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Purpose

Excerpt
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Table of Contents

The opportunity

It is not clear in which order to read traces when there are more than one in a single semantic correspondence statement. Some traces are, in fact, qualifiers of other traces.

Is it possible to:

  • somehow differentiate the traces and
  • apply a reading order?

Discussion

The discussion has been split into parts to make easier to follow.

Assumptions

The SWIM Information Definition Specification assumes that we are not yet in an environment that is fully supported by semantic technologies. Therefore, humans are the more realistic target for the semantic correspondence statements. This leads to the following statements about traces:

  • The traces are to be read by humans but may be read by machines (machine processable).
  • The traces are to be created and inspected by humans. There is nothing to stop machines creating the mappings but any such mappings will still need human inspection.
  • The maintenance and migration of traces can be managed by machines (or humans) based on scripts.
    Note

    The need for a machine readable list of mappings has been recorded in the AIRM CCB to ease the migration of mappings between versions of the AIRM. This can be summarised as the need for "machine processable" maintenance of traces.

    This guidance is provided in order to allow you to better understand mappings from an information definition to the AIRM and how to record them in the information definition. 

    The guidance applies to:

    The different forms of semantic correspondence are outlined in SWIM-INFO-014 Forms of semantic correspondence. This guidance applies to mappings (the first option in the requirement). Mappings contain one or more traces. Therefore, this guidance covers the different types of traces.


    Table of Contents


    Different types of traces

    The table below outlines the names, definition and definition relevant requirement to be used for the different types of trace that constitute a mapping statement. The names are inspired by the words from the SWIM Information Specification's requirements. This approach makes it clear which requirement is being satisfied by the trace.

    RequirementTrace nameDefinition
    RequirementTrace required
    SWIM-INFO-016 Mapping of information concepts"information concept" tracetrace from the information concept in the information definition to the AIRM concept that has an equivalent or wider meaning
    SWIM-INFO-
    016
    017 Mapping of
    information
    data concepts
    requires one concept trace
    1. "data concept" trace
    2. "data type" trace
    1. trace from the data concept in the information definition to the AIRM concept that has an equivalent or wider meaning
    2. trace to the data type in the AIRM that has an equivalent or wider meaning
    SWIM-INFO-
    017 Mapping of data conceptsrequires one concept trace and one data type trace
    018 Additional traces to clarify the mapping"narrowing" tracetrace to an AIRM concept to fully describe the narrowing of the concept being mapped
    SWIM-INFO-018 Additional traces to clarify the mappingallows any number of additional narrowing traces

    Source and target of traces

    Info

    The Interoperability Architecture provides good guidance on the best place to start when looking to establish a semantic correspondencemapping. Basically, the best place to start is usually the adjacent box within the grid.

    The usual best start point when identifying a suitable AIRM concept depends on the type of information definition being traced. This can also give an indication on the type of trace to be used. The table below gives some general guidance on this.

    Type of information definitionBest place to startGeneral guidance
    information exchange requirements

    The best place to start in order to identify a suitable AIRM concept is the AIRM Conceptual Model. However, information exchange requirements can vary in the level of detail included. Therefore, if no suitable AIRM concept is found in the AIRM Conceptual Model, the AIRM Logical Model may be useful.

    For the most part, it is expected that these types of trace information exchange requirements involve "information concept" traces and so fall under requirement 16.

    Narrowing traces (requirement 18) can be added as needed. It is usual that these trace to the same part of the AIRM as the "main" trace.

    Info

    The specification doesn't rule out mapping tracing to the AIRM Contextual Model but this is not a good practice.

    service message payload /

    information exchange model

    Service messages payloads and information exchange models can include concepts that are of different level of granularity. For example, they may contain standardised "messages" such as NOTAM and METAR. They also contain more atomic concepts such as "Aerodrome" or "Airspace". These in turn may have attributes/properties such as the "ICAO location indicator".

    Although it is difficult to give generic advice that is applicable in all cases, the following guidance is applicable:

    • Standardised "messages" are captured in the AIRM Conceptual Model. Mapping to these of such messages tend to be involve "information concept" traces and so fall under requirement 16. If no suitable AIRM concept is found in the AIRM Conceptual Model, the AIRM Logical Model may be used.
    Note

    It is an AIRM design decision to allow messages to be added at the service level. The AIRM Logical Model does not impose any message structure. However, the existence of the standardised messages is captured as part of the operational language in the AIRM Conceptual Model.

    • The best place to start when mapping "atoms" concepts that have no associated data type is the AIRM Logical Model. Concepts of this nature may, for example, be modelled as classes in UML models. These tend to fall into requirement 16 involve "information concept" traces as they do not have a "data type" associated with them. This means that they fall under requirement 16 . If no suitable AIRM concept is found in the AIRM Logical Model, the Conceptual Model may be used.
    • Attributes/properties will have a "data type" and therefore fall within under requirement 17, requiring both types of trace to be createda "data concept" trace and a "data type" trace. If no suitable AIRM concept is found in the AIRM Logical Model, the Conceptual Model may be used.

    Note

    The AIRM has internal traces that are inherited by any mappingto ensure consistency between the AIRM Conceptual Model and the AIRM Logical Model.


    Narrowing traces (requirement 18) can be added as needed. It is usual that these trace to the same part of the AIRM as the "main" trace.

