• RuleML

RuleML is a modular, webized Rule Markup & Modeling Language based on XML and RDF, developed by the Rule Markup Initiative.

Relevance

Part of the modular family of RuleML sublanguages http://www.ruleml.org/modularization/#Model has been used in the Rulesystem Arrangement Framework section on "Phase 1 Expressive Discriminators".

Versions of the RuleML XML serialization have been used in all the rule submissions:

• Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL)

• FOL RuleML, a part of the Semantic Web Rule Language First-Order Logic (SWRL FOL)

• Semantic Web Services Language (SWSL), a part of the Semantic Web Services Framework (SWSF)

• Web Rule Language (WRL)

The Horn logic sublanguage of RuleML has been realized with rule engines such as the reference implementation OO jDREW, which can be developed into a RIF RuleML engine.

Translators (in XSLT and Java) between RuleML and other languages such as Prolog and Jess have been developed to support rule-system interoperation http://www.ruleml.org/#Translators.

Numerous RuleML use cases have been developed, some of which being described in the collection of RIF Use Cases:

• RIF RuleML FOAF

• Fuzzy Reasoning with Brain Anatomical Structures

• Scoped negation, Encapsulation

• Frame-based representation, Inheritance of defaults, Reification

• Refund Policies in E-Commerce

• Credit Card Transaction Authorization

• Supply Chain Ordering Lead Time

• Price Discounting

• E-Contracts with Exceptions, with OWL Process Ontologies

• E-Procurement Contract Exchange, with Default-Inheritance Ontologies

• Information Integration with Rules and Taxonomies

• Interpretation and Interchange of Regulations

• Rule-based Service Level Agreements (SLA) and Web Services

• Rule Based Service Level Management and SLAs for Service Oriented Computing

• Rule Interchange Through Test-Driven Verification and Validation

• Representing some levels of fuzzy rules with the help of datatype built-ins

Impact on Design

For Phase 1, the modular RuleML design and its XSDs http://www.ruleml.org/spec can be adapted and further developed, mainly http://www.ruleml.org/0.9/xsd/hornlog.xsd and nearby sublanguage modules.

For Phase 2, classical Negation and Negation-As-Failure can be made available in separate sublanguages and in a combined one, as exemplified inside the Negation Datalog module http://www.ruleml.org/modularization/#Model. Various fragments of OWL can be -- homogeneous approach -- in subsets of SWRL http://www.w3.org/Submission/2004/SUBM-SWRL-20040521 or become -- heterogeneous approach -- DL queries in hybrid rules http://www.jdrew.org/oojdrew/exa/hybridrules.html.

For More Information

The RuleML Initiative http://www.ruleml.org and Conferences (http://2005.ruleml.org, http://2006.ruleml.org) have provided continuing expertise and exchange in the area of web rules. Also see the Charter entry http://www.w3.org/2005/rules/wg/charter#ruleml.