Stefano Spaccapietra

Conflicts and correspondence assertions in interoperable databases

Keywords: interoperability Reference LBD-ARTICLE-1991-001doi:10.1145/141356.141379 Record created on 2007-01-16, modified on 2016-08-08

Modelling and Manipulating Multiple Representations of Spatial Data

One of the requirements which is poorly supported by spatial data models is a consistent management of different representations of the same spatial phenomena from different viewpoints or at different resolutions. This need is well known by users and designers. Modelling of applications, where users share the same database for different contexts and cartographic applications are examples of environments where such a need arises. This paper proposes a conceptual data model providing full support for multiple representations of the same real world data. The model addresses two complementary aspects: the integrated approach, that leads to the definition of customised database items, and the inter-relationship approach, where the representations are linked through inter-representation links. Both approaches use the stamping technique to differentiate among multiple representations of a given phenomenon and to access a particular representation. Finally, we focus on consequences of multiple coexisting representations on data manipulation. This proposal has been tested and validated with users, and implemented as a front-end to existing DBMS 1 .

Mobility Data: Modeling, Management, and Understanding

Mobility of people and goods is essential in the global economy. The ability to track the routes and patterns associated with this mobility offers unprecedented opportunities for developing new, smarter applications in different domains. Much of the current research is devoted to developing concepts, models, and tools to comprehend mobility data and make it manageable for these applications. This book surveys the myriad facets of mobility data, from spatio-temporal data modeling, to data aggregation and warehousing, to data analysis, with a specific focus on monitoring people in motion (drivers, airplane passengers, crowds, and even animals in the wild). Written by a renowned group of worldwide experts, it presents a consistent framework that facilitates understanding of all these different facets, from basic definitions to state-of-the-art concepts and techniques, offering both researchers and professionals a thorough understanding of the applications and opportunities made possible by the development of mobility data.

Complex Objects Modeling: An Entity-Relationship-Approach

Facilities for complex object modeling are nowadays needed in several areas of database applications (CAD/CAM, office automation, robotics, ...). Consequently, either new models are developed, or existing ones are extended to better respond to this requirement. Current proposals in the latter category are mainly based on the relational approach (with, as major outcome, the NF2 family of models) or on functional models like DAPLEX. This paper intends to show that the entity-relationship approach may secure an equivalent result, preserving the well known advantages inherent to this approach : increased readability and graphical display of the database schema.