The generic frame protocol

Abstract

The Generic Frame Protocol (GFP) is an application program interface for accessing knowledge bases stored in frame knowledge representation systems (FRSs). GFP provides a uniform model of FRSs based on a common conceptualization of frames, slots, facets, and inheritance. GFP consists of a set of Common Lisp functions that provide a generic interface to underlying FRSs. This interface isolates an application from many of the idiosyncrasies of specific FRS software and enables the development of generic tools (e.g., graphical browsers, frame editors) that operate on many FRSs. To date, GFP has been used as an interface to LOOM, Ontolingua, THEO, and SIPE-2. 1