Combining semantic and business process modeling in a multi-layer framework

A system for semantic representation supporting multiple formalisms comprising:

• a business modeling space (BMS) and a corresponding semantic modeling space (SMS);
• within the BMS, at least one domain specific layer (DSL), a Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) layer, and an inter-layer connection bridge (ILCB) having an associated ILCB layer which automatically transforms data from at least one of:
• the at least one DSL to the BPMN layer, and
• the BPMN layer to the at least one DSL, and stores a set of links generated from each transformation in a connect layer of the ILCB layer;
• a semantic representation component which:
• (a) receives a semantically compatible mapping defined between the BMS and the SMS for each of the at least one DSL, BPMN layer, ILCB layer, and connect layer;
• (b) transforms each of the at least one DSL, BPMN layer, and ILCB layer from the BMS into a corresponding context in the SMS based on the semantically compatible mappings;
• (c) within the SMS, encodes each respective connect layer as at least one explicit bridge rule which connect the corresponding contexts of the at least one DSL, BPMN layer, and ILCB layer;
• and
• a processor which implements the semantic representation component.

A method for semantic representation supporting multiple formalisms comprising:

• transforming from a business modeling space (BMS) to a semantic modeling space (SMS) comprising:
• mapping at least one domain specific layer (DSL) from the BMS to a corresponding context in the SMS, the corresponding context being generated in a first formalism;
• mapping a BPMN layer from the BMS to a corresponding context in the SMS, the corresponding context being generated in a second formalism;
• mapping an inter-layer connection bridge (ILCB) layer from the BMS to a corresponding context in the SMS, the corresponding context being generated in a third formalism;
• mapping a connect layer generated in the BMS to a set of corresponding bridge rules in the SMS, the connect layer being generated by a transformation between the at least one DSL and the BPMN layer;
• transforming each of the at least one DSL, BPMN layer, ILCB layer, and the connect layer from the BMS to the SMS based on the respective mapping;
• and
• adding additional knowledge to the SMS in each of the corresponding contexts, the additional knowledge being generated in a fourth formalism,
• wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth formalisms is different from another one of the at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth formalisms and wherein the transforming from the BMS to the SMS is performed with a processor.