989393
Temporal and spatio-temporal aggregations over data streams using multiple time granularities
Temporal and spatio-temporal aggregations are important but costly operations for applications that maintain time-evolving data (data warehouses, temporal databases, etc.). In this paper, we examine the problem of computing such aggregates over data streams. The aggregates are maintained using multiple levels of temporal granularities: older data is aggregated using coarser granularities while more recent data is aggregated with finer detail. We present specialized indexing schemes for dynamically and progressively maintaining temporal and spatio-temporal aggregates. Moreover, these schemes can be parameterized. The levels of granularity as well as their corresponding index sizes (or validity lengths) can be dynamically adjusted. This provides a useful trade-off between aggregation detail and storage space. Analytical and experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed structures. We first address the temporal aggregation problem. A general framework of aggregating at multiple time granularities is then proposed. Finally, we show how to utilize this framework to solve the range-temporal and spatio-temporal aggregation problems.
9271812
Storing and querying multiversion XML documents using durable node numbers
Managing multiple versions of XML documents represents an important problem for many traditional applications, such as software configuration control, as well as new ones, such as link permanence of web documents. Research on managing multiversion XML documents seeks to provide efficient and robust techniques for storing, retrieving and querying such documents. In this paper we present a novel approach to version management that achieves these objectives by a scheme based on Durable Node Numbers and timestamps for the elements of XML documents. We first present efficient storage and retrieval techniques for multiversion documents. Then, we explore the indexing and clustering strategies needed to assure efficient support for complex queries on content and on document evolution.
3398773
On Computing Top-t Most Influential Spatial Sites
Given a set O of weighted objects, a set S of sites, and a query site s, the bichromatic RNN query computes the influence set of s, or the set of objects in O that consider s as the nearest site among all sites in S. The influence of a site s can be defined as the total weight of its RNNs. This paper addresses the new and interesting problem of finding the top-t most influential sites from S, inside a given spatial region Q. A straightforward approach is to find the sites in Q, and compute the RNNs of every such site. This approach is not efficient for two reasons. First, all sites in Q need to be identified whatsoever, and the number may be large. Second, both the site R-tree and the object R-tree need to be browsed a large number of times. For each site in Q, the R-tree of sites is browsed to identify the influence region -- a polygonal region that may contain RNNs, and then the R-tree of objects is browsed to find the RNN set. This paper proposes an algorithm called TopInfluential-Sites, which finds the top-t most influential sites by browsing both trees once systematically. Novel pruning techniques are provided, based on a new metric called minExistDNN. There is no need to compute the influence for all sites in Q, or even to visit all sites in Q. Experimental results verify that our proposed method outperforms the straightforward approach.
10114115
The Optimal-Location Query
We propose and solve the optimal-location query in spatial databases. Given a set S of sites, a set O of weighted objects, and a spatial region Q, the optimal-location query returns a location in Q with maximum influence. Here the influence of a location l is the total weight of its RNNs, i.e. the total weight of objects in O that are closer to l than to any site in S. This new query has practical applications, but is very challenging to solve. Existing work on computing RNNs assumes a single query location, and thus cannot be used to compute optimal locations. The reason is that there are infinite candidate locations in Q. If we check a finite set of candidate locations, the result can be inaccurate, i.e. the revealed location may not have maximum influence. This paper proposes three methods that accurately compute optimal locations. The first method uses a standard R*-tree. To compute an optimal location, the method retrieves certain objects from the R*-tree and sends them as a stream to a plane-sweep algorithm, which uses a new data structure called the aSB-tree to ensure query efficiency. The second method is based on a new index structure called the OL-tree, which novelly extends the k-d-B-tree to store segmented rectangular records. The OL-tree is only of theoretical usage for it is not space efficient. The most practical approach is based on a new index structure called the Virtual OL-tree. These methods are theoretically and experimentally evaluated.
86297
Continuous Evaluation of Monochromatic and Bichromatic Reverse Nearest Neighbors
This paper presents a novel algorithm for Incremental and General Evaluation of continuous Reverse Nearest neighbor queries (IGERN, for short). The IGERN algorithm is general as it is applicable for both the monochromatic and bichromatic reverse nearest neighbor queries. The incremental aspect of IGERN is achieved through determining only a small set of objects to be monitored. While previous algorithms for monochromatic queries rely mainly on monitoring six pie regions, IGERN takes a radical approach by monitoring only a single region around the query object. The IGERN algorithm clearly outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms in monochromatic queries. In addition, the IGERN algorithm presents the first attempt for continuous evaluation of bichromatic reverse nearest neighbor queries. The computational complexity of IGERN is presented in comparison to the state-of-the-art algorithms in the monochromatic case and to the use of Voronoi diagrams for the bichromatic case. In addition, the correctness of IGERN in both the monochromatic and bichromatic cases are proved. Extensive experimental analysis shows that IGERN is efficient, is scalable, and outperforms previous techniques for continuous reverse nearest neighbor queries.
