Querying Multiple Data Sources via an Object-Oriented Spatial Query Interface and Framework

Abstract

A spatial query interface has been designed and implemented in the object-oriented paradigm for heterogeneous data sets. The object-oriented approach presented is shown to be highly suitable for querying typical multiple heterogeneous sources of spatial data. The spatial query model takes into consideration two common components of spatial data: spatial location and attributes. Spatial location allows users to specify an area or a region of interest, also known as a spatial range query. Also, the spatial query allows users to query spatial orientation and relationships (geometric and topological relationships) among other spatial data within the selected area or region. Queries on the properties and values of attributes provide more detailed non-spatial characteristics of spatial data. A query model specific to spatial data involves exploitation of both spatial and attribute components. This paper presents a conceptual spatial query model of heterogeneous data sets based on the object-oriented data model used in the geospatial information distribution system (GIDS).