Optimal aggregation algorithms for middleware

Abstract

Assume that each object in a database has m grades, or scores, one for each of m attributes. For example, an object can have a color grade, that tells how red it is, and a shape grade, that tells how round it is. For each attribute, there is a sorted list, which lists each object and its grade under that attribute, sorted by grade (highest grade first). There is some monotone aggregation function, or combining rule, such as min or average, that combines the individual grades to obtain an overall grade.