OMM Object Memory Model

Object Memory Model Provenance Task Group

Short description:

An object memory is meant to support collecting data about a physical artifact (at the artifact and/or in the Web) and to improve this way documentation and communication in processes focused on artifacts as well as user interaction with artifacts. The Object Memory Model (OMM) describes the structure of an object memory - its organization as well as the nature of contained data. This structure on the one hand side wants to enable different parties to contribute data to the memory (e.g., in order to record the exchange of an artifact between business partners), but on the other hand side to provide a clear distinction of all of these contributions. As such, provenance of an object memory is two-fold: First of all, provenance of contributed data has to be represented. Second of all and depending on the use cases, the overall memory may represent the provenance of an artifact.

Alternative/existing provenance standard? (Or a complementary concept?)

The OMM is conceptually related to the Physical Markup Language, but tries to be less focused on supply chain support and to reduce constraints concerning contained data. Furthermore, there is a general overlap with activities concerning the modeling of data logs, e.g., for modeling instances of business processes.

Domain specific? (If yes, is it only a domain specific convention for a general provenance standard? If yes, which one?)

Since the OMM is meant to support use cases spanning several application domains (e.g., from production over logistics to sale of an artifact), the OMM is independent from a particular application domain.

Subject specific? (Are there any restrictions on the subject of the provenance information?)

Consequently, provenance of contained data is not constrained to a particular subject. If the OMM as a whole is interpreted to be a provenance model for artifacts, then the artifact would become the subject.

Based on existing data model? (Is the standard/concept embedded in an existing general standard or data model?)

The OMM is supposed to be a container structure which imposes little constraints on the format of contained data. A reference implementation of the Object Memory Model has been defined using XML; other format encodings are currently investigated.

Are there bridges/crosswalks to other standards?

The OMM relies on metadata in order to support retrieval of contained data. The reference implementation uses metadata based on Dublin Core Metadata in order to describe provenance of contents within the memory.

Are there documented use cases that should be taken into consideration for the Provenance WG?

User-generated Data for Documenting Object Provenance: In retail scenarios it is often perceived as desirable to have provenance information about the origin of an object or previous interactions with an object that may impact consumer behavior. Examples of this are added information about the producer of a product such as in a fair trade shop, previous owners of the object in scenarios that deal with second hand goods and more generally peoples interactions with a product over the course of its lifecycle, and other kinds of product experiences ranging from ratings to extensive reviews.

Event Logging for Process Documentation: Complex production processes are error-prone. For more efficiency of production process, to avoid errors and to increase product quality the real life process data will be record on an object memory linked with objects. These objects can be products as well as the machines and tools which are needed for production. The objects interact and communicate with each other. So a product is able to communicate about a failure during a routing process, in consequence the next routing process cannot start. Besides of that such specific process information might be interesting for other companies or end users.

Known, relevant issues?

Website: http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/omm/

Contact for Provenance WG? Alexander Kröner alexander.kroener@dfki.de