Engineering Ontologies using Semantic Patterns

Interoperability is one of the major design objectives when building applications for B2B and Semantic Web applications. In this paper, we present a methodology for engineering semantic knowledge such that these semantic structures are easier reusable when switching between several representation languages. For this purpose, we reconsider the commonalities of representation languages and their usage in actual applications. Out of this consideration we derive semantic patterns as a means to communicate knowledge at an epistemological level of representation and as a means for (partial) execution by any particular implementation of any representation language. The underlying method we propose combines the advantages of formal specification methods (where feasible) with informal, natural language explanations such as used in software engineering for design patterns.