A unified framework of opening and closure operators with respect to arbitrary fuzzy relations

 This paper is devoted to a general concept of openness and closedness with respect to arbitrary fuzzy relations – along with appropriate opening and closure operators. It is shown that the proposed framework unifies existing concepts, in particular, the one for fuzzy preorderings as well as the triangular norm-based approach to fuzzy mathematical morphology. The author acknowledges support of the K _plus Competence Center Program which is funded by the Austrian Government, the Province of Upper Austria, and the Chamber of Commerce of Upper Austria.     

Duality for Goal-Driven Query Processing in Disjunctive Deductive Databases

Bottom-up query-answering procedures tend to explore a much larger search space than what is strictly needed. Top-down processing methods use the query to perform a more focused search that can result in more efficient query answering. Given a disjunctive deductive database, DB, and a query, Q, we establish a strong connection between model generation and clause derivability in two different representations of DB and Q. This allows us to use a bottom-up procedure for evaluating Q against DB in a top-down fashion. The approach requires no extensive rewriting of the input theory and introduces no new predicates. Rather, it is based on a certain duality principle for interpreting logical connectives. The duality transformation is achieved by reversing the direction of implication arrows in the clauses representing both the theory and the negation of the query. The application of a generic bottom-up procedure to the transformed clause set results in top-down query answering. Under favorable conditions efficiency gains are substantial, as shown by our preliminary testing. We give the logical meaning of the duality transformation and point to the conditions and sources of improved efficiency. We show how the duality approach can be used for refined query answering by specifying the minimal conditions (weakest updates) to DB under which Q becomes derivable. This is shown to be useful for view updates in disjunctive deductive databases as well as for other interesting applications.     

A knowledge-based system for generating informative responses to indirect database queries

The objective of this study is to develop a knowledge-base framework for generatingcooperative answers to indirect queries. Anindirect query can be considered as a nonstandard database query in which a user did not specify explicitly the information request. In a cooperative query answering system, a user's indirect query should be answered with an informative response, either anaffirmative response or anegative response, which is generated on the basis of the inference of the user's information request and the reformulation of the users' indirect query.This paper presents methods for inferring users' intended actions, determining users' information requirements, and for automatically reformulating indirect queries into direct queries. The inference process is carried out on the basis of a user model, calluser action model, as well as the query context. Two kinds ofinformative responses, i.e.affirmative responses andnegative responses can be generated by arule-based approach.     

Neighborhood and associative query answering

Cooperative query answering extends the classical notion of query answering to provide neighborhood and associated information. Neighborhood query answering relaxes the query and its answer via abstract representations. To integrate the abstraction view with the subsumption (is-a) and composition (part-of) views of type hierarchy, the notion of type abstraction hierarchy is introduced. To evaluate and control query relaxation, a nearness measure mechanism is provided. Associative query answering provides information conceptually related to, but not explicitly asked by the query. As object association is context sensitive, a DB-Pattern-KB framework is developed that couples domain-specific knowledge and participating objects in localized problem domains via virtual database patterns. Associative query answering can then be accomplished through tracing the behavior dependencies among cooperating objects in those problem domains. Such a framework allows related databases and knowledge bases to be linked dynamically in various contexts yet be maintained relatively independent of each other. The proposed approach has been implemented in the cooperative database system tested, CoBase, at UCLA. Our experience reveals that the proposed techniques are effective for cooperative query answering.This research is supported by DARPA contract N00174-91-C-0107.     

模糊描述逻辑知识库查询蕴涵的判定方法

大规模领域本体的快速发展对语义Web领域的数据访问提出了更高的要求,而基本的本体推理服务已不能满足数据密集型应用中处理复杂查询(主要是合取查询)的迫切需要.为此,大量的研究工作集中在本体和描述逻辑知识库合取查询算法的设计实现上,并开发出了很多知识库存储和查询的实用工具.近来模糊本体和模糊描述逻辑的研究,特别是它们在处理语义Web中模糊信息方面,得到了广泛关注.文中重点研究了模糊SH这一族极富表达能力的描述逻辑知识库的合取查询问题,提出了相应的基于推演表的算法,证明了算法对于f-SHOIQ的真子逻辑的可靠性、完备性和可终止性.证明了算法对于f-SHOIQ是可靠的,并分析了导致算法不可终止的原因.对于该问题的数据复杂度,证明了当查询中不存在传递角色时其严格的CONP上限.对于联合复杂度,汪明了算法关于知识库和查询大小的CO3NEXPTIME时间复杂度上限.     

