A Semantic Web Primer

by Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen

• ISBN13: 9780262012102
• ISBN10: 0262012103
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Mit Pr

Summary

The development of the Semantic Web, with machine-readable content, has the potential to revolutionize the World Wide Web and its use. A Semantic Web Primerprovides an introduction and guide to this emerging field, describing its key ideas, languages, and technologies. Suitable for use as a textbook or for self-study by professionals, it concentrates on undergraduate-level fundamental concepts and techniques that will enable readers to proceed with building applications on their own. It includes exercises, project descriptions, and annotated references to relevant online materials. A Semantic Web Primer is the only available book on the Semantic Web to include a systematic treatment of the different languages (XML, RDF, OWL, and rules) and technologies (explicit metadata, ontologies, and logic and inference) that are central to Semantic Web development. The book also examines such crucial related topics as ontology engineering and application scenarios. After an introductory chapter, topics covered in succeeding chapters include XML and related technologies that support semantic interoperability; RDF and RDF Schema, the standard data model for machine-processable semantics; and OWL, the W3C-approved standard for a Web ontology language more extensive than RDF Schema; rules, both monotonic and nonmonotonic, in the framework of the Semantic Web; selected application domains and how the Semantic Web would benefit them; the development of ontology-based systems; and current debates on key issues and predictions for the future.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xiii
Series Foreword	xv
Preface	xix
1 The Semantic Web Vision	1	(22)
1.1 Today's Web	1	(2)
1.2 From Today's Web to the Semantic Web: Examples	3	(4)
1.3 Semantic Web Technologies	7	(9)
1.4 A Layered Approach	16	(3)
1.5 Book Overview	19	(1)
1.6 Summary	19	(1)
Suggested Reading	20	(3)
2 Structured Web Documents in XML	23	(38)
2.1 Introduction	23	(4)
2.2 The XML Language	27	(4)
2.3 Structuring	31	(12)
2.4 Namespaces	43	(2)
2.5 Addressing and Querying XML Documents	45	(4)
2.6 Processing	49	(6)
2.7 Summary	55	(2)
Suggested Reading	57	(1)
Exercises and Projects	58	(3)
3 Describing Web Resources in RDF	61	(48)
3.1 Introduction	61	(2)
3.2 RDF: Basic Ideas	63	(6)
3.3 RDF: XML-Based Syntax	69	(11)
3.4 RDF Schema: Basic Ideas	80	(4)
3.5 RDF Schema: The Language	84	(7)
3.6 RDF and RDF Schema in RDF Schema	91	(3)
3.7 An Axiomatic Semantics for RDF and RDF Schema	94	(5)
3.8 A Direct Inference System for RDF and RDFS	99	(1)
3.9 Querying in RQL	100	(4)
3.10 Summary	104	(1)
Suggested Reading	105	(1)
Exercises and Projects	106	(3)
4 Web Ontology Language: OWL	109	(42)
4.1 Introduction	109	(6)
4.2 The OWL Language	115	(14)
4.3 Examples	129	(9)
4.4 OWL in OWL	138	(6)
4.5 Future Extensions	144	(2)
4.6 Summary	146	(1)
Suggested Reading	146	(2)
Exercises and Projects	148	(3)
5 Logic and Inference: Rules	151	(28)
5.1 Introduction	151	(3)
5.2 Example of Monotonic Rules: Family Relationships	154	(1)
5.3 Monotonic Rules: Syntax	155	(3)
5.4 Monotonic Rules: Semantics	158	(3)
5.5 Nonmonotonic Rules: Motivation and Syntax	161	(2)
5.6 Example of Nonmonotonic Rules: Brokered Trade	163	(4)
5.7 Rule Markup in XML: Monotonic Rules	167	(6)
5.8 Rule Markup in XML: Nonmonotonic Rules	173	(3)
5.9 Summary	176	(1)
Suggested Reading	176	(1)
Exercises and Projects	177	(2)
6 Applications	179	(26)
6.1 Introduction	179	(1)
6.2 Horizontal Information Products at Elsevier	179	(3)
6.3 Data Integration at Audi	182	(3)
6.4 Skill Finding at Swiss Life	185	(2)
6.5 Think Tank Portal at EnerSearch	187	(4)
6.6 e-Learning	191	(3)
6.7 Web Services	194	(5)
6.8 Other Scenarios	199	(2)
Suggested Reading	201	(4)
7 Ontology Engineering	205	(18)
7.1 Introduction	205	(1)
7.2 Constructing Ontologies Manually	205	(4)
7.3 Reusing Existing Ontologies	209	(2)
7.4 Using Semiautomatic Methods	211	(4)
7.5 On-To-Knowledge Semantic Web Architecture	215	(3)
Suggested Reading	218	(1)
Project	218	(5)
8 Conclusion and Outlook	223	(4)
8.1 How It All Fits Together	223	(1)
8.2 Some Technical Questions	224	(1)
8.3 Predicting the Future	224	(3)
A Abstract OWL Syntax	227	(8)
Index	235