Shashi K. Gadia
Abstract
In a temporal database, time values are associated with data item to indicate their periods of validity. We propose a model for temporal databases within the framework of the classical database theory. Our model is realized as a temporal parameterization of static relations. We do not impose any restrictions upon the schemes of temporal relations. The classical concepts of normal forms and dependencies are easily extended to our model, allowing a suitable design for a database scheme. We present a relational algebra and a tuple calculus for our model and prove their equivalence. Our data model is homogeneous in the sense that the periods of validity of all the attributes in a given tuple of a temporal relation are identical. We discuss how to relax the homogeneity requirement to extend the application domain of our approach.
- 1 ANDERSON, T.L. Modeling time at the conceptual level. In Improving Database Usability and Responsiveness, P. Scheuermann, Ed. Academic Press, Jerusalem, 1982, pp. 273-297.Google Scholar
- 2 ARIAV, G. Preserving the time dimension in information systems. Ph.D. dissertation, DS-WP 83-12-06, Decision Sciences Dept., Univ. of Pennsylvania, Dec. 1983. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 3 ARIAV, G., CLIFFORD, J., AND JARKE, M. Time and databases. In ACM-SIGMOD International Conference on Management of Data (San Jose, Calif., May 1983), ACM, New York, pp. 243-245.Google Scholar
- 4 BEN-ZVI, J. The time relational model. Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of California, Los Angeles, 1982. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 5 BOULOUR, A., ANDERSON, T. L., DEKEYSER, L. J., AND WONG, H. K.T. The role of time in information processing, a survey. SIGART Newsl. 80 (April 1982), 28-48. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 6 CLIFFORD, J. A model for historical databases. Working Paper, CRIS 47, GBA 82-76(CR), Graduate School of Business Administration, New York Univ., New York.Google Scholar
- 7 CLIFFORD, J. A logical framework for temporal semantics and natural language querying of historical databases. Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Computer Science, State Univ. of New York at Stony Brook, Dec. 1982. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 8 CLIFFORD, J., AND TANSEL, A.U. On an algebra for historical relational databases: two views. In Proceedings of A CM-SIGMOD 1985 International Conference on Management of Data (Austin, Tex., May 1985). ACM, New York, 1985, pp. 247-267. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 9 CLIFFORD, J., AND WARREN, D. Formal semantics for time in databases. ACM Trans. Database Syst. 8 (1981), 214-264. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 10 CODD, E.F. A relational model of data for large shared data banks. Commun. ACM 13 {1969), 377-387. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 11 DUGUNDJI, J. Topology. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 1970.Google Scholar
- 12 GADIA, S. K. Weak temporal relations. In Proceedings of the 5th ACM SIGACT-SIGMOD Symposium on Principles of Database Systems (Cambridge, Mass., Mar. 1986). ACM, New York, 1986, pp. 70-77. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 13 GADIA, S. K., AND VAISHNAV, J. A query language for a homogeneous temporal database. In Proceedings of 4th Annual A CM SIGA CT-SIGMOD Symposium on Principles of Database Systems {Portland, Ore., Mar. 1985). ACM, New York, 1985, pp. 51-56. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 14 Ingres Query Language Reference Manual. Relational Technology, Jan. 1983.Google Scholar
- 15 JONES, S., AND MASON, P. Handling the time dimension in databases. In Proceedings of International Conference on Databases, (Univ. of Aberdeen, July 1980). British Computer Society, pp. uu-~o.Google Scholar
- 16 JONES, S., MASON, P., AND STAMPER, R. Legol 2.0: A relational specification language for complex rules. Inf. Syst. 4 (1979), 28-48.Google ScholarCross Ref
- 17 KLOPPROGE, M. R. An Approach to Include the Time Dimension in Entity-Relationship Approach to Information Modeling and Analysis. P. P. S. Chen (Ed.), E.R. Institute, 1981, pp. 477-512. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 18 KLOPPROGGE, M. R., aND LOCKEMANN~ P. C. Modeling information preserving databases: consequences of the concept of time. In Proceedings of Ninth International Conference on Very Large Data Bases (Florence, 1983), VLDB Endowment, pp. 399-416. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 19 LUM, V., ET AL. Designing DBMS support for the temporal dimension. In Proceedings of ACM- SIGMOD Conference (Boston, June 1984), ACM, New York, 1984, pp. 115-126. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 20 MAIER, D. The Theory of Relational Databases. Computer Science Press, Rockville, Md., 1983. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 21 MONTAGUE, R. The proper treatment of quantification in ordinary English. In Approaches to Natural Languages, K. J. J. Hintikka, Ed., Dordrecht, West Germany, 1973.Google Scholar
