Visual and Ontological Modeling and Analysis Support for Extended Enterprise Models

The monograph provides a detailed presentation of the main approaches to the creation of formalized descriptions of various objects, processes, and systems based on visual modeling tools. The evolution of visual models based on graph representations is examined. A classification of visual information modeling tools is presented. Information is provided on the principles of applying domain modeling methods based on formal visual modeling languages. The monograph may be useful to a wide range of readers, including experienced specialists in the field of information modeling of various processes, systems, and technologies.

We use a finite-difference scheme to simulate 2D ground penetrating radar data by solving the damped wave equation. We show that the stability condition for the damped scalar wave equation does not depend on the damping factor. As an example application of our modeling tool we investigate a typical situation in granite prospecting, where a conductive clay overburden masks the real position of the fractures in the granite. The results of the modeling have a good agreement with the actual data. Also, the algorithm shows well the increase in attenuation with the increase of the frequency. The algorithm shows to be a good basic modeling tool that can be used for further applications and for comparisons with other modeling methods like pseudospectral or finite elements. Introduction 2D forward numerical modeling of GPR data is an important tool to validate the interpretation of actual radargrams. Goodman (1994) and Cai and McMechan (1995) presented forward modeling routines using raytracing techniques. The drawback of these techniques is that they do not simulate diffraction events, as outlined by Zeng et al. (1995), who presented modeling by Fourier methods and compared them with the ray methods. Casper and Kung (1996) applied the pseudospectral forward modeling algorithm on GPR based on an explicit solution of the 2-D lossy electromagnetic wave equation and Chen and Huang (1996) used finite-differences following the same approach. All these methods have in common the assumption of a dielectric behavior of the earth, which is valid for most geologic applications of GPR, figuring in the frequency range between 10 and 1000 MHz, and imaging materials with conductivities lower than 100 mS/m (Davis and Annan, 1989). Under such conditions the velocity of propagation remains constant and the attenuation may be considered seperately from the velocity, what gives the electromagnetic radar waves the same behavior as the seismic acoustic waves. In the present work we use this electromagnetic-acoustic analogy and employ classical finite-differences to solve the damped scalar wave equation following Chen and Huang (1996) and Alford et. al. (1974). We show that the stability condition for the damped scalar wave equation does not depend on the damping factor, therefore reducing to the same condition presented by Alford et. al. (1974) for the wave equation without attenuation. Also, we study the effect of attenuation on radargrams by computing 2D synthetic zero-offset sections. As an example application of our modeling tool we investigate a typical situation in granite prospecting, where a conductive clay overburden masks the real position of the fractures in the granite. The results of the modeling have a good agreement with the actual data and show the usefulness of our approach. The algorithm shows to be a good basic modeling tool that can be used for further applications in migration or for comparisons with other modeling methods like the pseudospectral or finite elements. The Electromagnetic Wave Equation Our derivation of the 2D electromagnetic damped waveequation follows Casper and Kung (1996). Maxwell’s equations are t ∂ ∇× = − − ∂ s B E M (1) t ∂ ∇× = + + ∂ c D H J s J (2)

According to the tendency that hydraulic drive and control systems become more complex and require higher dynamic performance, an advanced visual modeling and simulation methodology for hydraulic systems was proposed. A bond graph was introduced as a modeling tool that provides an intuitive and unified approach to the modeling of multi-domain and nonlinear hydraulic systems. An open-ended hydraulic module library was established by uniting the theories of bond graph and modularization. The Hydraulic Visual Modeling and Simulation Platform (HVMSP) was compiled with the object-oriented VISUAL BASIC language. With the platform, the MATLAB language, which is well recognized as a powerful tool for matrix computation and dynamic simulation, can be background activated. After a series of relevant background computation process, the bond graph model can be automatically translated into a mathematical model, and the SIMULINK toolbox of MATLAB will simulate the mathematical model of hydraulic system. In the end, the feasibility and efficiency of the method are verified with a given practical example.

At the current state of technology, we can state that Enterprise Modeling (EM) is now a reality in many large companies. Enterprise Engineering practices are developing and enterprises are under pressure to adopt engineering procedures based on models. However, interoperability between Enterprise modelling methods and also modelling tools is still very weak compared to real needs. Although both EM and El are nearly not introduced in SMEs. They are only exposed when they take part in supply chains. In this case, they are told what to do and which tools they have to use. It is the author’s opinion that these technologies would better penetrate any kind of enterprises if there were a standard interface in the form of a unified enterprise modelling language (UEML), which is based on a consensus on all modelling tools available on the market. This paper presents requirements and an approach to support common representation by a unified enterprise modelling language (UEML).

