خدمات وب معنایی محیطی برای B2B و برنامه های کاربردی مزابده B2C در شرکتهای گسترده و مجازی

Existing web services specifications lack an appropriate semantic framework for the creation and operation of emerging manufacturing systems such as the supply chains and extended/virtual enterprises (EE/VE) in order to execute business processes over internet. Semantic web services (SWS) technology aims to add sufficient semantics to the specifications and implementations of web services to make possible the (automatic) integration of distributed autonomous systems, with independently designed data and behaviour models. Defining data, behaviour and system components in a machine understandable way using ontologies provides the basis for reducing the need for humans to be in the loop for routine system integration processes. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a unique bid auction application for procurement automation within supply chains embedded in extended and virtual enterprises. We show how emerging semantic web services technologies such as the web services execution environment (WSMX) facilitate the creation of such applications, and we discuss the advantages of such applications.

Web services represent a step forward in enabling collaborations between various entities on the web and in overcoming the interoperability problems that may appear. B2B (Business to Business) partners can benefit by allowing business entities to expose their capabilities and to make use of their functionality. Information systems based on a service-oriented architecture which are able to integrate different functionalities and to offer a virtual component model that abstracts from the peculiarity of specific implementations, seem to be a very appealing solution. The web services execution environment [28] supports common B2B and B2C (Business to Consumer) scenarios, acting as an information system representing the central point of a hub-and-spoke architecture. If two partners wish to communicate, they simply abstract their functionality to WSMX, not one to each other. A clear distinction is made between the interface and the implementation of a service. This allows registration, discovery, composition and execution without knowledge of the location of their implementation and implementation technology. Furthermore, this distinction supports the semantic definition of a service even when its implementation is not necessarily based on semantic technology but perhaps on a legacy system. WSMX tackles and addresses the requirements occurring in B2B and B2C collaborations, serving as a reference implementation for WSMO. In the highly competitive environment, the suppliers of wares within B2B and B2C collaborations need frequently to fight against similar suppliers to win orders. Within the constraints of quality, quantity and delivery deadlines, the suppliers have to quote the most attractive possible prices to retain or win custom against the rivals. From the customers’ perspective, it is an attractive proposal to make the potential suppliers some form of auction process in order to select the best supplier at a given time. This paper describes the various auction processes that could be entered into and, as an illustrative example, it describes how web services execution environment could be used to implement an auction process. Sample descriptions in WSML ontologies within the WSMX environment are also presented to exemplify the convenience of developing such auction processes. This paper is structured as follows: Section 2 following offers an introduction and overview of the thinking underlying extended enterprises (EE) and virtual enterprises (VE). In Section 3 we introduce semantic web services concepts and technologies. Section 4 presents the unique bid auction processes that occur in the supply chains that belong to EE and VE. The architecture for the auction or negotiation element is proposed. An application example is then presented in Section 5. Finally a summary of the work and proposed future work is presented in Section 6.

We have introduced the extended enterprise and virtual enterprise concepts and structures and highlighted the integration issues and challenges. Then semantic web services technology has been introduced, technology that we envisage will allow flexible integration and automation of business processes within and between enterprises. An integration and automation auction example is provided in order to illustrate semantic web services applications over extended enterprises or virtual enterprises. A semantically described auction goal and supplier capability are provided to present the way data is exchanged and interpreted between members of a supply chain. The auction process is described together with the main advantages of this solution approach. The work described here is focused on the overall implementation of a very simple business process – unique bid auction on a quite complex semantic web services (SWS) platform that is WSMX. Future work will involve a twofold approach: (A) consolidation of unique bid auction application on WSMX with emphasis on testing and performance measurements for industrial implementation and (B) research and implementation of very complex negotiations’ automation for high-speed transactions (see M2MN project [21]) on a totally different platform than WSMX. This is to provide comparison between technical solutions and to prepare future ground for much more complex negotiation applications.