5927964
Improving min/max aggregation over spatial objects
We examine the problem of computing MIN/MAX aggregates over a collection of spatial objects. Each spatial object is associated with a weight (value), for example, the average temperature or rainfall over the area covered by the object. Given a query rectangle, the MIN/MAX problem computes the minimum/maximum weight among all objects intersecting the query rectangle. Traditionally such queries have been performed as range search queries. Assuming that the objects are indexed by a spatial access method, the MIN/MAX is computed as objects are retrieved. This requires effort proportional to the number of objects intersecting the query interval, which may be large. A better approach is to maintain aggregate information among the index nodes of the spatial access method; then various index paths can be eliminated during the range search. In this paper we propose four optimizations that further improve the performance of MIN/MAX queries. Our experiments show that the proposed optimizations offer drastic performance improvement over previous approaches. Moreover, as a by-product of this work we present an optimized version of the MSB-tree, an index that has been proposed for the MIN/MAX computation over 1-dimensional interval objects.
8370711
Consistency of Action Descriptions
As a contribution to the metatheory of reasoning about actions, we present some characteristics of the consistency of action theories. Three levels of consistency are investigated for the evaluation of action descriptions: uniform consistency, consistency of formulas and regional consistency. The first two provide an intuitive resolution of problems of explanation conflicts and fluent dependency. The concept of regional consistency provides for a measure of ramification. A highly expressive form of action descriptions, the normal form, is introduced to facilitate this analysis. The relative satisfiability of the situation calculus is generalized to accommodate non-deterministic effects and ramifications.
6039211
Harmonic maps and their applications in surface matching
The surface-matching problem is investigated in this paper using a mathematical tool called harmonic maps. The theory of harmonic maps studies the mapping between different metric manifolds from the energy-minimization point of view. With the application of harmonic maps, a surface representation called harmonic shape images is generated to represent and match 3D freeform surfaces. The basic idea of harmonic shape images is to map a 3D surface patch with disc topology to a 2D domain and encode the shape information of the surface patch into the 2D image. This simplifies the surface-matching problem to a 2D image-matching problem. Due to the application of harmonic maps in generating harmonic shape images, harmonic shape images have the following advantages: they have sound mathematical background; they preserve both the shape and continuity of the underlying surfaces; and they are robust to occlusion and independent of any specific surface sampling scheme. The performance of surface matching using harmonic maps is evaluated using real data. Preliminary results are presented in the paper.
42579325
A data model and algebra for the Web
The recent emergence of XML as a standard for representation and exchange of data on the Web has drawn significant attention. But existing semistructured data models, such as OEM, cannot support XML naturally and fully. A new data model named XOM is proposed in this paper as the common data model for the Web data source. Based on rooted connected directed graphs both cyclic and acyclic, whose nodes are labeled and edges are ranked, XOM can describe the aggregation relationship as well as the general reference relationship (linkage) between XML elements. Through ranked closure operation, both tree-oriented and graph-oriented models can be unified in XOM. As the formal foundation for query processing and optimization for Web data, a new algebra called XOM algebra, which includes six operations, i.e., object union, difference, select, project, paste and cut, is also proposed. In comparison with relational algebra, XOM algebra is more flexible and powerful.
441422
Detection and application of influence rankings in small group meetings
We address the problem of automatically detecting participant's influence levels in meetings. The impact and social psychological background are discussed. The more influential a participant is, the more he or she influences the outcome of a meeting. Experiments on 40 meetings show that application of statistical (both dynamic and static) models while using simply obtainable features results in a best prediction performance of 70.59% when using a static model, a balanced training set, and three discrete classes: high, normal and low. Application of the detected levels are shown in various ways i.e. in a virtual meeting environment as well as in a meeting browser system.
40685843
Experimental analysis of Harmonic Shape Images
In our early work, a representation called Harmonic Shape Images for 3D free-form surfaces was proposed and applied to solve the surface matching problem (D. Zhang and M. Hebert, 1999). Extensive experiments using real data are conducted to analyze the performance of Harmonic Shape Images with respect to discriminability, stability and robustness to resolution and occlusion. The results show that Harmonic Shape Images are an appropriate representation for 3D surface comparison. Examples of surface comparison using real data are presented.