INFORMATION ACCESS USING ONTOLOGIES

摘要

A method for data access includes defining an ontology for application to a set of diverse data sources (58) comprising data having predefined semantics, and associating with the ontology one or more logical rules applicable to the semantics of the data in the data sources. Upon receiving a query from a user regarding the data, a query plan is determined for responding to the query by selecting one or more of the data sources responsively to the ontology and by identifying an operation to be applied to the data responsively to the applicable logical rules. A response to the query is then generated in accordance with the query plan. 2