Distributed Multimedia Applications 183
9.6.2 Similarity Measu r es
The similarity of ontological entities is established in multiple layers [51]:
1. D ata Layer: At the lowest level, the data values are compared. Exam-
ples include comparing the data labels (strings in a given name space) or
the URLs that they may be pointing to. Complex data types may need
more sophisticated computations, including conversions and approxima-
tions (e.g., 5
′
10
′′
vs. 178 cm).
2. O ntology Layer: At the next level, the semantic relations between the
entities are explored. It utilizes the ontology graph, the semantics of the
relations, and the property restrictions.
3. Context Layer: At the highest level, the similarity is determined based
on factors external to the on