Charisma-F.A.Ladiwala
Fall 2011
Semantcs E-Science Assignment 2
1) A) I chose climate or weather informatics. This is because the weather in Troy is so
unpredictable now-a- days. Businesses like transportation and construction services could stop
working due to bad weather like heavy snow or heavy rains. So it would be good to know the
weather in advance so that people do not get stuck outside.
B) The scope of the use case is to predict the weather condition for the next 30 days in Troy.
30 days’ worth of information given in advance to businesses would be very helpful as they can
then take the necessary actions to prevent losses.
C) I used the link http://www.weatherstationsupply.com/weather_station.html to first see how
beneficial weather forecasting can be to businesses like construction services. Then I went
through the use case examples and readings listed in the Class 3 and Class 4 sections. I did this
to get help on how to finish the assignment. Specifically, I found the links below quite helpful.
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http://tw.rpi.edu/media/latest/SeS2011ClassNotes-2011-09-26.pdf
http://tw.rpi.edu/web/project/SemantAQUA/UseCases
2) I have pasted the Use Case template at the end after the content of answer 4 in this document.
3) Use case analysis:
I went to the following sites listed below for gathering information about how weather
forecasting is actually done and the instruments used in carrying the process out. Also reading
the information provided in these sites helped me understand how business plans depend on
weather forecasts and how providing a 30 day forecast would actually help businessmen. It also
helped me understand how the instruments actually work and their function. I also did some
research on how the weather information generated by me (weather researcher) could actually
be made available to the businessmen. It was interesting to observe how the news channel YNN
provides only a 7 day forecast. This made me realize that a 30 day forecast would indeed be a
different and even more helpful thing to do.
www.weatherstationsupply.com/weather_station.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_forecasting
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/ahps/AHPS%20Benefits.pdf
http://www.accuweather.com/company.asp
http://www.globalw.com/products/we550.html
http://www.weatherstationsupply.com/weather_station.html
http://capitalregion.ynn.com/content/weather/
Functional requirements:
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It is supposed to determine the expected weather conditions for the next 30 days in
Troy
It is suppose to transmit at least 7 days’ worth of weather information as a backup to
the weather information system as soon as it is generated by the ordinary weather
conditions calculating algorithm.
Non-functional requirements:
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It is supposed to be reliable.
The information must be easily convertible into charts and maps.
It is supposed to be repeatable i.e. it is supposed to predict 30 days worth of weather
information every time.
It should be easily usable and the code must be clearly written and understandable.
It should be a secure system that a hacker can’t hack into.
It should be scalable so that once successfully tested; other features can be added so
that the application can be made even more successful.
Knowledge Encoding:
I used Cmap to create my ontology model for my knowledge encoding. It has been shown below.
However, I have also attached it as a separate Cmap file along with this assignment.
Given below are the functions in my Ontology Model that I used for knowledge encoding.
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Start()- This function initiates the entire process and causes the Researcher to start the
sensors.
PassInfo()- This function passes the information contained in the class to the next class
that it is connected to.
PassInfoAlgo()- This function passes the weather forecast information for the next 30
days to the next class that it is connected to.
CreateMapSend()- This function creates map with the information stored in the class
and passes the generated map to the next class that the function is connected to.
DrawChartSend()- This function sends creates charts with the information stored in the
class and passes the generated chart to the next class that the function is connected to.
4) I (the weather researcher) would run the algorithmic application and try out the 30 day prediction
for at least 2 months. I would observe the actual weather conditions and see if they tally with the
ones I predicted and if they fall in the same time frame. Also, I would check the SmartDraw,
AccuWeather , and Global Water sensors to see if they are functioning as I want them to. Also, I
would check if the ESRI maps easily interpretable and show the places correctly and represent the
temperatures in Fahrenheit. Testing would be a must in order to see if the secondary actors function
or do as required. I would then ask for feedback from all the human secondary actors so that I could
make changes to my scalable application, if required.
My knowledge representation meets the goal of my use case as it should successfully provide the
information for the next 30 days. It is a well planned process that provides information to the
Weather Information System (WIS) through sensors and then uses the algorithm possessed by the
WIS to produce weather information for the next 30 days. This information is then converted using
tools like SmartDraw and ESRI software into maps that can be easily interpreted. This information is
then passed to the Media officials who pass the information to businesses through YNN (TV) and the
government radio.
My Cmap shows the relations clearly.
Questions:
a) If the Weather Information System were to ask the Data Servers for all the information about the
current weather conditions (so that it could process this information in its algorithm),what would
happen?
Answer: According to my Ontology Model, the Data Servers will use their PassInfo() function to pass
the information, received from the sensors, AccuWeather, and Global Water systems, to the WIS.
b) If YNN were to ask the WIS for the 30 day advance weather information so that it could show it
on TV, what would happen?
Answer: According to my Ontology Model, the WIS would transmit the 30 day advance weather
information that it generated, through the algorithm, to the Smart Draw application which would
produce charts. This would then be passed on to the ESRI mapping software to create good
interpretable maps that could be displayed on TV. This interpretable data is then passed on to the
Media authorities that pass the information to YNN. YNN then shows it on TV.
[Answer For question 2] Note: the use case template is pasted below.
