Human-Centred Knowledge-Based Model Access Service for Engineers

Human-Centred Knowledge-Based Model Access Service for

Engineers

Peter Katranuschkov & Alexander Gehre

TU Dresden, Germany

CIB W78 Conference 2002 - Aarhus

CIB W78 Conference 2002 - Aarhus P. Katranuschkov, A. Gehre

Outline

Knowledge-Based MModel AAccess SService = MASMAS

1. Background2. Objectives3. Architecture4. Services

– Basic– Advanced (Reasoning agent, Ontology Browser)– Example (Browser Walkthrough)

5. Conclusions


Background

• MAS is being developed in the frames of the EU project ISTforCE (IST-1999-11508, Feb. 2000 – September 2002)

• Main ISTforCE deliverable: Open collaboration environment where end users and providers of eng. information, services and tools can meet

• Achievements in ISTforCE strongly supported by MAS:– Human-centred instead of project-centred environment– Multi-project support – Flexible product data exchange and sharing – Infrastructure for on-line e-Business, including legal and

financial aspects of the collaboration process• MAS is a self-contained system but its functionality

is fully unfolded only through the integration with the other infrastructure services of the ISTforCE platform


ISTforCE Core Information Services

MAS within the ISTforCE platform

Project Infrastructure

Services

Multi-Project Integration

Services

Generic Infrastructure

Services

people projects services companies

PDMS EDMS ... ECS TOS ...PPS

Remote (Rental) Engineering Services

CAD / CAFM Analysis Tools ...ISTforCE RESISTforCE RESISTforCE RES

MASMAS





Services


Services


Services

services

EDMS ... TOS ...


ISTforCE RESISTforCE RESISTforCE RES CAD / CAFM Analysis Tools ...

PPS MASMAS

people projects companies

PDMS ECS





Services


Services


Services

services

EDMS ... TOS ...


MASMAS

ISTforCE RESISTforCE RESISTforCE RES CAD / CAFM Analysis Tools ...

PPS ECSPDMS

people projects companies


MAS Objectives

• Central access point for product model services based on IFC and STEP/EXPRESS

• User-friendly management of product models– Transparent access to different Product Data Servers– Set of functions for product data processing on

model / object / attribute level– Advanced knowledge based functionality

(sophisticated queries, request interpretation, solvers)– Intelligent product model browsing

• Enabling model access to a wide range of clients using different communication paradigms


Sun EJB Framework

Information Logic

(EJB Cont.)

Presentation Logic (Web Container)

MAS Architecture

ExplanationComponentFront - End

(Servlets, JSP, HTML)

ExplanationComponentFront - End

(Servlets, JSP, HTML)

Product Data Servers




Product Data Product Data ServerServerss

Product Data Product Data ServerServerss

Core Core Information Information

ServicesServices

Core Core Information Information

ServicesServices

MAS Clients MAS Clients ( Local Appl., RES, Web-Browser )( Local Appl., RES, Web-Browser )

MAS Clients MAS Clients ( Local Appl., RES, Web-Browser )( Local Appl., RES, Web-Browser )

ProductData

Controller

ProductData

Controller

ClientAdapters(RMI-IIOP,CORBA)

ClientAdapters(RMI-IIOP,CORBA)

ReasoningAgent

ReasoningAgent

ProductModel &OntologyProvider

ProductModel &OntologyProvider

Access Control

Interface(XML/HTTP)

Access Control

Interface(XML/HTTP)


Basic Services

• SPF-based product model access- upload and download of product models using a standard Web

Browser or a MAS Client Adapter- generalized access to different project-specific product data servers

supported by information provided by the Core Information Server- Integrated Persistent Model Cache to efficiently support consistency

and version management w.r.t. the plugged-in product data servers• Product data access on object / attribute level

- generic access methods for simple filtering / inspection / querying / retrieval / modification of objects and their attributes using appropriate RPC mechanisms (Client Adapters)

• These basic services are essential for the advanced MAS functions and for the integration of client applications


Reason

ing

Ag

en

t

Solver Solver Solver Solver

response

Advanced Services: Reasoning Agent

request

SolutionProvider

RequestInterpreter

I II III

MAS integratedProduct Model Server


Advanced Services: Engineering Ontology

• Translation of the strictly formalised IFC data structures to an engineering vocabulary

• Definitions completely based on the XML standard(uses XML Schema as baseline)

• Open extensible specification

• Real time mapping between the EO definitions and the underlying IFC 2x model

• Easy to learn and use client-side Ontology Browser


Engineering Ontology Information Flow

navigate, access operations

uses EO Presentation Schema (xslt) and Java Server Pages (jsp)

to create Presentation Documents (html)

Web ContainerWeb Container

EO Repr. InstanceIFC to EO mappings

MAS - PDSMAS - PDS

provides the IFC product model data

IFC

Engineer‘s Web BrowserEngineer‘s Web Browser

HTML document with browsing / navigation functionality

render

Ontology RepositoryOntology Repository

EO Definition (xml)

EO Specification Schema (xsd)

EO Extended Specification (xsd)

ExplanationExplanationComponentComponent

Ontology ProviderOntology Provider

add/update validate specifications

uses the Ontology Repository to create an

EO Representation Instance (xml) on the basis of IFC model data

Ontology Ontology InterpreterInterpreter

EO specifications


MAS Explanation Component: Walkthrough



















Geometry view

Still under development …Still under development …


Summary: Achievements Revisited

• Human-centred instead of project-centred Human-centred instead of project-centred environmentenvironment transparent access to product data services,

intelligent ontology-based browsing capabilities, personal planning support

• Multi-project supportMulti-project support access to multiple product servers for multiple projects

• Flexible product data exchange and sharingFlexible product data exchange and sharing broad range of functions for full/partial model exchange

and sharing, advanced add-on functionality based on agent technology, open architecture for further ext.

• Infrastructure for on-line e-Business, including legal Infrastructure for on-line e-Business, including legal and financial aspects of the collaboration processand financial aspects of the collaboration process integrated authentication and access control features

We must either institute We must either institute conventional forms of expression conventional forms of expression or else pretend that we have or else pretend that we have nothing to express.nothing to express.

- George Santayana, Soliloquies in England- George Santayana, Soliloquies in England

Thank you for your attention