorporated into the software, reports generated, and the resulting lease-versus-buy decision. Discussion of the lease-versus-buy process shall relate primarily to the procurement of data processing equipment. The approach taken in the lease-versus-buy decision process for procuring data processing equipment is basically no different from the methodology used in acquiring other types of capital equipment. Hence, the proposed microcomputer-based program used to performed lease-versus-buy analysis for data processing equipment is suitable for industrial equipment procurement, as well.     

基于本体的语义分析过程与方法的研究应用*

为了提高信息化环境下语义分析能力,将本体引入语义分析。通过对典型本体构建方法的比较与综合,形成一种持续优化的本体构建方法,在此基础上进行概念分析、关系推理。进一步对比基于本体的语义分析和其它语义分析方法,指出基于本体的语义分析更具系统性、针对性,推理能力强。最后,将基于本体的语义分析应用到软件缺陷分析系统中。结果表明,它能够集成到原有系统中并有效进行关系推理和冲突识别。     

Model-driven architecture for embedded software: A synopsis and an example

MDA proposes a new paradigm for software development in general. We claim that MDA could be beneficial for embedded software development, especially if it is extended to address the special needs of embedded systems. The paper consists of two sections: the first is a brief synopsis on how MDA ought to be extended to handle embedded software development, while the second illustrates the concepts in practice using a prototype modeling language and tool chain designed for developing mission computing software.     

TAP: a software architecture for an inquiry dialogue-based tutoringsystem

In the tutoring agenda planner (TAP) project, we study the feasibility of implementing the inquiry teaching method of Collins and Stevens (1991) as tutoring software. This paper describes the software architecture for TAP-1-a simple inquiry tutoring shell based on the theory of inquiry teaching. The inquiry teaching style has the objective of teaching scientific reasoning skills through a “localized” sequence of well-planned inquiry dialogue. To complement the “localized” dialogue planning framework inherent in the theory of inquiry teaching, the TAP-1 architecture has adopted the “global” curriculum planning technique. TAP-1 has successfully demonstrated the inquiry teaching style through an inquiry planner within an intelligent tutoring system shell. In addition, PADI-a geography tutor that delivers inquiry teaching style-has been implemented using TAP-1. A group of students performed well in an evaluation activity of the tutor. They also foresaw the potential of TAP for achieving the aim of cultivating scientific thoughts     

基于Copula构件相依的软件体系结构可靠性模型

应用Copula函数,研究了构件相依的软件体系结构可靠性问题,给出了FGM Copula函数下软件系统常规结构的可靠度、平均寿命、失效率的表达式,讨论了构件正象限相关下软件系统的平均寿命与构件独立时系统的平均寿命的关系。通过算例分析了一般软件体系的计算问题以及构件个数与构件相依关系对系统平均寿命的影响。     

Using structural and semantic measures to improve software modularization

Changes during software evolution and poor design decisions often lead to packages that are hard to understand and maintain, because they usually group together classes with unrelated responsibilities. One way to improve such packages is to decompose them into smaller, more cohesive packages. The difficulty lies in the fact that most definitions and interpretations of cohesion are rather vague and the multitude of measures proposed by researchers usually capture only one aspect of cohesion. We propose a new technique for automatic re-modularization of packages, which uses structural and semantic measures to decompose a package into smaller, more cohesive ones. The paper presents the new approach as well as an empirical study, which evaluates the decompositions proposed by the new technique. The results of the evaluation indicate that the decomposed packages have better cohesion without a deterioration of coupling and the re-modularizations proposed by the tool are also meaningful from a functional point of view.     

Comparing relationships in conceptual modeling: mapping to semantic classifications

Much of the research that deals with understanding the real world and representing it in a conceptual model uses some form of the entity-relationship model as a means of representation. This research proposes an ontology for classifying relationship verb phrases based upon the domain and context of the application within which the relationship appears. The classification categories to which the verb phrases are mapped were developed based upon prior research in databases, ontologies, and linguistics. The usefulness of the ontology for comparing relationships when used in conjunction with an entity ontology is discussed. Together, these ontologies can be effective in comparing two conceptual database designs for integration and validation. Empirical testing of the ontology on a number of relationships from different application domains and contexts illustrates the usefulness of the research.     

Usability and software architecture

The role of software architecture with respect to usability has evolved over the past 20 years. The architectures of the 1980s and early 1990s assumed that usability was primarily a property of the presentation of information. Therefore, simply separating the presentation from the dialogue and application made it easy to modify that presentation after user testing. A more popular belief in the 1990s was that usability concerns greatly affected system functionality as well as the presentation. This emphasis took attention away from architectural support (beyond separation). Achieving the correct functionality for a given system became paramount. It is our observation that even if presentation and functionality of a system are well designed, the usability of a system can be greatly compromised if the underlying architecture does not support human concerns beyond modifiability. This paper will present a new role for software architecture in usability, preliminary research and practice stemming from this role and a research agenda for the future.     

Self-reconfigurable software architecture: Design and implementation

To respond quickly to the rapidly changing manufacturing environment, it is imperative for the system to have such capabilities as flexibility, adaptability, and reusability. The fractal manufacturing system (FrMS) is a new manufacturing paradigm designed to meet these requirements. To facilitate a dynamic reconfiguration of system elements (i.e., fractals), agents as well as software modules should be self-reconfigurable. Embodiment of a self-reconfigurable manufacturing system can be achieved by using self-reconfigurable software architecture. In this paper, therefore, self-reconfigurable software architecture is designed by conducting the following studies: (1) analysis of functional requirements of a fractal and environmental constraints, (2) design of reconfigurable software architecture especially for a reconfigurable agent, (3) selection of proper techniques to implement software modules, and realization of software architecture equipped with self-reconfigurability. To validate this approach, the designed architecture is applied to the FrMS.     

An interlingua for electronic interchange of medical information: Using frames to map between clinical vocabularies

The proliferation of medical knowledge has led to the development of extensive dictionaries for electronically accessing information resources. The task of standardizing terminology used for electronic hospital records and for knowledge bases for medical expert systems and indexing the medical literature cannot easily be met by developing a single, monolithic “official” medical vocabulary. Developing a monolithic vocabulary would require a massive effort, and its existence would not guarantee its use by third-party payors, by practicing clinicians, or by developers of electronic medical information systems. Recognizing this, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has begun to develop the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) as a means of promoting electronic information exchange among systems with controlled vocabularies. The authors describe a frame-based system developed as an experimental approach to mapping between controlled clinical vocabularies.     

From keywords to relational database content: A semantic mapping method

Keyword-based query specification to extract data from structured databases has attracted considerable attention from various researchers, and many interesting proposals may be found in the scientific literature. However, many of these studies focus on finding a set of interconnected tuples containing all or some of the query keywords. The architecture introduced by this paper covers from the selection of databases on the Web to ranked relevant results. The approach also includes important aspects such as the proximity between keywords, query segmentation, and the use of aggregate functions, among others. The empirical evaluation analyzes the relevance of results and proves competitive as regards related studies.