Tractable probabilistic description logic programs

We propose tractable probabilistic description logic programs (dl-programs) for the Semantic Web, which combine tractable description logics (DLs), normal programs under the answer set and the well-founded semantics, and probabilities. In detail, we first provide novel reductions of tight query processing and of deciding consistency in probabilistic dl-programs under the answer set semantics to the answer set semantics of the underlying normal dl-programs. Based on these reductions, we then introduce a novel well-founded semantics for probabilistic dl-programs, called the total well-founded semantics. Contrary to the previous answer set and well-founded semantics, it is defined for all probabilistic dl-programs and all probabilistic queries. Furthermore, tight (resp., tight literal) query processing under the total well-founded semantics coincides with (resp., approximates) tight (resp., tight literal) query processing under the previous well-founded (resp., answer set) semantics in all cases where the latter is defined. We then present an anytime algorithm for tight query processing in probabilistic dl-programs under the total well-founded semantics. We also show that tight literal query processing in probabilistic dl-programs under the total well-founded semantics can be done in polynomial time in the data complexity and is complete for EXP in the combined complexity. Finally, we describe an application of probabilistic dl-programs in probabilistic data integration for the Semantic Web. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.