COMMON ONTOLOGY
OBEDA incorporates an event-defined object model (EDOM) as a common ontology that includes information, system, and commerce models. EDOM provides a standardized classification of top-level, cross-domain concepts that support broad semantic interoperability among interdependent, domain-specific ontologies and use cases. Each concept represents a general category of like things or objects which can be uniquely identified. Collectively, these concepts represent physical objects (such as persons and devices), information objects (such as locations and systems), and ontology objects themselves.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
The Common Ontology incorporates the following design principles:
Each class (concept) is defined to reflect the attributes, restrictions, and relationships unique to its objects.
A class may be a subclass (type) of another class, forming a class hierarchy that can be as deep as needed.
All subclasses inherit the attributes of its upper (super) class. For example, “Subclass 1” inherits “Attribute 10” and “Attribute 11” of “Class 1”.
An attribute is attached at the most general class applicable to all its objects, including subclasses.
Since all classes are types of objects, the class hierarchy has one root class which comprises attributes that are inherited by all objects. (Subclass 1” also inherits “Attribute 1” and “Attribute 2” of the Object class.)
Each object is an instance of its class (“Object 1” and “Object 2” are instances of “Subclass 1”), and comprises values representing the state of attributes within its class and those it inherits.
INFORMATION MODEL
The Information Model (i.e., metamodel) within the Common Ontology models itself along with all top-level classes and domain-specific subclasses. It provides an extensible abstraction layer to support interoperable application services and metadata introspection.
While the information model parallels object-oriented programming, it represents an abstraction from programming. The metadata representing the ontology can be maintained in a repository (ISO 11179) completely abstracted from any programming environment.
SYSTEM MODEL
In a natively digital world, a unified system-centric ontology can model businesses, devices, and humans as systems and subsystems that can connect and interact in real-time, forming a complete, interdependent and interoperable ecosystem.
Each “constituent” system can be defined as “independently operable,” but can be connected for a period of time to achieve a certain higher goal.
COMMERCE MODEL
A common commerce model facilitates interoperable e-commerce and supply chain event management (SCEM) across industries by ensuring that foundational terms and concepts are used in a unified and semantically compatible manner.
The model supports parties that offer products and services that are exchanged and performed at and between locations through agreements.