In this paper we define the basic concepts for a general language for evolution and reactivity in the Semantic Web. We do this by exposing an UML model that specifies an ontology for the language. The proposed language is based on Event-Condition-Action rules, where different languages for events (including languages for composite events), for conditions (queries) and actions (including complex actions) may be composed, this way catering for language heterogeneity (besides heterogeneity on the data-model) that we think is essential for dealing with evolution and reactivity in the Semantic Web.

[Slides (pdf)]
An extended talk about the framework can be found [here (pdf)]

The basic concepts described in this paper have been further refined in An Ontology- and Resources-Based Approach to Evolution and Reactivity in the Semantic Web and Active Rules in the Semantic Web: Dealing with Language Heterogeneity (RuleML 2005) :

The ODBASE paper investigates the ontology of active rules and their components, especially events and proposes an architecture how autonomous services that support different aspects (languages, application domains) of this ontology can cooperate for the Semantic Web.

The RuleML paper focuses on the markup of rules and their components according to that ontology, being more concrete on the internal markup of the components from the language structure's point of view. There, also the semantics and information flow between the rule components is described.

This research is supported by the EU FP6 Network of Excellence