Service Specification and Matchmaking Using Description Logic

Abstract

We propose a formal specification framework for functional aspects of services. We define services as operations which are specified by means of pre- and postconditions, for the specification of which we use extensions of description logic. The (extensions of) description logic and the specification framework itself are defined as institutions. This gives the framework a uniformity of definition and a solid algebraic and logical foundation. The framework can be used for the specification of service requests and service providers. Given a signature morphism from request to provider, we define when a service request is matched by a service provider, which can be used in service discovery. We provide a model-theoretic definition of matching and show that matching can be characterized by a semantic entailment relation which is formulated over a particular standard description logic. Thus proofs of matching can be reduced to standard reasoning in description logic for which one can use description logic reasoners.