LACO: A location-aware cooperative query system for securely personalized services

Location-aware computing technology becomes promising for pervasive personalization services which run anytime, anywhere, and on any device. These services should be based on contextual queries that are provided in a fast and flexible manner. To do so, cooperative query answering may be useful to support query relaxation and to provide both approximate matches as well as exact matches. To facilitate query relaxation, a knowledge representation framework has been widely adopted which accommodates semantic relationships or distance metrics to represent similarities among data values. However, research shows few legacy cooperative query mechanisms that consider location-awareness. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose a securely personalized location-aware cooperative query that supports conceptual distance metric among data values, while considering privacy concerns around user context awareness. To show the feasibility of the methodology proposed in this paper, we have implemented a prototype system, LACO, in the area of site search in an actual large-scale shopping mall.     

CoBase: A scalable and extensible cooperative information system

A new generation of information systems that integrates knowledge base technology with database systems is presented for providing cooperative (approximate, conceptual, and associative) query answering. Based on the database schema and application characteristics, data are organized into Type Abstraction Hierarchies (TAHs). The higher levels of the hierarchy provide a more abstract data representation than the lower levels. Generalization (moving up in the hierarchy), specialization (moving down the hierarchy), and association (moving between hierarchies) are the three key operations in deriving cooperative query answers for the user. Based on the context, the TAHs can be constructed automatically from databases. An intelligent dictionary/directory in the system lists the location and characteristics (e.g., context and user type) of the TAHs. CoBase also has a relaxation manager to provide control for query relaxations. In addition, an explanation system is included to describe the relaxation and association processes and to provide the quality of the relaxed answers. CoBase uses a mediator architecture to provide scalability and extensibility. Each cooperative module, such as relaxation, association, explanation, and TAH management, is implemented as a mediator. Further, an intelligent directory mediator is provided to direct mediator requests to the appropriate service mediators. Mediators communicate with each other via KQML. The GUI includes a map server which allows users to specify queries graphically and incrementally on the map, greatly improving querying capabilities. CoBase has been demonstrated to answer imprecise queries for transportation and logistic planning applications. Currently, we are applying the CoBase methodology to match medical image (X-ray, MRI) features and approximate matching of emitter signals in electronic warfare applications.This work supported by ARPA contract F30602-94-C-0207.     

答疑系统问题的Z语言规约

分析了目前答疑系统存在的不足之一,即缺少标准框架,从而很难实现答疑系统之间资源的共享.因此提出了使用形式化方法来构建统一的答疑系统,利用形式化语言Z对答疑系统的主要模块进行需求规格说明.同时用Z语言描述了答疑系统的主要操作模式,包括关键词的提取、问题的检索和知识库的更新等操作.     

CineCubes: Aiding data workers gain insights from OLAP queries

In this paper we demonstrate that it is possible to enrich query answering with a short data movie that gives insights to the original results of an OLAP query. Our method, implemented in an actual system, CineCubes, includes the following steps. The user submits a query over an underlying star schema. Taking this query as input, the system comes up with a set of queries complementing the information content of the original query, and executes them. For each of the query results, we execute a set of highlight extraction algorithms that identify interesting patterns and values in the data of the results. Then, the system visualizes the query results and accompanies this presentation with a text commenting on the result highlights. Moreover, via a text-to-speech conversion the system automatically produces audio for the constructed text. Each combination of visualization, text and audio practically constitutes a movie, which is wrapped as a PowerPoint presentation and returned to the user.     

大数据上函数查询解答的复杂度分析

函数查询是大数据应用中重要的操作,查询解答问题一直是数据库理论中的核心问题。为了分析大数据上函数查询解答问题的复杂度,首先,使用映射归约方法将函数查询语言归约到已知的可判定语言,证明了函数查询解答问题的可计算性;其次,使用一阶语言描述函数查询,并分析了一阶语言的复杂度;在此基础上,使用NC-factor归约方法将函数查询类归约到已知的\mathrm{\Pi }{\mathrm{{\rm T}}}_Q-complete类中。证明函数查询解答问题经过PTIME（多项式时间）预处理后,可以在NC（并行多项式-对数）时间内求解。通过以上证明可以推出,函数查询解答问题在大数据上是可处理的。     

Top-k typicality queries and efficient query answering methods on large databases

