Chair for Automata Theory of the Institute for Theoretical Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science at TU Dresden

Publications

1995


F. Baader. Computing a Minimal Representation of the Subsumption Lattice of all Conjunctions of Concepts Defined in a Terminology. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Knowledge Retrieval, Use, and Storage for Efficiency, KRUSE 95, pages 168–178, Santa Cruz, USA, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Paper (PS)

Abstract

For a given TBox of a terminological KR system, the classification algorithm computes (a representation of) the subsumption hierarchy of all concepts introduced in the TBox. In general, this hierarchy does not contain sufficient information to derive all subsumption relationships between conjunctions of these concepts. We show how a method developed in the area of ``formal concept analysis'' for computing minimal implication bases can be used to determine a minimal representation of the subsumption hierarchy between conjunctions of concepts introduced in a TBox. To this purpose, the subsumption algorithm must be extended such that it yields (sufficient information about) a counterexample in cases where there is no subsumption relationship. For the concept language ALC, this additional requirement does not change the worst-case complexity of the subsumption algorithm. One advantage of the extended hierarchy is that it is a lattice, and not just a partial ordering.


F. Baader, M. Buchheit, M.A Jeusfeld, and W. Nutt. Reasoning About Structured Objects: Knowledge Representation Meets Databases. The Knowledge Engineering Review, 10(1):73–76, 1995.
Bibtex entry


F. Baader and B. Hollunder. Embedding Defaults into Terminological Representation Systems. J. Automated Reasoning, 14:149–180, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Free reprint

Abstract

We consider the problem of integrating Reiter's default logic into terminological representation systems. It turns out that such an integration is less straightforward than we expected, considering the fact that the terminological language is a decidable sublanguage of first-order logic. Semantically, one has the unpleasant effect that the consequences of a terminological default theory may be rather unintuitive, and may even vary with the syntactic structure of equivalent concept expressions. This is due to the unsatisfactory treatment of open defaults via Skolemization in Reiter's semantics. On the algorithmic side, we show that this treatment may lead to an undecidable default consequence relation, even though our base language is decidable, and we have only finitely many (open) defaults. Because of these problems, we then consider a restricted semantics for open defaults in our terminological default theories: default rules are only applied to individuals that are explicitly present in the knowledge base. In this semantics it is possible to compute all extensions of a finite terminological default theory, which means that this type of default reasoning is decidable. We describe an algorithm for computing extensions, and show how the inference procedures of terminological systems can be modified to give optimal support to this algorithm.


F. Baader and B. Hollunder. Priorities on Defaults with Prerequisites, and their Application in Treating Specificity in Terminological Default Logic. J. Automated Reasoning, 15:41–68, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Free reprint

Abstract

In a recent paper we have proposed terminological default logic as a formalism which combines both means for structured representation of classes and objects, and for default inheritance of properties. The major drawback that terminological default logic inherits from general default logic is that it does not take precedence of more specific defaults over more general ones into account. This behaviour has already been criticized in the general context of default logic, but it is all the more problematic in the terminological case where the emphasis lies on the hierarchical organization of concepts. The present paper addresses the problem of modifying terminological default logic such that more specific defaults are preferred. We assume that the specificity ordering is induced by the hierarchical organization of concepts, which means that default information is not taken into account when computing priorities. It turns out that the existing approaches for expressing priorities between defaults do not seem to be appropriate for defaults with prerequisites. Therefore we shall consider an alternative approach for dealing with prioritization in the framework of Reiter's default logic. The formalism is presented in the general setting of default logic where priorities are given by an arbitrary partial ordering on the defaults. We shall exhibit some interesting properties of the new formalism, compare it with existing approaches, and describe an algorithm for computing extensions. In the terminological case, we thus obtain an automated default reasoning procedure that takes specificity into account.


