A generalized relational model for indefinite and maybe information

Abstract

A generalized relational model which is capable of representing and manipulating disjunctive and maybe kinds of information is presented. A data structure, called M-table, is defined, and the information contained in the M-table is precisely stated. Redundant information in M-tables is characterized, and an operator to remove this redundant information is presented. The relational algebra is suitably generalized to deal with M-tables. Additional operators, R-projection and merge, are presented. Queries can be expressed as a combination of the various generalized relational algebraic operators. The M-table accurately models the two bounds on the external interpretation of a query. The sure component of an M-table corresponds to one of the bounds which is the set of objects which belong to the external interpretation of the query. The maybe component of an M-table corresponds to the other bound which is the set of objects for which the possibility of belonging to the external interpretation of the query cannot be ruled out.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>