Dynamic Modeling of a Futuristic Frame-Based Knowledge Representation Using Unified Modeling Language (UML): A Case of an Intelligent Drug Marketers Tracking System (IDMTS)

Abstract

Adulterated and counterfeit drugs are problems in Nigeria. Over 150 children died in 1989 as a result of paracetamol syrop containing diethylene glycol. This was so severe that neighbouring countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone officially banned the sale of drugs, foods and beverages made in Nigeria. The aim of this paper is to model dynamically, an innovative Frame-Based Knowledge Representation of an Intelligent Drugs Marketers Tracking System (IDMTS), that would aid the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the tracking of the trade names and locations of the makers and marketers of all drugs sold. The objective is to unravel the robustness and innovativeness of the rare combination of Frame and UML in knowledge representation and modeling. Generalization, Aggregation, Association and Classification are adopted as data abstraction mechanisms for the modeling of Classes to produce the hierarchies of objects in the “Purchasing of Drugs” frame. The UML (Unified Modeling Language), in the other hand, modeled the relationship among classes; actors, the generalization relationship between actors, and the association relationships between actor and use cases in the IDMTS. The UML is used due to its flexibility.