Emulation is a technology, historically mostly used for virtual commissioning of automated industrial systems, and operator training. Trends show that new areas for deployment are being investigated. One way to broaden the scope of emulation technology is to increase emulation detail level. The University of Skövde conduct research within emulation technology, and are developing a higher detail level emulation platform performing  on component level. For transparent and systematic development of component models on this level, an open, extensible, and flexible data model for emulation models of industrial components is wanted. This thesis is contributing to this endeavour by developing a first draft of such a data model. A demonstration is also conducted by implementing a few components into the developing emulation environment, using XML as file format. An iterative "design and creation" methodology was used to develop and implement an object oriented data model. A selected set of industrial components were used to develop and demonstrate the data model, and the final result is visually represented as a class diagram together with explanatory documentation. Using the methodology and data modelling strategy used in this thesis, systematic and transparent development of emulation models on component level is possible in an extensible and flexible manner. / Emulering är en teknologi som historiskt mestadels använts vid virtuel idrifttagning av industriella automatiserade system samt vid operatörsträning. Trender visar att nya användningsområden utforskas. Ett sätt att vidga användningsområdet för emulering är att öka dess detaljnivå. Högskolan i Skövde utför forskning inom emulering och utvecklar en emuleringsplattform med utökad detaljnivå, även kallad komponentnivån. För att kunna arbeta systematiskt med utvecklandet av emuleringsmodeller för denna nivå önskas en öppen, skalbar, och flexibel datamodell för emuleringsmodeller. Detta examensarbete bidrar till detta genom att utveckla ett första utkast av en sådan data modell. Datamodellen demonstreras genom implementation inom den utvecklandes emuleringsmiljön, med hjälp av filformatet XML. En iterativ "design and creation" metodologi användes för att utveckla och implementera datamodellen. Ett set av industriella komponenter användes i utvecklingen och implementationen av datamodellen. Projektets resultat presenteras som ett klassdiagram tillsammans med förklarande dokumentation. Används projektes metodologi och datamodellerings-strategi kan man med fördel arbeta transparant och systematiskt med utveckling av emuleringsmodeller för anginven nivå. / TWIN

Recently the eld of actuarial mathematics has experienced a large development due to a signi cant increase of demands for insurance and nancial risk quanti cation due to the fact that the implementation of a complex of rules of international reporting standards (IFRS) and solvency reporting (Solvency II) has started. It appears that the key question for solvency measuring is determination of probability distribution of future cash ows of an insurance company. Solvency is then reported through an appropriate risk measure based e.g. on a percentile of this distribution. While as present popular models are based solely on aggregated data (such as total loss development from a certain time period), the main objective of this work is to scrutinize possibilities of modelling of the reserve risk (i.e. roughly said, the distribution of the ultimate incurred value of claims that have already happened in the past) based directly on individual claims. These models have not yet become popular and to the author's knowledge an overview of such models has not been published previously. The assumptions and speci cation of the already published models were compared to the practical experience and some inadequacies were pointed out. Further more a new reserve risk model was constructed which is believed to have practically more suitable assumptions and properties than the existing models. Theoretical aspects of the new model were studied and distribution of the ultimate incurred value (the modelled variable) was derived. An emphasis was put also on practical aspects of the developed model and its applicability in the case of industrial use. Therefore some restrictive assumptions which might be considered realistic in variety of practical cases and which lead to a signi cant simpli cation of the model were identi ed throughout the work. Furthermore, algorithms to reduce the number of the necessary calculations were developed. In the last chapters of the work, an e ort was devoted to the methods of the estimation of the considered parameters respecting practical limitations (such as missing observations at the time of modelling). For this purpose, survival analysis was (amongst other methods) applied.

過去，ABC著重於個別企業內資源之分配，隨著供應鏈及跨組織資訊流程受到重視，ABC的觀念將隨之延伸應用於跨組織作業中，如整體物流過程的成本計算、支援定價與產品組合等決策，並可幫助各物流公司之協調。 　　本研究以資訊管理的概念，研究跨組織國際物流ABC管理制度系統的規劃與設計，並以國際物流個案說明，對個案公司進行訪談，分析作業流程，並依據系統分析方法與步驟，建立企業模型並加以分析與設計，建立國際物流之作業基礎成本制資料模型架構。希望經由國際物流個案的研究來探討作業基礎成本制如何運用資訊系統的幫助，取得優勢。 　　目前第四方物流正在萌芽發展階段，且大多數的業者對第四方物流還不是非常清楚，但隨著物流服務需更深層次、更全面的提高服務品質，第四方物流將是未來發展的潮流，若再由各公司單打獨鬥，將不符合未來潮流。而跨組織的作業基礎成本制將提供跨組織相關成本與作業活動資訊，以期能掌握跨組織成本與作業資訊，取得跨組織之競爭優勢。

