A frame-based object-relational database expert system architecture and implementation

Frame-based expert systems are widely used as the knowledge representation for expert systems with large knowledge base. Many systems have the ability to connect to external databases. Facts stored in databases can be loaded into expert system's knowledge base and inference is performed by the inference engine of the expert system. In many cases, such external facts are required several times for each inference. Thus, a lot of communication traffic takes place. This research work present the design and implementation of a frame-based object-relational database system which has a tight coupling between the expert system and the external knowledge base. The external knowledge base also use frame as its knowledge representation. More over, it has its own inference engine so that inference can be perform on the knowledge base side and the results, not only simple facts, are sent back to the expert system for further inference. A medical consultation system is used as an illustrated example.