Research On Domain Ontology Construction Method Based On Formal Concept Analysis

Domain ontology is a formal specification of a shared conceptualization in a domain. As a conceptual model which can effectively expresses conceptual structure and formal semantic, domain ontology has been widely used in many research hotspots of informatics, such as information system modeling , information extraction , semantic web , search engines and knowledge management, etc. The extensive use of domain ontology requires a mature and effective domain ontology construction method in order to support it,while the traditional domain ontology construction method can not objectively meet these demands, so it is necessary to make a active exploration on domain ontology construction method.In this context,the foreign scholars begin to focus on the theory named formal concept analysis(FCA). As a branch of abstract algebra, FCA is a mathematization of the philosophical understanding of concept. FCA, which makes a formally description to the concept form both extension and intension, utilizes binary relations to express the formal context of the domain, extracts all the implied concept and the relationships among concepts form the formal context, then constructs the conceptual hierarchical structure, and finally realize the semantic information which can be understood by the computer. The use of formal concept analysis technology can weaken the subjective effects in the process of domain ontology from developers, automaticly acquire all the implied concepts and the relationships among concepts, and utilize mathematical symbol express all the concepts, has reached a effect of"formal conceptualization model", Therefore, FCA can provide a guide to how to construct a domain ontology.Currently,there are four typical method how FCA was used in the process of domain ontology construction: Cimiano method, GuTao method, Haav method and Marek Obitko method. These methods have different characteristics and have resolved many problems in a particular aspect to some extent. But objectively speaking, a lot of unresolved issues which must be resolved are still left, the deep-seated reasons caused these methods can be imputed to two aspects: On the one hand, there is a lack of systemic,deep-seated and essential anatomy of the relationship between FCA and ontology,resulting in the shortage of understanding of the bonding point between the two;On the other hand, there is a lack of engineering, standardized, normalized and materialized guiding ideology.Therewithal, analyzing the essential relation between FCA and domain ontology construction method becomes the critical points of putting forward the domain ontology construction method. In order to grasp the essential relation between FCA and domain ontology construction method, we should analyze the relation between FCA and ontology to find the mapping mechanism from lattice to the prototype of domain ontology from the static level,and then analyze the relativity between FCA and the process of domain ontology construction to indicate the synergism how FCA assists the main assignments of domain ontology construction process as a description tools, diagnostic tools and modeling tools from the dynamic level. After that, we should analyze the bonding mechanism between FCA and domain ontology construction method. finally, we can get the conclusion that the bonding points between FCA and domain ontology construction method should be reflected in four aspects: First, using formal context to express domain knowledge; second, combination with domain ontology generation; third, combination with visualization of conceptual hierarchy in domain ontology;forth,combination with ontology reuse.After getting the bonding points between FCA and domain ontology construction method, we can elicit the domain ontology construction method. The research on the new method can be actualized from both the theoretical research aspect and the operating procedure aspect: constructing the model of domain ontology construction method based on FCA in theory, and creating the detailed process of domain ontology construction method based on FCA in practice. According to the thread from method to model, from model to module, from module to element, we can create a new method model based two levels: the first level of modeling is a description and abstract to the macro level, namely establishing a overall model which includes six modules: planning module,requirement analysis module,module of domain ontology design base on FCA, module of domain ontology realization base on FCA, test module and maintain module. The second level of modeling is a abstract and grasp to the micro level, namely establishing a micro model which includes eight modules: pre-treatment module, formal context generation module, lattice generation modules, concept hierarchy generation module, ontology prototype generation module, ontology expansion module, ontology formalized module and ontology reuse module. The micro model is a modeling of the process from domain ontology design to domain ontology realization, which reflects the soul of the whole method and the centralized application of FCA in domain ontology construction. And then, we can embody the model to detailed processes of domain ontology construction method based on FCA, and simply summarized the superiority and the limitations of the new method.Finally, take the field of transport as an example, an application was given in order to checkout the availability and usability of the new method which was named domain ontology construction method based on FCA in this paper.The research results of this paper can be list as follows: putting forward a new domain ontology construction method based on FCA according to an engineering, standardized, normalized and materialized guiding ideology, defining the basic principles and the main stages of the domain ontology construction method base on FCA,generating the method model of the domain ontology construction method base on FCA from the theoretical aspect, embodying the model to detailed processes of domain ontology construction method based on FCA, summarizing the superiority and the limitations of the new method from the practical aspect.The main innovation of the paper is the theoretical innovation on domain ontology construction theory. Through educing the mapping mechanism from lattice to the prototype of domain ontology, pointing out the synergism how FCA assists the main assignments of domain ontology construction process as a description tools, diagnostic tools and modeling tools, eliciting the binding mechanism and point between FCA and domain ontology construction method, the new model of domain ontology construction method base on FCA was given, and the detailed processes of domain ontology construction method based on FCA was also be generated from the model.The significance of the paper is that the research results will enrich and improve the domain ontology construction method. The new domain ontology construction method in this paper has completed the shortages of the combination of FCA and domain ontology construction method, and provides an inspiration for the development and innovation of domain ontology construction method with new perspective and new idea. The new domain ontology construction method in this paper will also be effective to improve the efficiency and quality of domain ontology, and promote the application of domain ontology in various fields of informatics and other related disciplines.