ABSTRACT
Interoperability was presented in Chapter 3, as the ability of heterogeneous information systems to communicate, process, and interpret the information exchanged. Information represents domain knowledge about reality, in the form of concepts structured in representations. Because we are particularly interested in the correct interpretation and reuse of the information conveyed, the emphasis, according to the conceptualization perspective (Section 1.5), is put on semantics (Chapter 6), that is, the intended meaning of concepts in representations. As a result, the aim of semantic interoperability is the ability to associate and compare different concepts of interoperating systems on the basis of their semantics, in order to match them and possibly create integrated knowledge bases. Therefore, integration is a core issue in semantic interoperability.