Traiter les problèmes que pose la mobilité urbaine aujourdhui nécessite entre autres, lélaboration dune banque de données complète, capable de supporter les analyses qualitatives et quantitatives du système de transport et den évaluer lévolution en rapport aux éventuels changements de lensemble du système urbain. Les données relatives au domaine des transports sont indispensables à lalimentation des modèles de trafic, à lanalyse de la mobilité globale et aux suivis et à la gestion des conditions découlement du trafic au travers dun réseau de transport donné, dans le temps et dans lespace (Taylor M. et al, 1996; Bonnel P., 2004). Cependant, ces données sont très souvent collectées séparément selon les objectifs poursuivis par le planificateur. En effet, la planification urbaine ou la planification des transports en commun présente des objectifs différents de celle, par exemple, des trafics routiers et autoroutiers (Meyer M. et al, 2001). Ces planifications seffectuent généralement sans trop tenir compte des interactions qui sétablissent entre elles. Ainsi, fournir des solutions adéquates aux problèmes de mobilité urbaine, nécessite la prise en considération des aspects environnementaux et de lensemble des caractéristiques de lespace urbain : le système de transport et le système des localisations et des activités socio-économiques (Cancalon F. et al, 1991 ; Bonnel P., 2004). Les solutions ainsi générées doivent provenir dune approche intégrée de la planification des transports (Meyer M. et al, 2001). De plus, il a été pris en considération des éléments de modélisation de données (les GIS-T models) développés par (Dueker et al, 1997). Cest dans cette optique que cette recherche se propose dappréhender la question de la mobilité urbaine par une approche systémique de lespace urbain. Celui-ci sera caractérisé par lensemble des données qui le constitue afin de mettre en lumière les relations qui sous tendent la structure urbaine en question. Il sera ainsi développé un modèle intégré de données nécessaires à lanalyse de la mobilité urbaine : MIDAM. Ensuite, sur la base de MIDAM et de la synthèse de la littérature en matière de données « transports » et sur les logiciels de gestion de trafic, il a été possible de démontrer la faisabilité dun outil intégré « VISUTRANS » pour le suivi des politiques de transports ; la modélisation et les effets des transports urbains sur lenvironnement. Enfin, une méthodologie pratique quant à la manière dappréhender la mobilité urbaine est proposée avec pour cas dapplication la ville de Liège - Belgique.

Traditional data management technologies originating from business domain are currently facing many challenges from other domains such as scientific research. Data structures in databases are becoming more and more complex and data query functions are moving from the back-end database level towards the front-end user-interface level. Traditional query languages such as SQL, OQL, and form-based query interfaces cannot fully meet the needs today. This research is motivated by the data management issues in life science applications. I propose a methodology for domain-specific conceptual data modeling and querying. The methodology can be applied to any domain to capture more domain semantics and empower end-users to formulate a query at the conceptual level with terminologies and functions familiar to them. The query system resulting from the methodology is designed to work on all major types of database management systems (DBMS) and support end-users to dynamically define and add new domain-specific functions. That is, all user-defined functions can be either pre-defined by domain experts and/or data model creators at the time of system creation, or dynamically defined by end-users from the client side at any time. The methodology has a domain-specific conceptual data model (DSC-DM) and a domain-specific conceptual query language (DSC-QL). DSC-QL uses only the abstract concepts, relationships, and functions defined in DSC-DM. It is a user-oriented high level query language and intentionally designed to be flexible, extensible, and readily usable. DSC-QL queries are much simpler than corresponding SQL or OQL queries because of advanced features such as user-defined functions, composite and set attributes, dot-path expressions, and super-classes. DSC-QL can be translated into SQL and OQL through a dynamic mapping function, and automatically updated when the underlying database schema evolves. The operational and declarative semantics of DSC-QL are formally defined in terms of graphs. A normal form for DSC-QL as a standard format for the mappings from flexible conceptual expressions to restricted SQL or OQL statements is also defined. Two translation algorithms from normalized DSC-QL to SQL and OQL are introduced. Through comparison, DSC-QL is shown to have very good balance between simplicity and expressive power and is suitable for end-users. Implementation details of the query system are reported as well. Two prototypes have been built. One prototype is for neuroscience domain, which is built on an object-oriented DBMS. The other one is for traditional business domain, which is built on a relational DBMS.

