Treffer: Solving Domain Mismatch and Schema Mismatch Problems with an Object-Oriented Database Programming Language

Domain mismatch and schema mismatcharetwooftheimportant semantic integration problems for interoperating heterogeneous databases. This paper structures the domain mismatch problem, illustrates approaches to its solution, and then extends this to the schema mismatch problem. Structuring of the problem and solution includes notions of conceptual territory, spheres, domain groups, localized and integrator functions, and type and function groups. Despite this structuring, the full generalityof the problem still requires a rich language in which to describe the rules for reconciling discrepancies. Example solutions are illustrated in the Iris Programming Language #IPL# extension of Iris OSQL. Keywords: heterogeneous databases, interoperability, semantic integration, domain mismatch, schema mismatch, database programming language, object orientation. c #1991 Hewlett-Packard Company i Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 The Domain Mismatch Problem 1 2.1 Territories, Spheres, and Groups .