Finding typical instances is an effective approach to understand and analyze large data sets. In this paper, we apply the idea of typicality analysis from psychology and cognitive science to database query answering, and study the novel problem of answering top-k typicality queries. We model typicality in large data sets systematically. Three types of top-k typicality queries are formulated. To answer questions like “Who are the top-k most typical NBA players?”, the measure of simple typicality is developed. To answer questions like “Who are the top-k most typical guards distinguishing guards from other players?”, the notion of discriminative typicality is proposed. Moreover, to answer questions like “Who are the best k typical guards in whole representing different types of guards?”, the notion of representative typicality is used. Computing the exact answer to a top-k typicality query requires quadratic time which is often too costly for online query answering on large databases. We develop a series of approximation methods for various situations: (1) the randomized tournament algorithm has linear complexity though it does not provide a theoretical guarantee on the quality of the answers; (2) the direct local typicality approximation using VP-trees provides an approximation quality guarantee; (3) a local typicality tree data structure can be exploited to index a large set of objects. Then, typicality queries can be answered efficiently with quality guarantees by a tournament method based on a Local Typicality Tree. An extensive performance study using two real data sets and a series of synthetic data sets clearly shows that top-k typicality queries are meaningful and our methods are practical.     

Efficient temporal counting with bounded error

This paper studies aggregate search in transaction time databases. Specifically, each object in such a database can be modeled as a horizontal segment, whose y-projection is its search key, and its x-projection represents the period when the key was valid in history. Given a query timestamp q _t and a key range , a count-query retrieves the number of objects that are alive at q _t , and their keys fall in . We provide a method that accurately answers such queries, with error less than , where N _alive(q _t ) is the number of objects alive at time q _t , and ɛ is any constant in (0, 1]. Denoting the disk page size as B, and n =  N / B, our technique requires O(n) space, processes any query in O(log _B n) time, and supports each update in O(log _B n) amortized I/Os. As demonstrated by extensive experiments, the proposed solutions guarantee query results with extremely high precision (median relative error below 5%), while consuming only a fraction of the space occupied by the existing approaches that promise precise results.     

Query reformulation for dynamic information integration

The standard approach to integrating heterogeneous information sources is to build a global schema that relates all of the information in the different sources, and to pose queries directly against it. The problem is that schema integration is usually difficult, and as soon as any of the information sources change or a new source is added, the process may have to be repeated.The SIMS system uses an alternative approach. A domain model of the application domain is created, establishing a fixed vocabulary for describing data sets in the domain. Using this language, each available information source is described. Queries to SIMS against the collection of available information sources are posed using terms from the domain model, and reformulation operators are employed to dynamically select an appropriate set of information sources and to determine how to integrate the available information to satisfy a query. This approach results in a system that is more flexible than existing ones, more easily scalable, and able to respond dynamically to newly available or unexpectedly missing information sources.This paper describes the query reformulation process in SIMS and the operators used in it. We provide precise definitions of the reformulation operators and explain the rationale behind choosing the specific ones SIMS uses. We have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach by applying SIMS in the domains of transportation planning and medical trauma care.     

基于本体的查询系统研究

该文对查询系统做了深入的研究,提出了一种基于本体的智能查询系统的形式化模型,并且对系统的具体运行过程进行了详细的分析。该模型充分考虑了用户查询的语义信息,并且引入了本体环境和用户查询环境来对系统进行建模。将用来对数据库的语义信息进行描述的本体层引入到异构的、分布式的数据库系统中,在方便用户进行查询的同时增加查询结果的相关性和用户满意度。同时,系统能够及时地反映数据库信息的动态变化。     

语义缓存的聚集查询匹配研究

为提高海量数据库系统的查询效率,围绕海量数据库系统中的聚集查询技术,把通常应用于小型数据库查询的语义缓存技术拓展到海量数据库的聚集查询中．首先研究了面向聚集查询的语义缓存形式化描述,在此基础上讨论了利用缓存处理查询的条件并对查询匹配进行了分类,提出并实现了包含匹配判定算法和相交匹配判定算法,最后给出了相应的实验结果．在某大型实际工程中的应用表明上述判定算法是有效的．     

基于相似Rough集的模糊检索策略

Ｒｏｕｇｈ集理论作为一种具有模糊边界的集合理论，被广泛运用于不确定环境下的信息处理。文章探讨了一种基于相似关系Ｒｏｕｇｈ集的模糊查询技术，它是对普通Ｒｏｕｇｈ集在数据库中应用的推广，能有效地提高查询的灵活度及效率。