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.

Example Patterns

Pattern 1 - Temporal Region

Purpose: Specifying the boundaries of a process on the time axis.
Core Properties:
bfo:occupies temporal region (BFO_0000199)
bfo:proper temporal part of (BFO_0000136)
bfo:has first instant (BFO_0000222)
bfo:has last instant (BFO_0000224)
bfo:ends with (PMD_0060003)
Example Use Case: Specifying certain moments of time when some industrial process started or ended.


stateDiagram


  direction BT

  classDef clazz fill:lightgrey,color:white
  classDef ind font-size:small
  
  bfo_occurrent --> bfo_entity: subClassOf 
  bfo_continuant --> bfo_entity: subClassOf 
  bfo_process --> bfo_occurrent: subClassOf 
  bfo_temporal_region --> bfo_occurrent: subClassOf 
  bfo_one_dimensional --> bfo_temporal_region: subClassOf 
  bfo_two_dimensional --> bfo_temporal_region: subClassOf 

  class bfo_occurrent clazz  
  class bfo_entity clazz
  class bfo_continuant clazz
  class bfo_process clazz
  class bfo_temporal_region clazz
  class bfo_one_dimensional clazz
  class bfo_two_dimensional clazz


   ex_proc_1 --> bfo_process: a
   ex_period_1 --> bfo_one_dimensional: a
   ex_period_2 --> bfo_one_dimensional: a
   ex_proc_1 --> ex_period_1: bfo_occupies_temporal_region
   ex_proc_1 --> ex_period_2: bfo_occupies_remporal_region
   
   ex_some_time --> bfo_temporal_region: a 
   ex_cont_1 --> bfo_continuant: a
   ex_cont_1 --> ex_some_time: bfo_existsAt

   ex_start --> bfo_two_dimensional: a
   ex_end --> bfo_two_dimensional: a
   ex_period_2  --> ex_start: bfo_has_first_instant
   ex_period_2  --> ex_end: bfo_has_last_instant
   ex_period_1 --> ex_period_2: bfo_proper_temporal_part_of

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