Frame language
Encyclopedia
A frame language is a metalanguage
. It applies the frame
concept to the structuring of language properties. Frame languages are usually software languages
.
and classes, and relations and interactions are considered as "secondary".
In general, "frame
" in this context means "something that can be/(has to be) fulfilled". In such sense, for example: Object-oriented programming language
s are frame languages, but also every grammar
is a frame language. In specific contexts, the authors of computer languages use the term "frame" arbitrarily and frequently intuitively, and in a metaphoric sense.
In the field of Artificial Intelligence
, a frame is a data structure
introduced by Marvin Minsky
in the 1970s that can be used for knowledge representation
. Minsky frames are intended to help an Artificial Intelligence
system recognize specific instances of patterns. Frames usually contain properties called attributes or slots. Slots may contain default values (subject to override by detecting a different value for an attribute), refer to other frames (component relationships) or contain methods for recognizing pattern instances. Frames are thus a machine-usable formalization of concept
s or schemata
. In contrast, the object-oriented paradigm partitions an information domain into abstraction hierarchies (classes
and subclasses) rather than partitioning into component hierarchies, and is used to implement any kind of information processing. Frame Technology
is loosely based on Minsky Frames, its purpose being software synthesis rather than pattern analysis.
Like many other knowledge representation systems and languages, frames are an attempt to resemble the way human beings are storing knowledge. It seems like we are storing our knowledge in rather large chunks, and that different chunks are highly interconnected. In frame-based knowledge representations knowledge describing a particular concept is organized as a frame. The frame usually contains a name and a set of slots.
The slots describe the frame with attribute-value pair
s or alternatively a triple containing framename, slotname and value in some order. In many frame systems the slots are complex structures that have facets describing the properties of the slot. The value of a slot may be a primitive such as a text string or an integer, or it may be another frame. Most systems allow multiple values for slots and some systems support procedural attachments. These attachments can be used to compute the slot value, or they can be triggers used to make consistency checking or updates of other slots. The triggers can be trigged by updates on slots.
s, inheritance
is the central inference
mechanism. The frames are organized as a hierarchy
with some general concept
as the root frame. Many systems support multiple inheritance
. In these systems the tree structure can look more like a directed graph
with possible cycles.
Reasoning in frame-systems is based on frame matching
, inheritance and spreading activation
.
Metalanguage
Broadly, any metalanguage is language or symbols used when language itself is being discussed or examined. In logic and linguistics, a metalanguage is a language used to make statements about statements in another language...
. It applies the frame
Frame (artificial intelligence)
Frames were proposed by Marvin Minsky in his 1974 article "A Framework for Representing Knowledge." A frame is an artificial intelligence data structure used to divide knowledge into substructures by representing "stereotyped situations." Frames are connected together to form a complete idea.Frames...
concept to the structuring of language properties. Frame languages are usually software languages
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
.
Description
Frame languages are rather focused on the recognition and description of objectsObject-oriented programming
Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm using "objects" – data structures consisting of data fields and methods together with their interactions – to design applications and computer programs. Programming techniques may include features such as data abstraction,...
and classes, and relations and interactions are considered as "secondary".
In general, "frame
Frame (artificial intelligence)
Frames were proposed by Marvin Minsky in his 1974 article "A Framework for Representing Knowledge." A frame is an artificial intelligence data structure used to divide knowledge into substructures by representing "stereotyped situations." Frames are connected together to form a complete idea.Frames...
" in this context means "something that can be/(has to be) fulfilled". In such sense, for example: Object-oriented programming language
Object-oriented programming language
This is a list of object-oriented programming programming languages.-Languages with object-oriented features:*ABAP*Ada 95*AmigaE*BETA*Blue*Boo*C++*C#*COBOL*Cobra*ColdFusion*Common Lisp*COOL*CorbaScript*Clarion*CLU*Curl*D*Dylan*E*Eiffel...
s are frame languages, but also every grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
is a frame language. In specific contexts, the authors of computer languages use the term "frame" arbitrarily and frequently intuitively, and in a metaphoric sense.
In the field of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
, a frame is a data structure
Data structure
In computer science, a data structure is a particular way of storing and organizing data in a computer so that it can be used efficiently.Different kinds of data structures are suited to different kinds of applications, and some are highly specialized to specific tasks...
introduced by Marvin Minsky
Marvin Minsky
Marvin Lee Minsky is an American cognitive scientist in the field of artificial intelligence , co-founder of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AI laboratory, and author of several texts on AI and philosophy.-Biography:...
in the 1970s that can be used for knowledge representation
Knowledge representation
Knowledge representation is an area of artificial intelligence research aimed at representing knowledge in symbols to facilitate inferencing from those knowledge elements, creating new elements of knowledge...
