Conflict classification and resolution in heterogeneous information integration based on XML Schema

Abstract

Due to the evolution of computer systems and the proliferation of the Internet, numerous information resources have been constructed. The deluge of information makes for the need to integrate information, which is distributed on the Internet and handled in heterogeneous systems. Recently, most of the XML-based information integration systems have used XML DTD (Document Type Definition) for describing integrated global schema. However, DTD has some limitations in modeling local information resources. Although W3C's XML Schema is more flexible and powerful than XML DTD in specifying integrated global schema, it has more complex problems than using DTD in resolving conflicts. In this paper, we classify the conflict problems in integrating information resources using XML Schema, and propose a conflict resolution mechanism using XQuery. Furthermore, we design an authoring toolkit for supporting the user in defining global schema easily with the schema definitions of local information resources.