Identifying common data objects representing solutions to a problem in different disciplines

• US 8,793,208 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rojahn, Tom Odd
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Mai T
• Application Number:
  US12/916,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 706/50, 707/794, 707/775, 707/774, 707/773, 707/771, 707/765
• US Class Current: 706/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/367 Ontology
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

The disclosure relates to identifying a solution to a problem wherein the problem and solution are in different disciplines. An exemplary embodiment concerns a system for identifying a solution comprising a bridging component for generating a bridged ontology from data elements of prime and secondary ontologies if the number the data elements common to the ontologies meets a threshold value. The system may comprise an inference engine for identifying, from the bridged ontology, data elements related to the problem and the solution. The inference engine may further determine relationships between the data elements associated with the problem and those associated with a solution to confirm the correctness of a solution. The problem and solution may be represented as RDF data objects.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory coupled to the CPU; and

a computer-readable, tangible storage device coupled to the CPU, the storage device containing instructions that are executed by the CPU via the memory to implement a method of identifying a solution to a problem, the problem and solution being in different first and second disciplines respectively represented by first and second ontologies, the method comprising the steps of;

the computer system determining key words in a statement of the problem;

based on the key words, the computer system generating a first data object specifying the problem, the data object consisting of a subject, predicate, and object of the problem;

based on the first data object which specifies the problem, the computer system determining the first discipline of the problem;

in response to a determination that the first ontology represents the first discipline of the problem, the computer system retrieving the first ontology from a plurality of ontologies stored in a data store;

the computer system determining measures of dissimilarity between the first ontology and each of other ontologies in the plurality of ontologies in the data store, the measures of dissimilarity including a first measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and the second ontology and a second measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and a third ontology, the first, second, and third ontologies represented by respective first, second, and third directed graphs, the directed graphs having respective data elements, each data element having at least a respective word and a property of the word;

the computer system determining the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceed a minimum measure of dissimilarity;

based on the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the computer system selecting the second and third ontologies from the plurality of ontologies;

based on the second ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and second directed graphs, the computer system determining a first number of first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph, the first data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the second directed graph;

based on the third ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and third directed graphs, the computer system determining a second number of second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph, the second data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the third directed graph;

the computer system determining the first number of first data elements exceeds a threshold value and determining the second number of second data elements does not exceed the threshold value;

based on the first measure of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the first number of the first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph exceeding the threshold value, and the second number of the second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph not exceeding the threshold value, the computer system generating a bridged ontology that merges the first and second ontologies, but does not merge the first and third ontologies, by generating a temporary directed graph that includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, other data elements in the first directed graph, and other data elements in the second directed graph;

the computer system extracting the subject, predicate, and object from the first data object which specifies the problem;

the computer system identifying a relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and, respectively, a subject, predicate, and object of a second data object included in the bridged ontology; and

based on the identified relationship between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and, respectively, the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object included in the bridged ontology, the computer system identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the first data object are a first triple in a resource description format (RDF), and wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object are a second triple in the RDF.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the relationship includes:

determining a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the second data object;

determining a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the second data object; and

determining a word and a property of a data element including the object of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the object of the second data object.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the computer system determining the second data object includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, wherein the step of identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object is further based on the second data object including the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system determining a plurality of data objects in the bridged ontology as potential solutions the problem, the data objects consisting of respective subjects, predicates and objects;

the computer system identifying relationships between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and the respective subjects, predicates, and objects of the plurality of data objects, wherein the step of identifying the relationships includes the step of identifying the relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object;

the computer system presenting a report including the identified relationships; and

in response to a review by a user of the relationships in the report, the computer system receiving from the user a confirmation that the identified relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object indicates the second data object is the solution to the problem.

6. A computer implemented method for identifying a solution to a problem, the problem and solution being in different first and second disciplines respectively represented by first and second ontologies, the method comprising:

a computer determining key words in a statement of the problem;

based on the key words, the computer generating a first data object specifying the problem, the data object consisting of a subject, predicate, and object of the problem;

based on the first data object which specifies the problem, the computer determining the first discipline of the problem;

in response to a determination that the first ontology represents the first discipline of the problem, the computer retrieving the first ontology from a plurality of ontologies stored in a data store;

the computer determining measures of dissimilarity between the first ontology and each of other ontologies in the plurality of ontologies in the data store, the measures of dissimilarity including a first measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and the second ontology and a second measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and a third ontology, the first, second, and third ontologies represented by respective first, second, and third directed graphs, the directed graphs having respective data elements, each data element having at least a respective word and a property of the word;

the computer determining the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceed a minimum measure of dissimilarity;

based on the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the computer selecting the second and third ontologies from the plurality of ontologies;

based on the second ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and second directed graphs, the computer determining a first number of first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph, the first data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the second directed graph;

based on the third ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and third directed graphs, the computer determining a second number of second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph, the second data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the third directed graph;

