Cooperative query answering based on abstraction database

Since query language is used as a handy tool to obtain information from a database, a more intelligent query answering system is needed to provide user-friendly and fault-tolerant human–machine interface. Frequently, database users prefer less rigid querying structure, one which allows for vagueness in composing queries, and want the system to understand the intent behind a query. When there are no matching data available, users would rather receive approximate answers than a null information response. This paper presents a knowledge abstraction database that facilitates the development of such a fault-tolerant and intelligent database system. The proposed knowledge abstraction database adopts a multilevel knowledge representation scheme called the knowledge abstraction hierarchy (KAH), extracts semantic data relationships from the underlying database, and provides query transformation mechanisms using query generalization and specialization steps. In cooperation with the underlying database, the knowledge abstraction database accepts vague queries and allows users to pose approximate queries as well as conceptually abstract queries. Specifically, four types of vague queries are discussed, including approximate selection, approximate join, conceptual selection, and conceptual join. A prototype system has been implemented at KAIST and is being tested with a personnel database system to demonstrate the usefulness and practicality of the knowledge abstraction database in ordinary database application systems.