Usage Patterns

In ontology development and usage, usage patterns play a critical role in addressing recurring modeling requirements. These patterns provide standardized, reusable semantic snippets that facilitate consistent representation of relationships between instances and entities. Furthermore, such patterns may be used to create SHACL shapes to include constraints in a knowledge representation. By following usage patterns, ontology users and developers can ensure uniformity, clarity, and reusability in their models. TableOfContents

The sections below illustrate how to read and apply these patterns. Each pattern includes its purpose, description, relevant properties, visualization, and example.

Table of Contents

Hereby we provide an overview of the patterns used in PMDco 3.0.0: - Pattern 1: Temporal Region - Pattern 2: Process Chain - Pattern 3: Process Inputs and Outputs - Pattern 4: Realizable Entities - Pattern 5: Qualities - Pattern 6: Scalar Measurement - Pattern 7: Scalar Value Specification - Pattern 8: Categorical Value Specification - Pattern 9: Material and Device Specification

Example Patterns

Pattern 1 - Temporal Region

  • Purpose: Specifying the boundaries of a process on the time axis.
  • Core Properties:
  • bfo:occupiesTemporalRegion
  • bfo:properTemporalPart
  • bfo:hasFirstInstant
  • bfo:hasLastInstant
  • pmd:endsWith
  • Example Use Case: Specifying certain moments of time when some industiral process started or ended.

Visualization of Pattern 1

Pattern 2 - Process Chain

  • Purpose: Represent complex processes, consisting of simultaneous and serial subprocesses.
  • Core Properties:
  • bfo:precedes
  • bfo:hasOccurentPart
  • pmd:startsWith
  • pmd:endsWith
  • Example Use Case: Specifying the structure of commplex manufactirung processes consisting of several stages.

Visualization of Pattern 2

Pattern 3 - Process Inputs and Outputs

  • Purpose: Describes how to represent inputs and outputs for planned processes typically involving material entities or information-bearing entities.
  • Core Properties:
  • pmd:hasInput
  • pmd:hasOutput
  • Example Use Case: A planned process with possibility of multiple inputs and outputs, e.g., testing properties of a metallic sample, or transforming a piece of material into another product.

Visualization of Pattern 3

Pattern 4 - Realizable Entities

  • Purpose: Represent characteristics of the objects, brought to existence by specific situation.
  • Core Properties:
  • bfo:bearerOf
  • bfo:concretizes
  • bfo:realizes
  • bfo:hasParticipant
  • Example Use Case: Specifying the role of specimen, which material object undertakes during a process.

Visualization of Pattern 4

Pattern 5 - Qualities

  • Purpose: Represent inherent characteristics of the objects, having certain scalar values at moments/periods of time.
  • Core Properties:
  • bfo:bearerOf
  • bfo:existAt
  • iao:isAbout
  • pmd:derivesFrom
  • Example Use Case: Specifying that value of hardness of a specimen at certain point of time.

Visualization of Pattern 5

Pattern 6 - Scalar Measurement

  • Purpose: Represent measured value of some material characteristic.
  • Core Properties:
  • iao:isQualityMeasuredAs
  • bfo:realizes
  • iao:isAbout
  • pmd:hasInput
  • pmd:hasOutput
  • pmd:hasValueSpecification
  • pmd:specifiesValueOf
  • Example Use Case: Specifying the measured heat capacity value of a specimen.

Visualization of Pattern 6

Pattern 7 - Scalar Value Specification

  • Purpose: Represents scalar physical quantities, combining a numerical value and a unit.
  • Core Properties:
  • obi:hasSpecifiedNumericValue
  • iao:hasMeasurementUnitLabel
  • pmd:hasValueSpecification
  • pmd:specifiesValueOf
  • Example Use Case: Specifying measurements like length, mass, or time with standard units.

Visualization of Pattern 7

Pattern 8 - Categorical Value Specification

  • Purpose: Represents object characteristics, described by belonging to some category.
  • Core Properties:
  • obi:hasSpecifiedValue
  • iao:isQualityMeasuredAs
  • pmd:hasValueSpecification
  • pmd:specifiesValueOf
  • Example Use Case: Specifying that material belongs to a certain category, e.g., is a polymer.

Visualization of Pattern 8

Pattern 9 - Material and Device Specification

  • Purpose: Specify the material, from which the object is made, by stating that it complies with the certain material specification. Or, specifying the device in the same manner.
  • Core Properties:
  • iao:isQualityMeasuredAs
  • iao:isAbout
  • pmd:hasValueSpecification
  • pmd:specifiesValueOf
  • Core Idea: provide a class pmd:MaterialSpecification/pmd:DeviceSpecification as a subclass of iao:InformationContentEntity, to which the material/device object can adhere.
  • Example Use Case: Specifying the material of a steel sheet to be the steel S355J2.

Visualization of Pattern 9