The document discusses the goals and core concepts of the Freebase schema. It explains that Freebase is a labeled graph containing nodes and links, with the schema defining the types of nodes and properties that connect them. The schema allows structured queries over the graph. Core concepts discussed include instances, types, properties, and expected types that constrain property values. Different schema patterns like compound values, mediators, phylogenies, and enumerated values are also covered.
5. Freebase is a labeled Graph
child wrote
directed
parent sibling
directed
starred_in directed
starred_in
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6. Schema
"All the things you can say
about something in Freebase"
Schema is the data model for Freebase
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7. All nodes are “/type/object”
/m/02vyw /people/person
id type
type /film/director
[{
/type/object/name
"id":"/m/02vyw", name
"name":null,
"type":[{}]
“Francis Coppola”
}]
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8. Types suggest properties to use
/m/02vyw
id
type /film/director
lm
/fi
or
ct
ire
/d
lm
/fi
/type/object/id /en/bram_stokers_dracula
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10. Properties link the graph together
/m/02vyw
id
type /film/director
lm
/fi
or
ct
ire
ten _by
/d
wri t
lm
/fi
/type/object/id /en/bram_stokers_dracula
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11. Queries follow schema
[{
"id": "/en/francis_ford_coppola", Name is returned
(how to get ID?)
"/film/director/film": [{ How to get all the
"id": "/en/bram_stokers_dracula", writters for all of
Coppola’s movies?
"written_by":null
}]
}]
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13. Core Concepts
Instance:
• Topic: "a thing in the world"
• Blade Runner, Ridley Scott, NBC, Last Proof
Schema:
• Types - Categorical collections of instances
• Properties - Relationships between instances
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14. Core Concepts
An instance may have multiple Types
• "Co-Types" (Types are mix-ins)
• Arnold Schwartzeneger
• Person, Actor, Politician, Sports Figure
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15. Lessons from everyday vocabulary
Wikipedia Word Frequency
20000000
18000000
16000000
14000000
12000000
Frequency
10000000
8000000
6000000
4000000
2000000
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Rank
Data from Victor S. Grishchenko
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16. Schema Principle #1
Event Example:
-Film Festival
-Battle of Waterloo
Use Co-Types Liberally:
Use a few large, encompassing Types to
provide general information
Use several smaller, fine grained Types to
provide detailed information
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17. Core Concepts Relational DB
vs
RDF
Properties are defined on Types
• Properties are the vocabulary for a specific Type
• An instance must be “an instance of a type”
before it can use the Type’s properties to describe
itself
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18. Core Concepts Expected Type ~ RDFS Range
• A Property Value has a specific Type
• "Expected Type"
• A Property has exactly one Expected Type
Manufactures
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20. /type/object contrast to common
topic
Everything in Freebase has this Type
Provides basic properties
• Type
• Name
• .......
All other Properties come from some other Type!
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21. /common/topic
"Topics"
• Things we have discourse about
• Provides properties:
• Alias
• Article
• Image
• Weblinks
• Assumed to be an "Included Type" for any
"standard" type
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22. Schema Patterns
Compound Value
Mediator
Phylogeny
Enumeration
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23. Compound Value complex literal
Two or more properties which can only be
interpreted with regard to one another
Population
• Dated Integer ("when did this location have that many people")
Movie Budget
• Dated money value
• Date, Currency, Amount
Ticker Symbol
• Exchange, Symbol
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25. Mediator combine date annotation and
character = tv character
An annotation on the link between two Topics
• Requires an object between the two Topics
• The Topics become separated by two properties
actor performance film
character
• Also useful for indicating the dates when a
relationship existed (e.g., education, employment, etc.)
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27. Phylogeny
Used when instances form a hierarchy
Phylogeny properties have an expected
Type which is the same as the Type on
which the property is defined.
Examples:
• /location/location/containedby
• /computer/computer/parent_model
• /tv/tv_program/spin_offs
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28. Phylogeny
{
"id": "/en/fairfax_california",
"/location/location/containedby": [{
"id": null,
"containedby": [{
"id": null Why can I use the
short name??
}]
}]
}
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29. Enumerated Value
Closed collection of “values” for a property
Constrains relations to fixed set of objects
• /people/person/gender
{ female, male, other }
• /visual_art/visual_artist/art_forms
{ drawing, painting, print making, photography.... }
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30. Explore the Freebase Graph
child wrote
directed
parent sibling
directed
starred_in directed
starred_in
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31. Explore the Freebase Graph
[{
"id": null,
"type": "/film/director"
}]
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35. namespace
It’s all nodes
/
pe
ople
( key
y) )
(ke
film
domain
type
domain /people
and links!
type
/film
e
insta anc
nce type inst
nam
e
y)
(ke
e
typ
"domain"
son
type
film
per
(key
name "property"
ins
ce type
)
tan
propert
tan ies
ins
ce
ins
tan
"type" ce
instance
type
nam
e type instance typ
e
property
instance
expected_type
ce
tan
ins
na
ins
m
nce
e
tan
insta
ce
"expected type"
type
property
type type type
typ
type type
e
type properties na
expected
_type date_time
me
na
na me
me na
m
e
"person" "date of birth"
nce
"film"
instance
instance
insta
"actor"
e LEGEND
film typ
name
"Blade Runner" /type/object
starring
/type/object + /common/topic
film
obj type
film
character performance
/namespace
e
nam
"Rick Deckard"
outgoing incoming
actor
keyvalue (key)
film
actor out
goin
gp
rop
person e e rty
typ
type literal value
nam
th e
_o f_bir
date
"Harrison Ford"
1942-07-13
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36. Domains, Bases and Commons
"commons" individual's "bases"
promo
te
Blade
Runner
"domains"
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