- 22 SNOD(:;IZASS, R. The temporal language TQUEL. In Proceedings of Third A CM SIGACT- SIGMOD Symposium on Principles of Database Systems (Waterloo, April 1984), ACM, New York, pp. 204-212. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 23 SNOD(:;RASS, R. The temporal query language TQUEL. ACM Trans. Database Syst. 12, 2 {June 1987), 247-298. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 24 SNODGRASS, R. AND AHN, I. A taxonomy of time in databases. In proceedings of ACM- SIGMOD 1985 International Conference on Management of Data (Austin, Tex., May 1985). ACM, New York, 1985, pp. 236-246. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 25 ULLMANN, J.D. Principles of Database Systems. Second Ed., Computer Science Press, Rockville Md., 1982. Google ScholarDigital Library
- 26 VAZSHNAV, J. H. A homogeneous temporal extension of QUEL. Master's thesis, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Texas Tech. Univ., 1984.Google Scholar
- 27 VAN DER WAERDEN, B.L. Algebra, Vol. 1, Frederick Ungar, New York, 1970.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- A homogeneous relational model and query languages for temporal databases
Recommendations
The Expressive Power of Temporal Relational Query Languages
We consider the representation of temporal data based on tuple and attribute timestamping. We identify the requirements in modeling temporal data and elaborate on their implications in the expressive power of temporal query languages. We introduce a ...
Transformation of Relational Databases to Transaction-Time Temporal Databases
ECBS-EERC '11: Proceedings of the 2011 Second Eastern European Regional Conference on the Engineering of Computer Based SystemsIn recent years, versioning has emerged as a very popular operating system feature for file systems. Some of these systems can provide user friendly â go back in timeâ feature, where the user can see exactly how file system looked on the dates he ...
Integrity Constraints in Temporal Relational Databases
ITCC '04: Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Technology: Coding and Computing (ITCC'04) Volume 2 - Volume 2The article addresses the key issues of integrity constraints intemporal data within the relational framework. These issues includerepresentation of temporal data, temporal grouping identifiers,primary keys of temporal relations and other forms of ...
Reviews
Jaroslav Pokorny
This paper introduces a new model for temporal databases. The approach is based on the following important notion. Let T be the set of all real numbers between begin and now. Then a temporal element is a finite union of intervals in T. The set of all temporal elements is closed under finite applications of union, intersection, and complementation. The author defines temporal tuples and temporal relations. Informally, a temporal tuple gives a certain history of a related entity in a temporal domain, which is determined by a temporal element. The temporal domain varies from tuple to tuple but it is constant with respect to attributes of the tuple. For example, [11,61) John [11,50) 15K [11,45) Toys :.BD[11,61) John [50,55) 20K [45,61) Shoes :.BD[11,61) John [55,61) 25K is a tuple of a temporal relation emp over the scheme NAME, SALARY, DEPT. The association of temporal elements to tuples expresses a homogeneity of a temporal relational model. Gadia describes the model in detail in Section 2. The objective of Section 3 is to develop a relational algebra for the model. Similarly, the author formulates the temporal relational (tuple) calculus over a relational structure in Section 4. Both languages are similar to classic languages, but they also deal with temporal expressions. Note that temporal expressions are interpreted as temporal assignments. Gadia proves the equivalence of the algebra and calculus expressions in Section 5. Section 6 is a detailed comparison with other approaches. The paper gives a fundamental framework for a data modeling with time and for powerful query languages. The concepts used make it possible to solve implementation questions more easily. I recommend a high-level view of the paper to anyone working in the area of temporal databases.
Access critical reviews of Computing literature here
Become a reviewer for Computing Reviews.
Comments