This document discusses knowledge fusion patterns in context-based decision support systems for emergency response. It introduces knowledge fusion as the integration of information and knowledge from multiple sources to create new knowledge. The document then presents several knowledge fusion patterns that can occur at different stages of a context-aware decision support system, including simple fusion, extension, configured fusion, instantiated fusion, and flat fusion. Each pattern describes the problem it solves, knowledge sources involved, effects on autonomy and structure, and system stage where it applies. The goal is to analyze how context influences knowledge fusion processes in emergency response decision making.
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Context-Based Knowledge Fusion Patterns in Decision Support System for Emergency Response
1. SPIIRAS
Context-Based Knowledge Fusion Patterns
in Decision Support System for Emergency Response
Alexander Smirnov, Tatiana Levashova, Nikolay Shilov
Computer Aided Integrated Systems laboratory (CAIS Lab)
St.Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation
of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPIIRAS)
St.Petersburg, Russia
ISCRAM 2013
2. SPIIRAS
Presentation Outline
Introduction
Knowledge Fusion Patterns
Conclusion
2
“Every person has a pattern language in his mind” *
* Alexander C., The Timeless Way of Building.
Oxford University Press, New York, 1979
3. SPIIRAS
St.Petersburg Institute for Informatics and
Automation (SPIIRAS)
Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)
Founded in 1724
The research umbrella organization of the Russian
Government
363 units (Research Institutes and Centers)
112,000 personnel: 55,100 Researchers (10,000 D.Sc., and
26,000 Ph.D.)
St.Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation
(SPIIRAS)
Founded in 1978
Only 1 Russian Academy of Science Institute operating in
Northwest Russia in Computer Science discipline
161 Researchers (38 D.Sc., and 59 Ph.D., 34 Ph.D. students,
1 PostDoc)
Grants Ph.D and Dr.Sc. (Technical) degrees
5. SPIIRAS
CAIS Laboratory:
Financial Support (2007-2013)
Russian Academy of Sciences
6 projects
1 grant
3 projects
FP6 IST – 1 project (IP)
ENPI-Finland - 1 project
2 grants 5 projects
1 grant
1 grant
The Swedish Foundation for
International Cooperation
in Research and Higher
Education
2 grants
10 projects
26 grants
Ministry of Education & Science, Russia
Russian Basic Research Foundation
Russian Humanitarian Scientific Foundation
6. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Using Cyberspace to link Physical
World Information to Communities
Semantic
Integration
Knowledge
Physical World
Cyber-Physical-Social
Systems (CPSs)
Communities /
Social Networks
CPS is a tight integration of physical systems and cyber
(ICT) systems interacting in real time to decision support.
CPSs rely on communication, computation & control
Infrastructures, and Social networks
7. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Conceptual Framework of
Information Support
Correct information and knowledge processed and delivered to
the location and time of need and ability to predict at the level of
understanding are needed
Understanding
Knowledge
Information
Data
Information
Transformation
Process
Source: Anken C.: Information Understanding, 5th Anniversary
Information Workshop. Rome, NY, 2002
8. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Problem Area
• Environments where decision support systems operate
– Large volumes of data, information, and knowledge available in
different sources
• Knowledge fusion
– Integration of information and knowledge from multiple sources into
a common piece of knowledge that may be used for decision making
and problem solving or may provide a better insight and
understanding of the situation under consideration. The expectation
is that the result of knowledge fusion is a new knowledge that is
more complete, less uncertain, and less conflicting than the original
inputs
• Fusion is context-sensitive
– A common challenge for fusion systems is adaptation to the context
of usage
• Environment heterogeneity
– Overcoming the heterogeneity of the environment sources is a
precondition for knowledge fusion
9. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Research Objectives
• Analysis and investigation of context-based
knowledge fusion processes in Decision Support
System (DSS)
• Discovery of context-based knowledge fusion
patterns with regard to
– Preservation/change of internal structures of
sources involved in knowledge fusion
– Preservation/loss of autonomies of sources
involved in knowledge fusion
– Knowledge fusion effect(s)
10. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Main Definitions
• Context - any information about the situation in which decisions are made
• Context aware DSS - a system that uses context to provide the decision
maker with a set of decisions that can be made in the current situation
• Knowledge source - a source of data, information, or knowledge which can
be explicitly specified
• Knowledge source structure – a conceptual structure used in the
representation of the knowledge source
• Autonomous knowledge source – a knowledge source having no relations
to other sources; the changes in the autonomous source do not produce
any changes in other sources
• Non-autonomous knowledge source – a knowledge source relating to other
sources; any changes in a non-autonomous knowledge source are passed
to the related sources and reflected in them
• Knowledge fusion - knowledge processing resulting in a synergetic effect,
i.e. an appearance of new knowledge
• Knowledge fusion result / effect – any new knowledge (new knowledge
source, new concept, new property, etc.)
11. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Background
• Technology of knowledge logistics
– Configuration of knowledge network from heterogeneous sources to
support decisions on involvement of autonomous resources in joint
activities and on scheduling these activities
• Methodology of context management
– Two-level situation representation
• Abstract context: ontology-based non-instantiated representation
of a situation of the given type
• Operational context: a set of abstract context instances under the
actual settings
• Conceptual framework of context-aware decision support
• Generic knowledge fusion patterns
– Absorption
– Extension
– Selective fusion
– Simple fusion
– Flat fusion
12. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Knowledge Fusion Processes
Intelligent fusion of massive amounts of heterogeneous data /
information from a wide range of distributed sources into a form
which may be used by systems and humans as the foundation for
problem solving and decision making.
Integration of knowledge from various knowledge sources resulting
in a completely different type of knowledge or new idea how to solve
the problem.
Combining knowledge from different autonomous knowledge
sources in different ways in different scenarios, which results in
discovery of new relations between the knowledge from different
sources or/and between the entities this knowledge.
Re-configuration of knowledge sources to achieve a new
configuration with new capabilities or competencies.
Knowledge exchange to improve capabilities or competencies
through learning, interactions, discussions, and practices.
Involving knowledge from various sources in problem solving, which
results in a solution as a new knowledge.
13. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Synergetic Effects
1. New knowledge object created from data/information;
2. New knowledge type or knowledge product (service, process,
technology, etc.);
3. New knowledge source;
4. New knowledge about the conceptual scheme (new relations,
concepts, properties, etc.);
5. New explicit knowledge;
6. New capabilities / competencies of a knowledge object (an
object that produces or contains knowledge);
7. New problem solving method;
8. Solution for a problem
14. SPIIRAS
Introduction: Context-Aware Decision
Support System
2013 Теория и практика системной динамики, Апатиты 14
Purpose
Support of decisions on planning emergency response actions
Application ontology Abstract context Operational context
A
B
C F
D
E
G
J
I
A
F
D
E
G
I A
F
D
E
G
I
Knowledge sources Contextual knowledge
sources
Knowledge source
network
A set of
alternatives
Conceptual framework
17. SPIIRAS
Concepts of Generalization
Knowledge sources
Initial knowledge sources are sources that are integrated leading to
emergence of a new knowledge (producing some knowledge fusion effect)
Target knowledge sources are sources resulting from the knowledge fusion
or enclosing the knowledge fusion result
Knowledge source autonomy
Autonomous
Non-autonomous
N/a (for non-existing sources)
Knowledge source structure
Changed
Preserved
New
N/a (for non-existing sources)
Knowledge fusion effect
Appearing in DSS
Ontology-based generalization
18. SPIIRAS
Pattern Language
Name: a name to refer to the pattern;
Problem: a problem the knowledge fusion process solves;
Solution: a meaningful description of the knowledge fusion process;
Initial knowledge source(s): knowledge sources integration or fusion of
knowledge from which produces the knowledge fusion result
Target knowledge source(s): knowledge sources that are organized as a
result of knowledge fusion or that enclose such a result;
Related pattern (may be omitted): an alternative pattern that can be used
instead of the described one or in parallel or after termination of the described;
Exception (may be omitted): a description of conditions / cases when the
pattern is not applicable;
Autonomy pre-states: a degree of autonomy of knowledge sources before
the knowledge fusion process.
