Visual Specification of Spatio-Temporal Developments

In this paper we propose a visual interface for the specification of predicates to be used in queries on spatio-temporal databases. The approach is based on a visual specification method for temporally changing spatial situations. This extends existing concepts for visual spatial query languages, which are only capable of querying static spatial situations. We outline a preliminary user interface that supports the specification on an intuitive and easily manageable level. We motivate the language design and describe the translation into a formal model of spatiotemporal predicates. The visual notation can be used directly as a visual query interface to spatio-temporal databases, or it can provide predicate specifications that can be integrated into textual query languages leading to heterogeneous languages. Key Words: Spatio-Temporal Queries, Visual Predicate Specification, Visual Database Interface

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1999
• Where: VL
• Authors: Martin Erwig, Markus Schneider
• Keywords: Spatial Situations, Spatio-temporal Databases, Visual, Visual Languages, VL 1999