Geometric query types for data retrieval in relational databases

Abstract

This paper describes the application of geometric concepts for data retrieval and proposes a geometric model for accessing and manipulating multidimensional data in relational databases. A geometric query model is proposed for the queries based on locations of geometric objects. In the geometric query model, the data from the database are interpreted geometrically as multidimensional geometric points or geometric objects interpolated on these points, and the query window is a query solid of any shape specified by its location. The spatial queries are formulated with geometric objects and operations over them. Descriptions of geometric objects and operations with implicit functions are proposed. This mathematical representation allowed us to develop a compact and easily extensible geometric query model that has been implemented in the geometric query system prototype.