    Info

    The specification doesn't rule out mapping tracing to the AIRM Contextual Model but this is not a good practice.

    Reading order of traces

    General The standard requires multiple traces to be added to a mapping. The general reading order is:

    1. "information concept" trace
    2. "narrowing" traces (0..*)

    or

    1. "data concept" trace
    2. "data type" trace (1)
    3. "narrowing" traces (0..*)

    All traces have an AND relationship.

    Info

    The following rules apply to the traces:

    • The root trace is mandatory. This is either an  "information concept" trace or a "data concept" trace.
    • A "data type" trace is mandatory when the root trace is a "data concept" trace.
    • "Narrowing" traces cannot exist in their own right.
    How many traces are sufficient/enough?

    The number of traces

    The important thing when creating a mapping is to add sufficient traces to make sure ensure that the semantics are understood. There is no need to add more further traces.

    If you find that too many traces are required to ensure that the semantics are understood, there may be a problem somewhere in fully understanding the meaning of a concept. In that case a change may be needed to the information definition and/or the AIRM.

    Level of semantic correspondence

    Advanced users may like to add extra detail concerning the level degree of semantic correspondence achieved. The skos standard calls this the "semantic relation" between concepts.

    The requirements talk about mapping to the concept with "equivalent or wider meaning". The table below contains the old AIRM Rulebook names and the skos equivalentsoutlines the skos sematic relation term that can be used in order to make the level of semantic correspondence explicit. It also contain the equivalent terms that were used in SESAR.

    Info

    The skos names are preferred. Skos has rich support in semantic technologies.

    However, existing SESAR documents use different names and it is important that readers can understand those traces - the table therefore includes those.

    The skos names are preferred. Skos has rich support
    Definition being traced to is...
    Annotations ExactCopy

    Skos annotations that can make this more explicit

    Term used in SESAR documents

    in skos

    Equivalent
    Equivalent

    skos:exactMatch: is used to link two concepts, indicating a high degree of confidence that the concepts can be used interchangeably across a wide range of information retrieval applications.

    skos:closeMatch: is used to link two concepts that are sufficiently similar that they can be used interchangeably in some information retrieval applications.

    exactCopy: Definition of concepts in the information definition and the AIRM are exact copy of each other.

    SyntacticallyEqual

    syntacticallyEqual: Definitions are only different due to syntax corrections (grammar, spelling) but are otherwise equivalent.

    Rewritten

    rewritten: The definition of the concept in the information definition has been rewritten to reflect information definition specificity. However, the meaning is the same, i.e. the definition still describes exactly the same concept as the AIRM.

    Widerskos:
    exactMatch
    narrowMatch:
    is

    used to
    link two concepts, indicating a high degree of confidence that the concepts can be used interchangeably across a wide range of information retrieval applications.
  • -
  • skos:closeMatch: is used to link two concepts that are sufficiently similar that they can be used interchangeably in some information retrieval applications.
  • WiderSpecialised
    state a hierarchical mapping link between two concepts.specialised: The definition in the information definition is a special case of the definition found
    in the AIRM.skos:narrowMatch:
    used to state a hierarchical mapping link between two concepts.
    Info
    in
    semantic technologies. However, SESAR documents use slightly different names based on
    the
    old
    AIRM
    Rulebook.Both options are therefore valid
    .
    Note

    We only need narrowing traces if the main trace is "specialised" or "narrowMatch"

    Note

    Traces cannot be annotated as "generalised" as this breaks the requirement.

    Annotating traces

    It is possible to add further notes to the mapping (the container for one or more trace). This comes in handy when e.g. tracing legacy interfaces that have data type constraints leading to loss of Information.

    Representing

    Recording traces in XSD

    The table below gives two alternatives for recording the traces in XSD.

    Info

    Using element names is the preferred option as it can be used more easily in rules. The element name contains semantic hints even if the attributes are not added.

    However, the attribute option is also supported as there are a lot of traces developed that do not use element names. Support for this option should be deprecated in the future.

    Trace nameElement nameAttribute
    "information concept" trace<informationConceptTrace><trace keyword="informationConceptTrace>
    1. "data concept" trace
    2. "data type" trace

    <dataConceptTrace>

    <dataTypeTrace>

    <trace keyword="dataConceptTrace>

    <trace keyword="dataTypeTrace>

    "narrowing" trace


    <narrowingTrace>

    <trace keyword="narrowingTrace>

    Full example

    XSD Example

    If we apply all of this:the guidance above we get the following in XML Schema notation.


    Code Block
    languagexml
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:documentation>
        <semanticCorrespondence>
          <mapping>
            <note>loss of info because of legacy</note>
            <informationConceptTrace degreesemanticRelation="specialised">-AIRM unique identifier-</informationConceptTrace>
            <narrowingTrace>-AIRM unique identifier-</narrowingTrace>
          </mapping>
        </semanticCorrespondence>
      </xs:documentation>
    </xs:annotation> 

    or:

    Code Block
    languagexml
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:documentation>
        <semanticCorrespondence>
          <mapping>
            <note>loss of info because of legacy</note>
    		<trace type="informationConceptTrace" degreesemanticRelation="specialised">-AIRM unique identifier-</trace>
            <trace type="narrowingTrace">-AIRM unique identifier-</trace>
          </mapping>
        </semanticCorrespondence>
      </xs:documentation>
    </xs:annotation>