. Minsky frames are intended to help an Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
system recognize specific instances of patterns. Frames usually contain properties called attributes or slots. Slots may contain default values (subject to override by detecting a different value for an attribute), refer to other frames (component relationships) or contain methods for recognizing pattern instances. Frames are thus a machine-usable formalization of concept
Concept
The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
s or schemata
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
. In contrast, the object-oriented paradigm partitions an information domain into abstraction hierarchies (classes
Class (computer science)
In object-oriented programming, a class is a construct that is used as a blueprint to create instances of itself – referred to as class instances, class objects, instance objects or simply objects. A class defines constituent members which enable these class instances to have state and behavior...
and subclasses) rather than partitioning into component hierarchies, and is used to implement any kind of information processing. Frame Technology
Frame Technology (software engineering)
Frame technology is a language-neutral system that manufactures custom software from reusable, machine-adaptable building blocks, called frames. FT is used to reduce the time, effort, and errors involved in the design, construction, and evolution of large, complex software systems...
is loosely based on Minsky Frames, its purpose being software synthesis rather than pattern analysis.
Like many other knowledge representation systems and languages, frames are an attempt to resemble the way human beings are storing knowledge. It seems like we are storing our knowledge in rather large chunks, and that different chunks are highly interconnected. In frame-based knowledge representations knowledge describing a particular concept is organized as a frame. The frame usually contains a name and a set of slots.
The slots describe the frame with attribute-value pair
Attribute-value pair
A name–value pair, key–value pair, field–value pair or attribute–value pair is a fundamental data representation in computing systems and applications. Designers often desire an open-ended data structure that allows for future extension without modifying existing code or data...
s
Inference and reasoning
In most frame-based knowledge representationKnowledge representation
Knowledge representation is an area of artificial intelligence research aimed at representing knowledge in symbols to facilitate inferencing from those knowledge elements, creating new elements of knowledge...
s, inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
is the central inference
Inference
Inference is the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true. The conclusion drawn is also called an idiomatic. The laws of valid inference are studied in the field of logic.Human inference Inference is the act or process of deriving logical conclusions...
mechanism. The frames are organized as a hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
with some general concept
Concept
The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
as the root frame. Many systems support multiple inheritance
Multiple inheritance
Multiple inheritance is a feature of some object-oriented computer programming languages in which a class can inherit behaviors and features from more than one superclass....
. In these systems the tree structure can look more like a directed graph
Directed graph
A directed graph or digraph is a pair G= of:* a set V, whose elements are called vertices or nodes,...
with possible cycles.
Reasoning in frame-systems is based on frame matching
Matching
In the mathematical discipline of graph theory, a matching or independent edge set in a graph is a set of edges without common vertices. It may also be an entire graph consisting of edges without common vertices.- Definition :...
, inheritance and spreading activation
Spreading activation
Spreading activation is a method for searching associative networks, neural networks, or semantic networks. The search process is initiated by labeling a set of source nodes with weights or "activation" and then iteratively propagating or "spreading" that activation out to other nodes linked to...
.
Implementations
- Frame Representation Language (FRL), 1977, Roberts/Goldstein.
- Two examples of frame- or frame based- languages are OILOntology Inference LayerOIL can be regarded as an Ontology infrastructure for the Semantic Web. OIL is based on concepts developed in Description Logic and frame-based systems and is compatible with RDFS....
and F-logicF-logicF-logic is a knowledge representation- and ontology language. F-logic combines the advantages of conceptual modeling with object-oriented, frame-based languages and offers a declarative, compact and simple syntax, as well as the well-defined semantics of a logic-based language.Features include,...
. - An editorOntology editorOntology editors are applications designed to assist in the creation or manipulation of ontologies.They often express ontologies in one of many ontology languages...
for frame-based ontologiesOntology (computer science)In computer science and information science, an ontology formally represents knowledge as a set of concepts within a domain, and the relationships between those concepts. It can be used to reason about the entities within that domain and may be used to describe the domain.In theory, an ontology is...
is ProtégéProtege (software)Protégé is a free, open source ontology editor and a knowledge acquisition system. Like Eclipse, Protégé is a framework for which various other projects suggest plugins. This application is written in Java and heavily uses Swing to create the rather complex user interface...
. - The Knowledge MachineKnowledge MachineThe Knowledge Machine is a concept of Seymour Papert, which is intended to enable children to explore any situation and engage them completely. Although Papert never clearly defined the Knowledge Machine, one interpretation is a virtual reality device that allows the user to slip into any situation...
(KM) is a knowledge representation language and reasoning engine. The knowledge is represented as frames, but KM is also influenced by logic. This combination makes KM very expressive and provides it with a clear, formal semantics. - KL-ONEKL-ONEKL-ONE is a well known knowledge representation system in the tradition of semantic networks and frames; that is, it is a frame language. The system is an attempt to overcome semantic indistinctness in semantic network representations and to explicitly represent conceptual information as a...
is a well known knowledge representation system in the tradition of semantic networks and frames. The system is an attempt to overcome semantic indistinctness in semantic network representations and builds upon the idea of Structured inheritance networks.
See also
- First-order logicFirst-order logicFirst-order logic is a formal logical system used in mathematics, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science. It goes by many names, including: first-order predicate calculus, the lower predicate calculus, quantification theory, and predicate logic...
- Semantic Networks
- Ontology language
- Description logicDescription logicDescription logic is a family of formal knowledge representation languages. It is more expressive than propositional logic but has more efficient decision problems than first-order predicate logic....
External links
- http://hopl.murdoch.edu.au/showlanguage.prx?exp=6540&language=Frames
- Frame-Based Systems
- The Generic Frame Protocol
- The Protégé Ontology Editor