the computer determining the first number of first data elements exceeds a threshold value and determining the second number of second data elements does not exceed the threshold value;

based on the first measure of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the first number of the first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph exceeding the threshold value, and the second number of the second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph not exceeding the threshold value, the computer generating a bridged ontology that merges the first and second ontologies, but does not merge the first and third ontologies, by generating a temporary directed graph that includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, other data elements in the first directed graph, and other data elements in the second directed graph;

the computer extracting the subject, predicate, and object from the first data object which specifies the problem;

the computer identifying a relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and, respectively, a subject, predicate, and object of a second data object included in the bridged ontology; and

based on the identified relationship between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and, respectively, the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object included in the bridged ontology, the computer identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

the computer determining a plurality of data objects in the bridged ontology as potential solutions the problem, the data objects consisting of respective subjects, predicates and objects;

the computer identifying relationships between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and the respective subjects, predicates, and objects of the plurality of data objects, wherein the step of identifying the relationships includes the step of identifying the relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object;

the computer presenting a report including the identified relationships; and

in response to a review by a user of the relationships in the report, the computer receiving from the user a confirmation that the identified relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object indicates the second data object is the solution to the problem.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the first data object are a first triple in a resource description format (RDF), and wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object are a second triple in the RDF.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the step of identifying the relationship includes:

determining a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the second data object;

determining a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the second data object; and

determining a word and a property of a data element including the object of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the object of the second data object.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises the computer system determining the second data object includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, wherein the step of identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object is further based on the second data object including the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable, tangible storage device; and

a computer-readable program code stored in the computer-readable, tangible storage device, the computer-readable program code containing instructions that are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system to implement a method of identifying a solution to a problem, the problem and solution being in different first and second disciplines respectively represented by first and second ontologies, the method comprising the steps of;

the computer system determining key words in a statement of the problem;

based on the key words, the computer system generating a first data object specifying the problem, the data object consisting of a subject, predicate, and object of the problem;

based on the first data object which specifies the problem, the computer system determining the first discipline of the problem;

in response to a determination that the first ontology represents the first discipline of the problem, the computer system retrieving the first ontology from a plurality of ontologies stored in a data store;

the computer system determining measures of dissimilarity between the first ontology and each of other ontologies in the plurality of ontologies in the data store, the measures of dissimilarity including a first measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and the second ontology and a second measure of dissimilarity between the first ontology and a third ontology, the first, second, and third ontologies represented by respective first, second, and third directed graphs, the directed graphs having respective data elements, each data element having at least a respective word and a property of the word;

the computer system determining the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceed a minimum measure of dissimilarity;

based on the first and second measures of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the computer system selecting the second and third ontologies from the plurality of ontologies;

based on the second ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and second directed graphs, the computer system determining a first number of first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph, the first data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the second directed graph;

based on the third ontology being selected and in response to traversals of the first and third directed graphs, the computer system determining a second number of second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph, the second data elements in common being data elements in the first directed graph whose words and properties are identical to respective words and properties in data elements in the third directed graph;

the computer system determining the first number of first data elements exceeds a threshold value and determining the second number of second data elements does not exceed the threshold value;

based on the first measure of dissimilarity exceeding the minimum measure of dissimilarity, the first number of the first data elements in common between the first directed graph and the second directed graph exceeding the threshold value, and the second number of the second data elements in common between the first directed graph and the third directed graph not exceeding the threshold value, the computer system generating a bridged ontology that merges the first and second ontologies, but does not merge the first and third ontologies, by generating a temporary directed graph that includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, other data elements in the first directed graph, and other data elements in the second directed graph;

the computer system extracting the subject, predicate, and object from the first data object which specifies the problem;

the computer system identifying a relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and, respectively, a subject, predicate, and object of a second data object included in the bridged ontology; and

based on the identified relationship between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and, respectively, the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object included in the bridged ontology, the computer system identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the first data object are a first triple in a resource description format (RDF), and wherein the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object are a second triple in the RDF.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the step of identifying the relationship includes:

determining a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the subject of the second data object;

determining a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the predicate of the second data object; and

determining a word and a property of a data element including the object of the first data object are identical to a word and a property of a data element including the object of the second data object.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises the computer system determining the second data object includes the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs, wherein the step of identifying the solution to the problem as being the second data object is further based on the second data object including the first data elements in common between the first and second directed graphs.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

the computer system determining a plurality of data objects in the bridged ontology as potential solutions the problem, the data objects consisting of respective subjects, predicates and objects;

the computer system identifying relationships between the subject, predicate, and object extracted from the first data object which specifies the problem and the respective subjects, predicates, and objects of the plurality of data objects, wherein the step of identifying the relationships includes the step of identifying the relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object;

the computer system presenting a report including the identified relationships; and

in response to a review by a user of the relationships in the report, the computer system receiving from the user a confirmation that the identified relationship between the extracted subject, predicate, and object and the subject, predicate, and object of the second data object indicates the second data object is the solution to the problem.