Metadata representation in XML for Internet-based electronic XML application from business to government

In government-to-business Internet applications, as in business-to-business Internet commerce, XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is attracting attention as a format for encoding information and services with meaningful structure and semantics that computers can readily understand. We propose a model for representing metadata about a set of application documents in a resource description framework (RDF). We then introduce the Document Rules Description Language (DRDL) in order to describe the document rules of metadata. We also propose a DRDL processor, which validates whether or not a set of application documents satisfies the document rules. We have used a DRDL processor to support applicants when applying for an export license from the government in JETRAS (Japan Electronic Open Network Trade Control System). The effects of a DRDL processor are as follows: (i) improvement of development efficiency by unified management of document rules for XML processing software; (ii) support of applicants making electronic application documents by document content validation of a set of application documents