Traditionally, travel forecasting models have been used to provide single point predictions. That is, a single future scenario is developed and the model is applied to that scenario. This approach, however, ignores the deep uncertainty that exists in future land use, demographic, and transportation systems inputs, not to mention the uncertainty that exists in the model itself. More importantly, transportation policy decisions made on the basis of such model outputs may be misguided and ineffective. This paper demonstrates and motivates the use of travel forecasting models in an exploratory manner that accounts for the inherent uncertainties of the future. Specifically, this paper describes the user workflow for a new planning and modeling tool: the Travel Model Improvement Program Exploratory Modeling and Analysis Tool (TMIP-EMAT) that has been developed to facilitate the use of exploratory techniques with travel forecasting models. Examples from the proof of concept deployment using the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council regional travel demand model are included. The goal of the longer term study is to provide TMIP-EMAT for state and regional transportation planning agencies to assess how technological innovations will affect traffic and transit demand on major corridors 20 to 30 years down the road. The tool will illuminate interactions between transportation supply and demand on urban surface transportation systems (especially at the corridor level) through exploratory modeling and simulation, and facilitate insights into potential, possible, plausible, probable or preferred futures.

Using visual models is common in science and should become more common in classrooms. Our research group has developed and completed studies on the use of a visual modeling tool, the Concept Connector. This modeling tool consists of an online concept mapping Java applet that has automatic scoring functions we refer to as Robograder. The Concept Connector enables students in large introductory science courses to visualize their thinking through online model building. The Concept Connector's flexible scoring system, based on tested grading schemes as well as instructor input, has enabled >1,000 physiology students to build maps of their ideas about plant and animal physiology with the guidance of automatic and immediate online scoring of homework. Criterion concept maps developed by instructors in this project contain numerous expert-generated or "correct" propositions connecting two concept words together with a linking phrase. In this study, holistic algorithms were used to test automated methods of scoring concept maps that might work as well as a human grader.

Model transformation is a core technology in Domain-Specific Modeling (DSM). While a number of model transformation languages and tools have been developed to support model transformation activities, the layout of visual models in the transformation process is not often considered. In many cases, after a transformation is performed the layout of the resulting model must be manually rearranged, which can be time consuming. The automatic layout arrangement features provided by some modeling tools usually do not take a user's preferences or the semantics of the model into consideration, and therefore could potentially alter the desired layout in an undesired manner. This paper describes a new approach to enable users to specify the model layout in a model transformation. We applied the Model Transformation By Demonstration (MTBD) approach and extended it to let users specify the layout information using the concept of You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG), so that the complex layout specification can be simplified.

Within enterprise modelling, models are typically needed for a range of different purposes, ranging from vision and strategy development to computer-aided analyses. It is well known that model's content and form need to be adapted to its purpose. This typically concerns the tuning in terms of granularity, visualisation, precision and formality of the model, as well as in terms of the concepts/language in which the model is expressed. However, typical modelling tools lack such support. A number of empirical observations points at a lack in flexibility of tools and underlying modelling languages to aptly fit the needs of specific modelling situations. For instance, it is observed that fixed metamodels make it difficult to align the language with e.g. organisation-specific domains/concerns. This often leads to the different levels of discipline in which a fixed modelling language is obeyed to, or even the use of home-grown notations instead of fixed standard ones. Likewise, to compensate the lack of flexibility in dedicated modelling tools, classical drawing tools or paper are used as modelling support. Once models created this way transition to the more formal tasks, a lot of redundant work and increased effort is needed to ensure consistency and coherence among different enterprise models. As a result of an ongoing research, this paper discusses the need to adapt the models and modelling environments to specific modelling situations. In particular, we explore the concept of natural enterprise modelling, as a strategy for enabling the flexibility while also ensuring the coherence in modelling. We also sketch potential high level design of a flexible modelling infrastructure supporting natural enterprise modelling, and indicate some promising future research directions.

Co-design modeling is considered key toward handling the complexity and scale of network systems. The ability to separately specify the software and hardware aspects of computer network systems offers new capabilities beyond what is supported in modeling frameworks and tools such as NS-2 and OPNET. The DEVS/DOC simulation environment supports logical co-design specification based on the Distributed Object Computing (DOC) abstract model. To overcome DEVS/DOC’s lack of support for visual and persistent modeling, this paper presents SESM/DOC, a novel approach, which is based on the Scaleable Entity Structure Modeler (SESM), a component-based modeling framework. This approach supports logical, visual and persistent modeling. Modelers can develop software and hardware models separately and systematically integrate them to specify a family of computer network system designs. This paper details the SESM/DOC co-design modeling approach with the help of a search engine system example, and presents a discussion for future research directions.

