Merging uncertain information with semantic heterogeneity in XML

Abstract

Semi-structured information in XML can be merged in a logic-based framework [Hun02,Hun02b]. This framework has been extended to deal with uncertainty, in the form of probability values, degrees of beliefs, or necessity measures, associated with leaves (i.e., textentries) in the XML documents [HL04a]. In this paper we further extend this approach to modelling and merging uncertain information that is defined at different levels of granularity of XML textentries, and to modelling and reasoning with XML documents that contain semantically heterogeneous uncertain information on more complex elements in XML subtrees. We present the formal definitions for modelling, propagating and merging semantically heterogeneous uncertain information and explain how they can be handled using logic-based fusion techniques.

A knowledge-based approach to merging information

“…In other papers, we have (1) presented an outline of using for fusion rules for knowledgebased merging of structured reports [Hun02a]; (2) presented a range of aggregation functions for use in fusion rules [HS04a]; (3) presented a framework for using temporal logic in knowledgebased merging [Hun02c,HS05]; (4) explored properties of a restricted form of fusion rules [HS03b]; (5) developed a framework for measuring degree and significance of inconsistencies in information in order to choose how to act on inconsistency with actions including ignore, resolve and reject [Hun03,Hun05]; and (6) developed aggregation predicates for merging uncertain information [HL05a,HL05b,HL05c,HL05d]. This paper extends the previous papers by providing a more general framework for knowledgebase merging and by providing comprehensive experiential insights into practical aspects of developing knowledgebased merging using fusion rules.…”

“…To deal with these situations, in [HL05b,HL05c,HL05d], we have further extended the approach to merging multiple pieces of uncertain information to situations where • evidence is specified at different levels of granularity on the same concept as textentries. We refer to two pieces of this type of evidence as semantically homogeneous.…”

“…Using Dempster-Shafer theory, we can harness Dempster's rule of combination that allows for the combination of two or more uncertainty distributions [HL05a,HL05b,HL05c,HL05d]. This forms the basis of a useful class of aggregation predicates with intuitive properties.…”

Measuring the Quality of Uncertain Information Using Possibilistic Logic

“…In contrast, the method of modelling, reasoning, and merging XML documents with uncertain information in our research ( [HL04,HL05a,HL05b]) concerns information within the logical fusion framework [HS04]. We use probability theory, DempsterShafer theory, and possibility theory to model different types of uncertainty, as well as provide integration and aggregation mechanisms to merge multiple XML documents.…”

“…In previous papers, we have presented a framework for merging structured information in XML involving uncertainty in the form of probabilities, degrees of beliefs and necessity measures [HL04,HL05a,HL05b]. In this paper, we focus on the quality of uncertain information before merging.…”