Semantic Heterogeneity: Problem and Solution Frameworks

The problem of semantic heterogeneity has gained ever increasing attention as the world’s digital information systems become more closely interconnected. Among the various interoperability problems faced by information integration solutions, the semantic interoperability problem has been growing in importance, with increasingly sophisticated approaches being proposed for its resolution. This article reviews the essential characteristics of the semantic heterogeneity problem and its solution approaches in various domains, and proposes frameworks for evaluating the problem and selecting an appropriate solution approach.