Use Case Name: Confident weather prediction for the next 30 days in Troy
Point of Contact Name: Charisma-F.A. Ladiwala , [email protected]
Use Case Name
Determine the weather conditions confidently for the next 30 days in Troy.
Goal
To integrate the weather data collected and incorporate it in the algorithm in order to find a good
30 day weather forecast. The maximum, minimum and average weather temperatures and wind
speeds are sent to the weather information system in Troy who uses its algorithm to generate 30
days worth of weather information which the news channel and radio will present to the public.
Summary
The main goal is to use an algorithmic system made by the weather information system to
produce enough information about the weather 30 days in advance. The weather information system
would then provide that information, through YNN and radio, to construction services, farmers and
transportation services (like CDTA) that depend on the weather for business. This would give them a
good prediction of the weather risks. At the same time, it could also provide the information to
people who will travel on days with adverse climatic conditions. They will refrain from doing so or
take necessary precautions in advance. This way, disasters can be averted. Also, businesses in Troy
are going in losses because of inadequate information about the weather in advance.
The principal actor is the weather information system of Troy. Not enough information is provided
about the weather conditions in advance and this may disrupt general as well as business plans in
Troy. Thus the algorithm will help serve the purpose.
Actors
Primary actor: Weather Researcher
Secondary actor: Weather information system
Secondary actor: Media
Secondary actor: Officials for construction services, transportation services and farming
Secondary actor: Temperature and wind speeds calculating instrument systems(sensors)
Secondary actor: Data server
Secondary actor: Advanced temperature and wind speeds calculating algorithm
Secondary actor : Chart-creating instruments
Preconditions:
The researcher and the WIS should be aware of the concepts required in calculating temperature,
wind speeds and other calculations required for judging the weather conditions.
The algorithm for calculating temperatures and wind speeds has appropriate calculations for
determining weather conditions in advance.
The weather information system has the appropriate transmission system to get the information
through to the people concerned.
The weather researcher has the proper transmission system to transfer weather information to the
weather information system of Troy.
The weather information system must be quick to create 30 days worth of information and transmit
this data to the SmartDraw and ESRI tools.
The ESRI must be able to create proper maps to display to the public through TV.
The data transmission servers should be up and running properly.
TV or radio must be possessed by the construction services, farmers and transportation services.
Triggers
Weather research initiates the new study of use case.
Basic Flow
1)
2)
3)
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5)
6)
Researcher uses instruments to record enough temperature and wind speeds to send to the WIS
which will incorporate the data into its new algorithm.
The algorithm then generates the required data for 30 days in advance.
The WIS passes on this information to the SmartDraw and ESRI tools to create easily interpretable
maps.
The weather information system passes this information on to the media officials.
The media officials provide this information to the TV (YNN) and the local radio.
The construction service, transportation service and other businesses have access to YNN or the
radio. They use the data to make their decisions accordingly.
Alternate Flow
1) Researcher uses instruments to record enough temperature and wind speeds to incorporate in his
algorithm. He transmits at least the next 7 days worth of data about the weather conditions to the
weather information system as soon as it is determined.
2) Data Servers for transmission of data are down due to already present bad weather conditions.
3) Information about weather conditions cannot be transmitted but the WIS at least know the
information for the next 7 days (even a week’s worth of information can help businesses a lot).
4) They create charts incorporating the next 7 days’ worth of information and then pass it on to the media
officials who then pass the information onto the TV or radio.
Post Conditions
The Researcher or the WIS record the data generated so that it could be used in the near future to
help obtain more future weather conditions’ information.
Construction services, farmers and transportation services’ officials- in-charge must be provided
with the weather information thus generated, through the media.
Activity Diagram:
Notes:
NOAA – National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
ESRI- GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping software
AccuWeather- provides local weather conditions
Global Water- provides sensors for recording wind speeds
SmartDraw- to draw charts and communicate visually
YNN- Your News Now
Resources
Data:
Data
Type
Characteristics
Description
Owner
Source System
(dataset
name)
Remote,
e.g. – no cloud
cover
Short description of the
dataset, possibly
including rationale of the
usage characteristics
USGS, ESA,
etc.
Name of the
system which
supports
discovery and
access
ESRI
ESRI data
reports
In situ,
Etc.
ESRI
Remote
Mapping
places
AccuWeather Remote
Temperature,
humidity,etc
AccuWeather
Global Water
In situ
Calculating
windspeeds
ITT analytics
SmartDraw
In situ
SmartDraw
LLC
Drawing visual
maps and
charts
Modeling Services
Model
(model
name)
Owner
Description
Consumes
Frequency
Source System
Organization
that offers the
model
Short
description of
the model
List of data consumed
How often
the model
runs
Name of the
system which
offers access to the
model
Event Notification Services
Event
Owner
Description
Subscription
Source System
(Event
name)
Organization
that offers the
Short description of the event
List of subscriptions
(and owners)
Name of the system
which offers this
event
event
Application Services
Application
Owner
Description
Source System
(Application
name)
Organization
that offers the
Application
Short description of the application portal
Name of the system
which offers access to
this resource
Other resources
Resource Owner
Description
Availability
Source System
(sensor
name)
Short description of the resource
How often the
resource is available
Name of system
which provides
resource
Organization
that owns/
manages
resource