The dissertation deals with the cutting-edge subject of electronic contracts, which have the potential to automatically process and control the access rights for (electronic) goods. The dissertation shows the design and the implementation of a rights expression exchange framework. The framework enables digital rights management systems to exchange electronic contracts with each other and thus, provides DRM system compatibility. The electronic contracts, which are formulated in a standardized rights expression language, serve as exchange format between different DRM systems. The dissertation introduces a methodology for the standardized composition, exchange and processing of electronic contracts respectively rights expressions. (author´s abstract)

Video database applications call for flexible and powerful modeling and querying facilities, which require an integration or interaction between database and knowledge base technologies. It is also necessary for many real life video database applications to incorporate uncertainty, which naturally occurs due to the complex and subjective semantic content of video data. In this thesis study, firstly, a fuzzy conceptual data model is introduced to represent the semantic content of video data. UML (Unified Modeling Language) is utilized and extended to represent uncertain information along with video specific properties at the conceptual level. Secondly, an intelligent fuzzy object-oriented database framework is presented for video database applications. The introduced fuzzy conceptual model is mapped to the presented framework, which is an adaptation of the previously proposed IFOOD architecture. The framework provides modeling and querying of complex and rich semantic content and knowledge of video data including uncertainty. Moreover, it allows (fuzzy) semantic, temporal, (fuzzy) spatial, hierarchical, regional and trajectory queries, based on the video data model. We think that the presented conceptual data model and framework can be adapted to any application domain related to video databases.

Mine safety is of paramount concern to the mining industry. The generation of a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) which can administrate relevant spatial data and metadata of underground mining safety efficiently is a very vital issue in this sense. In an effort to achieve a balance of safety and productivity, GIS can contribute to the creation of a safe working environment in underground (U/G) mining. Such a system should serve to a continuous risk analysis and be designed for applications in case of emergency. Concept for safety should require three fundamental components, namely (i) constructive safety / (ii) surveillance and maintenance / and (iii) emergency. The implementation has to be carried out in a Web-Based Geographic Information System. The process comprises first the safety concept as the application domain model and then a conceptual model was generated in terms of Entity- Relationship Diagrams. After the implementation of the logical model a user interface was developed and GIS was tested. Finally, one should deal with the question if it is possible to extend the method of resolution used to a national GIS infrastructure.

Structural design of reinforced concrete structures requires involvement of many engineers who contribute to a single project. During the design process engineers have to exchange wide variety of information. Unmanaged data exchange may result in loss of resources. Developing a data model and setting up protocols for the management of data related to various structural design tasks can help to improve the quality of the structural design. In this study, an object oriented data model was developed for reinforced concrete beams. Geometry of the structure, detailed shape and placement of the reinforcement, and design specific information for beams were defined in the data model. Design code based computations are facilitated by developing a code library. Another focus of this study is developing a web based, platform independent data management and multi-user framework for structural design and detailing of reinforced concrete frames. The framework allows simultaneous design of a structure by multiple engineers. XML Web Services technology was utilized for the central management of design data. Design data was kept as XML files. Information was exchanged between the server and the engineer on a per-request basis. To design a beam strip, the engineer connects to the server and chooses a series of connected beams. The strip that is selected is locked for modifications of other engineers to prevent any data loss and unnecessary duplicate efforts. When the engineer finalizes the design of a beam strip, data is updated on the server and the lock for this strip is released. Between these requests no active connection is required between the engineer and the server. As a final task, the framework can produce structural CAD drawings in DXF format.

In design and detailing of a reinforced concrete frame project, there are many engineers who contribute a single project. Wide variety of information is exchanged between these engineers in design and detailing stages. If the coordination between engineers is not performed sufficiently, data exchange may result in loss of important information that may cause inadequate design and detailing of a structure. Thus, a data model developed for different stages of design and detailing of reinforced concrete structure can facilitate the data exchange among engineers and help improving the quality of structural design. In this study, an object oriented data model was developed for the design and detailing of reinforced concrete columns and beam column joints. The geometry of the structure, amount, shape and placement of reinforcement were defined in this data model. In addition to these, classes that facilitate the design and detailing of reinforced concrete columns and beam column joints according to a building codes were also developed. Another focus of this study is to develop a web based, platform independent data management and multi-user framework for structural design and detailing of reinforced concrete frames. The framework allows simultaneous design of a structure by multiple engineers. XML Web Services technology was utilized for the web based environment in such a way that the design related data was stored and managed centrally by the server in XML files. As a final step, CAD drawings of column reinforcement details in DXF format are prepared.