Context and Encapsulation Modeling for Knowledge Reuse

Reuse requires high-level representation models. Ontology is commonly defined as a formal specification of knowledge conceptualization in a consensual form. OWL (Web Ontology Language) is the most used and expressive ontology description language that supports handling and reasoning. However, it lacks expressivity for some specific requirements. We propose, in this paper, to augment OWL with a new construct, named AssemblyRange, to enhance representation of grouped knowledge present in design. Such knowledge is materialized in the notions of concept context and concept encapsulation. It is illustrated in our work through the specific domain of cooling systems. The added element enhances the expressivity of OWL for reuse while preserving its semantics.