F. Baader and A. Laux. Terminological Logics with Modal Operators. In C. Mellish, editor, Proceedings of the 14th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, pages 808–814, Montréal, Canada, 1995. Morgan Kaufmann.
Bibtex entry  Abstract

Abstract

Terminological knowledge representation formalisms can be used to represent objective, time-independent facts about an application domain. Notions like belief, intentions, and time which are essential for the representation of multi-agent environments can only be expressed in a very limited way. For such notions, modal logics with possible worlds semantics provides a formally well-founded and well-investigated basis. This paper presents a framework for integrating modal operators into terminological knowledge representation languages. These operators can be used both inside of concept expressions and in front of terminological and assertional axioms. We introduce syntax and semantics of the extended language, and show that satisfiability of finite sets of formulas is decidable, provided that all modal operators are interpreted in the basic logic {\sf K}, and that the increasing domain assumption is used.


F. Baader and H.-J. Ohlbach. A Multi-Dimensional Terminological Knowledge Representation Language. J. Applied Non-Classical Logics, 5:153–197, 1995.
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F. Baader and K.U. Schulz. Combination of Constraint Solving Techniques: An Algebraic Point of View. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Rewriting Techniques and Applications, volume 914 of Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, pages 352–366, Kaiserslautern, Germany, 1995. Springer Verlag.
Bibtex entry  Abstract

Abstract

In a previous paper we have introduced a method that allows one to combine decision procedures for unifiability in disjoint equational theories. Lately, it has turned out that the prerequisite for this method to apply---namely that unification with so-called linear constant restrictions is decidable in the single theories---is equivalent to requiring decidability of the positive fragment of the first order theory of the equational theories. Thus, the combination method can also be seen as a tool for combining decision procedures for positive theories of free algebras defined by equational theories. The present paper uses this observation as the starting point of a more abstract, algebraic approach to formulating and solving the combination problem. Its contributions are twofold. As a new result, we describe an optimization and an extension of our combination method to the case of constraint solvers that also take relational constraints (such as ordering constraints) into account. The second contribution is a new proof method, which depends on abstract notions and results from universal algebra, as opposed to technical manipulations of terms (such as ordered rewriting, abstraction functions, etc.)


F. Baader and K.U. Schulz. Combination Techniques and Decision Problems for Disunification. Theoretical Computer Science B, 142:229–255, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Free reprint

Abstract

Previous work on combination techniques considered the question of how to combine unification algorithms for disjoint equational theories $E_1,\ldots,E_n$ in order to obtain a unification algorithm for the union $E_1 \cup \ldots\cup E_n$ of the theories. Here we want to show that variants of this method may be used to decide solvability and ground solvability of disunification problems in $E_1 \cup \ldots\cup E_n$. Our first result says that solvability of disunification problems in the free algebra of the combined theory $E_1 \cup \ldots\cup E_n$ is decidable if solvability of disunification problems with linear constant restrictions in the free algebras of the theories $E_i$ ($i = 1,\ldots,n$) is decidable. In order to decide ground solvability (i.e., solvability in the initial algebra) of disunification problems in $E_1 \cup \ldots\cup E_n$ we have to consider a new kind of subproblem for the particular theories $E_i$, namely solvability (in the free algebra) of disunification problems with linear constant restriction under the additional constraint that values of variables are not $E_i$-equivalent to variables. The correspondence between ground solvability and this new kind of solvability holds, {\em (1)} if one theory $E_i$ is the free theory with at least one function symbol and one constant, or {\em (2)} if the initial algebras of all theories $E_i$ are infinite. Our results can be used to show that the existential fragment of the theory of the (ground) term algebra modulo associativity of a finite number of function symbols is decidable; the same result follows for function symbols which are associative and commutative, or associative, commutative and idempotent.


F. Baader and K.U. Schulz. On the Combination of Symbolic Constraints, Solution Domains, and Constraint Solvers. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Principles and Practice of Constraint Programming, CP95, volume 976 of Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, pages 380–397, Cassis, France, 1995. Springer Verlag.
Bibtex entry  Abstract

Abstract

When combining languages for symbolic constraints, one is typically faced with the problem of how to treat ``mixed'' constraints. The two main problems are (1) how to define a combined solution structure over which these constraints are to be solved, and (2) how to combine the constraint solving methods for pure constraints into one for mixed constraints. The paper introduces the notion of a ``free amalgamated product'' as a possible solution to the first problem. Subsequently, we define so-called {\em simply-combinable structures} (SC-structures). For SC-structures over disjoint signatures, a canonical amalgamation construction exists, which for the subclass of {\em strong} SC-structures yields the free amalgamated product. The combination technique of \cite{BaaderSchulzCADE,BaaderSchulzRTA95} can be used to combine constraint solvers for (strong) SC-structures over disjoint signatures into a solver for their (free) amalgamated product. In addition to term algebras modulo equational theories, the class of SC-structures contains many solution structures that have been used in constraint logic programming, such as the algebra of rational trees, feature structures, and domains consisting of hereditarily finite (wellfounded or non-wellfounded) nested sets and lists.