In this paper, we propose a model-driven approach for web-service development with the intention of IT infrastructure integration in enterprise models. This implies the extension of existing conceptual modelling languages with language constructs that aim at model information transparency on a web-service basis. Therefore, we assess the grammatical specification of conceptual modelling languages for business domains. Acting on the language meta-level means in this context the introduction of web-service-related constructs into widely used visual modelling grammars. The vision is the situation-dependent adaptation of software functionality to the actual documented utilisation. Economical relevance results from the reduction of significant discrepancies between enterprise systems functionalities and business requirements.

The high-precision measurements of detectors in a High-Energy Physics (HEP) experiment need a continuous sampling of recorded events during collisions. Therefore, significant hardware changes are required to do online data processing due to a large amount of data generated by such detectors. Because of all these changes, a new Detector Control System (DCS) design is required. This paper presents a definition of the software requirements to be considered during the design, integration, and operation of a detector’s DCS into physics data-taking, for continuous and non-continuous measurement conditions in the experiments. For this, the main operating processes, elements, characteristics, and guidelines of the DCS in the most important HEP experiments around the world were analyzed. Additionally, characteristics, functional and non-functional requirements, and use-cases of the main actors involved in the different processes of this control system software are defined. A visual modeling and design tool based on Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used to obtain a description of these requirements.

Experiment is important in physics to explain and describe a physical phenomenon and its characteristics. For this reason physics teachers should conduct the physics experiment activities to motivate students in learning and to improve scientific process skills, scientific attitudes, and student understanding in physics learning. However, in the experiment activities of physics were found many problems such as experiment equipment was insufficient, there is no equipment, equipment can�t operated well, and so on. An alternative solution to solve this problem was to do the video analysis and modeling tool tracker on physics teacher. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of the implementation the tracker video analysis and modeling tool on physics teachers. The research design was pretest and postest for one group sample. The sample of research was 26 physics teachers of Physics MGMP teacher in Agam district of West Sumatera. Instruments to collect the data consist of pretest and postest sheet, performance assessment sheet of video analysis product and questionnaires sheet of physics teachers. Data analysis techniques include descriptive statistical analysis, normality test, homogeneity test and paired comparison test for one group sample. From the data analysis, it can be stated that: 1). the average value of video analysis products from physics teachers is 85.10 and this value can be classified into very good category, 2). the average value of responses of physics teachers on training implementation of video analysis and tool modeling is 73.81 and this average value can be grouped into good category, and 3). the implementation of video analysis training of object motion video by using tracker software is effective to improve the understanding the physics MGMP teachers in Agam district on learning material of tracker video analysis and modeling tool, but the average value of understanding still in the low category.

In the paper we show that diagnostic classes in cancer gene expression data sets, which most often include thousands of features (genes), may be effectively separated with simple two-dimensional plots such as scatterplot and radviz graph. The principal innovation proposed in the paper is a method called VizRank, which is able to score and identify the best among possibly millions of candidate projections for visualizations. Compared to recently much applied techniques in the field of cancer genomics that include neural networks, support vector machines and various ensemble-based approaches, VizRank is fast and finds visualization models that can be easily examined and interpreted by domain experts. Our experiments on a number of gene expression data sets show that VizRank was always able to find data visualizations with a small number of (two to seven) genes and excellent class separation. In addition to providing grounds for gene expression cancer diagnosis, VizRank and its visualizations also identify small sets of relevant genes, uncover interesting gene interactions and point to outliers and potential misclassifications in cancer data sets.

Spatial Analysis and Modeling Tool Version 2 (SAMT2), a spatial modeling tool kit written in Python

In information systems engineering there is a long history of development and application of different domain modeling approaches, methods and techniques. The chapter surveys and analyzes enterprise models, systems development artifacts, enterprise architectures, enterprise modeling tools, and information systems change management issues from the point of view of information systems engineering. The purpose of this work is to share experience from information systems engineering with model driven architecture community and to reveal strong and weak sides of domain modeling approaches and tools used in information systems engineering which, in turn, would help to see where further research and development efforts are needed in order to achieve maximum value from systems development efforts in the area of information systems engineering and model driven architecture. The chapter focuses on methods used in information systems engineering and, according to its purpose, does not consider in detail domain modeling approaches that are well known to model driven development/engineering/architecture community.