Effect in DSS: effect of knowledge fusion as it appears in DSS
Result in ontology paradigm: ontology-based generalization of the effect
produced
Post-states: degrees of knowledge sources’ autonomies and internal
structures preservation after the knowledge fusion process completes
Schematic representation: the knowledge fusion process represented
schematically
Phase of DSS functioning: a stage of DSS functioning where the knowledge
fusion process takes place
20. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion
Abstract context building
Application ontology Abstract context
A – application ontology
C – abstract context
an, cn – internal units in knowledge source
representations
- relationships in conceptual structures
- correspondences between conceptual
structures’ elements
- new knowledge
a1
a5
a3
a4
a2A
c1
c3
c4
c2 C
Knowledge fusion effect
New knowledge source
21. SPIIRAS
Simple Fusion
Name: simple fusion
Problem: creation of an abstract ontology-based model of situation
Solution: integration of multiple knowledge pieces from an
ontology that represents knowledge to describe situations
Initial knowledge source: application ontology
Target knowledge source: abstract context
Autonomy pre-states: initial KS target KS
autonomous n/a
Effect in DSS: a new knowledge source of a type coinciding with
the type of the initial knowledge source
Effect in ontology paradigm: new ontology
Post-states: initial KS target KS
Structure: preserved new
Autonomy: autonomous autonomous
Phase of DSS functioning: abstract context building
KS - knowledge source
27. SPIIRAS
Configured Fusion
Name: configured fusion
Problem: knowledge sources are not intended to be used in the current
situation
Solution: configuration of available knowledge sources for the current
purposes
Initial knowledge source: abstract context
Target knowledge source: abstract context
Related pattern: extension
Exception: when alternative sources are not introduced in the
abstract context the pattern is inapplicable
Autonomy pre-states: initial KS target KS
autonomous autonomous
Effect in DSS: new (alternative) knowledge source
Effect in ontology paradigm : new ontology representation items
Post-states: : initial KS target KS
Structure changed changed
Autonomy autonomous autonomous
Phase of DSS functioning: abstract context reuse
29. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion
Abstract context
Operational context
c1
c3
c4
c2
Abstract context
c1
c3
c4
c2
c1
1
c3
1
c4
1c3
2
Knowledge fusion effect
Operational context producing
• New (dynamic) knowledge
type
• New knowledge source
• New knowledge created
from data / information
cmn – instance n
of concept mKS1
KS2
KS3
relation between knowledge source
and concept being instantiated
Operational context
30. SPIIRAS
Instantiated Fusion
Name: instantiated fusion
Problem: instantiation of a non-instantiated knowledge source
Solution: semantic fusion of values from multiple knowledge
sources within the structure of the non-instantiated knowledge
source
Initial knowledge source: abstract context
Target knowledge source: operational context
Autonomy pre-states: initial KS target KS
autonomous n/a
Effect in DSS: a new knowledge source of a new type
Effect in ontology paradigm: a new dynamic ontology
Post-states: initial KS target KS
Structure: preserved new
Autonomy: autonomous non-autonomous
Phase of DSS functioning: operational context producing
33. SPIIRAS
Flat Fusion
Name: flat fusion
Problem: providing the decision maker with a set of alternative
decisions
Solution: solving the problems, to which the decision maker has to
find solutions in the current situation, as a constraint satisfaction
problem
Initial knowledge source: operational context
Target knowledge source: knowledge source fusing operational
context and the set of alternatives
Autonomy pre-states: initial KS target KS
non-autonomous n/a
Effect in DSS: a new knowledge source of a new type
Effect in ontology paradigm: a new knowledge product
representing the dynamic ontology fused with the set of alternative
decisions
Post-states: initial KS target KS
Structure: changed new
Autonomy: non-autonomous non-autonomous
Phase of DSS functioning: problem solving
34. SPIIRAS
Selection of an efficient
plan
Emergency responder1
Emergency responder2
Emergency respondern
An efficient plan
Producing of a set of
feasible plans
or
A set of feasible plans
Is any plan
adjustment
possible?
