Complex Event Processing in Web Streams with Ontology-Based Abstraction Layers for Smart City Frameworks

Smart cities embody the integration of information technology, urban infrastructure, and citizen engagement to optimize city functions and drive economic growth. A critical component in achieving this integration is the ability to process complex events in real-time, particularly from diverse web streams. This paper introduces a novel framework for Complex Event Processing (CEP) in web streams by employing ontology-based abstraction layers, aiming to enhance the interpretability and interoperability of heterogeneous data sources within smart city frameworks. The proposed approach uses a layered architecture where the bottom layer deals with raw data streams from various sources, including IoT devices, social media, and sensor networks. The middle layer employs an ontology-based model to abstract and enrich the raw data, providing a unified and semantic representation. This representation facilitates the identification and correlation of complex events, which are pertinent to city management and planning. The top layer involves the application of advanced data mining techniques to predict, detect, and respond to urban events in a timely and efficient manner. Through this methodology, the framework addresses the challenges of scalability, semantic heterogeneity, and real-time processing needs inherent in smart city applications. Empirical evaluations demonstrate the efficacy of the approach in various urban scenarios, showing promising improvements over existing methods. This work lays a foundational architecture for future research and development in smart city technologies, aiming to make urban areas more livable, sustainable, and efficient.