A semantic Web primer

259 Pages·2004·1.204 MB·English

by  G Antoniou, Frank Van Harmelen

MC737806front.qxd 5/20/04 9:16 AM Page 1
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A Semantic Web Primer A
Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen
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The development of the Semantic Web, with machine-readable content, has the potential to revolutionize the
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World Wide Web and its use. In A Semantic Web PrimerGrigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen provide an
introduction and guide to this emerging field, describing its key ideas, languages, and technologies. Suitable a
for use as a textbook or for self-study by professionals, the book concentrates on undergraduate-level funda- n
mental concepts and techniques that will enable readers to proceed with building applications on their own t
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and includes exercises, project descriptions, and annotated references to relevant online materials. c
A Semantic Web Primeris the only available book on the Semantic Web to include a systematic treatment
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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 e
related topics as ontology engineering and application scenarios. After an introductory chapter, topics covered b
in succeeding chapters include XML and related technologies that support semantic interoperability; RDF
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and RDF Schema, the standard data model for machine-processible semantics; and OWL, the W3C-approved
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standard for a Web ontology language that is more extensive than RDF Schema; rules, both monotonic and i
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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 e
predictions for the future. r
A Semantic Web Primer

Grigoris Antoniou is Professor at the Institute for Computer Science, FORTH (Foundation for Research and

Technology-Hellas), Heraklion, Greece. Frank van Harmelen is Professor in the Department of Artificial

Intelligence at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Grigoris Antoniou and Frank van Harmelen

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Cooperative Information Systems series A
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“A book we have been waiting for: a concise yet detailed introduction to the basic concepts and methods for 6
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the Semantic Web.” i 3
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—Rudi Studer, Institute AIFB, University of Karlsruhe, Germany u 2
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“This book is a great introduction to the Semantic Web and in particular to the new languages (RDF Schema n 4
and OWL) that have recently become standard for it. I am using the book with my undergraduate Semantic d

Web class, and the students find it well written and clear. For those who want to roll up their sleeves and v
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learn about this emerging technology, this book will be a powerful tool.” n
—James Hendler, Professor, Computer Science Department, University of Maryland H
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“This is an excellent and much-needed book. It gives the reader a broad introduction to the motivation behind r
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the Semantic Web, as well as its applications and supporting technologies.”
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—Ian Horrocks, Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
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The MIT Press 0-262-01210-3
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ,!7IA2G2-abcbac!:t;K;k;K;k
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
http://mitpress.mit.edu
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TLFeBOOK
A
Semantic
Web
Primer
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CooperativeInformationSystems
MichaelPapazoglou,JoachimW.Schmidt,andJohnMylopoulos,editors
AdvancesinObject-OrientedDataModeling
MichaelP.Papazoglou,StefanoSpaccapietra,andZahirTari,editors,2000
WorkflowManagement: Models,Methods,andSystems
WilvanderAalstandKeesMaxvanHee,2002
ASemanticWebPrimer
GrigorisAntoniouandFrankvanHarmelen,2004
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TLFeBOOK
A
Semantic
Web
Primer
GrigorisAntoniou
and
FrankvanHarmelen
TheMITPress
Cambridge,Massachusetts
London,England
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©2004MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any
electronicormechanicalmeans(includingphotocopying,recording,orinformation
storageandretrieval)withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.
Thisbookwassetin10/13PalatinobytheauthorsusingLATEX2ε.
PrintedandboundintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Antoniou,G.(Grigoris)
AsemanticWebprimer/GrigorisAntoniouandFrankvanHarmelen.
p. cm.–(Cooperativeinformationsystems)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN0-262-01210-3(hc.:alk.paper)
1.SemanticWeb.I.VanHarmelen,Frank.II.Title.III.Series.
TK5105.88815.A58 2004
025.04–dc22
2003065165
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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DedicatedtoKonstantina
G.A.
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Brief Contents
1 TheSemanticWebVision 1
2 StructuredWebDocumentsinXML 23
3 DescribingWebResourcesinRDF 61
4 WebOntologyLanguage: OWL 109
5 LogicandInference: Rules 151
6 Applications 179
7 OntologyEngineering 205
8 ConclusionandOutlook 223
A AbstractOWLSyntax 227
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Contents
ListofFigures xiii
SeriesForeword xv
Preface xix
1 TheSemanticWebVision 1
1.1 Today’sWeb 1
1.2 FromToday’sWebtotheSemanticWeb: Examples 3
1.3 SemanticWebTechnologies 7
1.4 ALayeredApproach 16
1.5 BookOverview 19
1.6 Summary 19
SuggestedReading 20
2 StructuredWebDocumentsinXML 23
2.1 Introduction 23
2.2 TheXMLLanguage 27
2.3 Structuring 31
2.4 Namespaces 43
2.5 AddressingandQueryingXMLDocuments 45
2.6 Processing 49
2.7 Summary 55
SuggestedReading 57
ExercisesandProjects 58
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