Yes
No
and
Approval Refusal
Confirmed
plan for actions
Knowledge Fusion
Emergency response
community
Decision implementation
40. SPIIRAS
Historical Fusion
Name: historical fusion
Problem: discovery of new knowledge about entities
Solution: an analysis of the archived knowledge
Initial knowledge sources: operational contexts
Target knowledge source: application ontology
Autonomy pre-states: initial KS target KS
non-autonomous autonomous
Effect in DSS: a new property
Effect in ontology paradigm: a new property
Post-states: initial KS target KS
Structure: preserved changed
Autonomy: non-autonomous autonomous
Phase of DSS functioning: archival knowledge management
41. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion Processes
and their Effects(1)
Synergetic effect Knowledge
fusion process
Process in DSS DSS phase
New knowledge
type
Integration of
knowledge from
various knowledge
sources resulting in
a new type of
knowledge
Coping knowledge
fragments from
various ontologies into
the application
ontology
Application ontology
creation
Instantiation of the
abstract context with
dynamic information
from multiple sources
Operational context
producing
New knowledge
source
Integration of
knowledge from
multiple sources into
a new knowledge
source
Capturing knowledge
fragments from the
existing ontology and
their integration in a
new knowledge
source
Abstract context
building
42. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion Processes
and their Effects(2)
Synergetic
effect
Knowledge fusion
process
Process in DSS DSS phase
New relations
between
knowledge
Combining knowledge from
different knowledge
sources, which results in
discovery of new relations
between the knowledge
from these sources and
(or) between instances this
knowledge represents
Deductive inference Abstract context
refinement
Inductive inference Archival
knowledge
management
New problem-
solving method or
idea hoe to solve
the problem
Integration of knowledge
from various knowledge
sources resulting in new
problem-solving method
Re-configuration of
knowledge source
network
Abstract context
reuse
43. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion Processes
and their Effects (3)
Synergetic
effect
Knowledge fusion
process
Process in
DSS
DSS phase
New knowledge
created from data /
information
Intelligent fusion of
heterogeneous data /
information from a wide
range of sources into a form
which may be used by
systems and humans as the
foundation for problem
solving and decision making
Abstract
context
instantiation
Operational context
producing
A problem solution Involving knowledge from
various sources in problem
solving, which results in a
solution as a new
knowledge.
Problem
solving
Generation of a set
of alternative
solutions
New capabilities /
competencies of
knowledge object
Re-configuration of
knowledge source network
Adaptation of
the decision to
the current
circumstances
Decision
implementation
44. SPIIRAS
Knowledge Fusion Patterns
Synergetic effect Effect in DSS Effect in ontology
paradigm
Pattern
New knowledge
source
Ontology-based non-
instantiated representation of
the emergency situation
New ontology of an
existing type
Simple fusion
New relation
between knowledge
Refined ontology New ontology
representation items
Extension.
Historical
fusion
New problem solving
method
New (alternative) knowledge
source
New ontology
representation items
Configured
fusion
New knowledge type.
New knowledge
created from data /
information
Dynamic instantiated
representation of the
emergency situation
New ontology of new
type
Instantiation
Problem solution A set of alternative response
plans fused with the
instantiated representation of
the emergency situation
New knowledge source
representing the fusion
of ontological and not-
ontological knowledge
Flat fusion
New capabilities /
competencies
Adapted emergency response
plan
New ontology
representation items
Adaptation
45. SPIIRAS
Conclusion
Synergetic effects the knowledge fusion processes produce have
been analyzed and systematized
The synergetic effects have been discovered in the context aware
decision support system intended to support decisions on
planning emergency response actions
Knowledge fusion patterns of context-based knowledge fusion
have been discovered and described
A pattern language has been proposed. The language
generalizes the knowledge fusion processes in terms of
autonomies and structures of knowledge sources involved in
knowledge fusion and in terms of knowledge fusion effects