Franz Baader and Can Adam Albayrak. Termersetzungssysteme, Skript zur Vorlesung, volume 12 of Aachener Beiträge zur Informatik. Verlag der Augustinus Buchhandlung, Pontstr. 96, D-52062 Aachen, 1995. ISBN 3-86073-148-3.
Bibtex entry  Abstract

Abstract

Termersetzungssysteme sind ein wichtiges Hilfmittel zur automatisierten Behandlung von Gleichheitsaxiomen, da sie das Rechnen in gleichungsdefinierten Algebren ermöglichen. Sie finden deshalb zum Beispiel im Bereich der Algebraischen Spezifikation, der funktionalen Programmierung und des automatischen Theorembeweisens Verwendung. Das Skriptum stellt eine ausführliche Einführung in die im Bereich Termersetzungssysteme wichtigen Begriffe, Methoden und Resultate dar. Es werden Eigenschaften abstrakter Redunktionssysteme, Wortersetzungssysteme (Semi-Thue-Systeme), Grundbegriffe aus der universellen Algebra, Konfluenz und Terminierung von Termersetzungssystemen, Unifikation, Knuth-Bendix-Vervollständigung, Vervollständigung ohne Abbruch und Termersetzung modulo Gleichungstheorien behandelt.


Franz Baader and Hans Jürgen Ohlbach. A Multi-Dimensional Terminological Knowledge Representation Language. Technical Report MPI-I-95-2-005, Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik, Saarbrücken, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Paper (PS)

Abstract

An extension of the concept description language ALC used in KL-ONE-like terminological reasoning is presented. The extension includes multi-modal operators that can either stand for the usual role quantifications or for modalities such as belief, time etc. The modal operators can be used at all levels of the concept terms, and they can be used to modify both concepts and roles. This is an instance of a new kind of combination of modal logics where the modal operators of one logic may operate directly on the operators of the other logic. Different versions of this logic are investigated and various results about decidability and undecidability are presented. The main problem, however, decidability of the basic version of the logic, remains open.


François Bergeron and Ulrike Sattler. Constructible differentially finite algebraic series in several variables. Theoretical Computer Science, 144(1-2):59–66, June 1995.
Bibtex entry  Abstract

Abstract

We extend the concept of CDF-series to the context of several variables, and show that the series solution of first order differential equations y=x(t,y) and functional equations y=x(t,y), with x CDF in two variables, are CDF-series. We also give many effective closure properties for CDF-series in several variables.


M. Fathi, C. Tresp, K. Holte, and J. Hiltner. Development of Objective Functions for Soft Computing in Medical Applications. In ACM Computing Week, Nashville (USA), Februar 1995.
Bibtex entry


Ulrike Sattler. A Concept Language for an engeneering application with part-whole relations. In A. Borgida, M. Lenzerini, D. Nardi, and B. Nebel, editors, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Description Logics, pages 119–123, Rome, 1995.
Bibtex entry  Paper (PS)

Abstract

We investigate how terminological knowledge representation systems can be used to support modeling in an engeneering application. Because of the high complexity of the application, support of top--down modeling is a quite ambitious, but useful task for TKR Systems. An interesting problem to solve in this context is the handling of composite objects. Therefor, not only different part-whole relations have to be represented (some of them are transitive) but also their transitivity-like interaction as well as local properties of these relations. Hence this application calls for a concept language with powerful role forming operators. A concept language P with the expressive power to represent part-whole relations is defined, but it turns out that satisfiability of concept terms in P is undecidable. Hence it is necessary to drop some (but not many) of the demands made for the benefit of decidability. Several ways to handle the high complexity of inference algorithms of P are discussed.


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