The expressive power of first-order query languages with several classes of equality and inequality constraints is studied in this paper. We settle the conjecture that recursive queries such as parity test and transitive closure cannot be expressed in the relational calculus augmented with polynomial inequality constraints over the reals. Furthermore, noting that relational queries exhibit several forms of genericity, we establish a number of collapse results of the following form: The class of generic boolean queries expressible in the relational calculus augmented with a given class of constraints coincides with the class of queries expressible in the relational calculus (with or without an order relation). We prove such results for both the natural and active-domain semantics. As a consequence, the relational calculus augmented with polynomial inequalities expresses the same classes of generic boolean queries under both the natural and active-domain semantics. In the course of proving...

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We study topological queries over two-dimensional spatial databases. First, we show that the topological properties of semi-algebraic spatial regions can be completely specified using a classical finite structure, essentially the embedded planar graph of the region boundaries. This provides an invariant characterizing semi-algebraic regions up to homeomorphism. All topological queries on semi-algebraic regions can be answered by queries on the invariant whose complexity is polynomially related to the original. Also, we show that for the purpose of answering topological queries, semi-algebraic regions can always be represented simply as polygonal regions. We then study query languages for topological properties of two-dimensional spatial databases, starting from the topological relationships between pairs of planar regions introduced by Egenhofer. We show that the closure of these relationships under appropriate logical operators yields languages which are complete for topological prope...

We investigate properties of finite relational structures over the reals expressed by first-order sentences whose predicates are the relations of the structure plus arbitrary polynomial inequalities, and whose quantifiers can range over the whole set of reals. In constraint programming terminology, this corresponds to Boolean real polynomial constraint queries on finite structures. The fact that quantifiers range over all reals seems crucial; however, we observe that each sentence in the first-order theory of the reals can be evaluated by letting each quantifier range over only a finite set of real numbers without changing its truth value. Inspired by this observation, we then show that when all polynomials used are linear, each query can be expressed uniformly on all finite structures by a sentence of which the quantifiers range only over the finite domain of the structure. In other words, linear constraint programming on finite structures can be reduced to ordinary query evaluation a...

ing with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from Publications Dept, ACM Inc., fax +1 (212) 869-0481, or permissions@acm.org. Safe Constraint Queries Michael Benedikt Bell Laboratories 1000 E Warrenville Rd Naperville, IL 60566 E-mail: benedikt@research.bell-labs.com Leonid Libkin Bell Laboratories 600 Mountain Avenue Murray Hill, NJ 07974 E-mail: libkin@research.bell-labs.com Abstract We extend some of the classical characterization theorems of the relational theory --- particularly those related to query safety --- to the context where database elements come with fixed interpreted structure, and where formulae over elements of that structure can be used in queries. We show that the addition of common interpreted functions such as real addition and multiplication to the relational calculus preserves important characterization theorems ...

In this paper we give a new algorithm for quantifier elimination in the first order theory of real closed fields that improves the complexity of the best known algorithm for this problem till now. Unlike previously known algorithms [3, 28, 22] the combinatorial part of the complexity (the part depending on the number of polynomials in the input) of this new algorithm is independent of the number of free variables. Moreover, under the assumption that each polynomial in the input depend only on a constant number of the free variables, the algebraic part of the complexity (the part depending on the degrees of the input polynomials) can also be made independent of the number of free variables. This new feature of our algorithm allows us to obtain a new algorithm for a variant of the quantifier elimination problem. We give an almost optimal algorithm for this new problem, which we call the uniform quantifier elimination problem. Using the uniform quantifier elimination algorithm, we give a...

We study the structure of first-order and secondorder queries over constraint databases. Constraint databases are formally modeled as finite relational structures embedded in some fixed infinite structure. We concentrate on problems of elimination of constraints, reducing quantification range to the active domain of the database and obtaining new complexity bounds. We show that for a large class of signatures, including real arithmetic constraints, unbounded quantification can be eliminated. That is, one can transform a sentence containing unrestricted quantification over the infinite universe of discourse to get an equivalent sentence in which quantifiers range over the finite relational structure. We use this result to get a new complexity upper bound on the evaluation of real arithmetic constraints. We also expand upon techniques in [20] and [4] for getting upper bounds on the expressiveness of constraint query languages, and apply it to a number of first-order and second-order quer...

Abstract. We giveanAC 0 upper bound on the complexity of rst-oder queries over (in nite) databases de ned by restricted linear constraints. This result enables us to deduce the non-expressibility ofvarious usual queries, such as the parity of the cardinality of a set or the connectivity of a graph in rst-order logic with linear constraints. 1

. Constraint databases generalize relational databases by finitely representable infinite relations. This paper surveys the state of the art in constraint databases: known results, remaining open problems and current research directions. The paper also describes a new algebra for databases with integer order constraints and a complexity analysis of evaluating queries in this algebra. In memory of Paris C. Kanellakis 1 Introduction There is a growing interest in recent years among database researchers in constraint databases, which are a generalization of relational databases by finitely representable infinite relations. Constraint databases are parametrized by the type of constraint domains and constraint used. The good news is that for many parameters constraint databases leave intact most of the fundamental assumptions of the relational database framework proposed by Codd. In particular, 1. Constraint databases can be queried by constraint query languages that (a) have a semantics ba...

Abstract. In moving object databases, object locations in some multidimensional space depend on time. Previous work focuses mainly on moving object modeling (e.g., using ADTs, temporal logics) and ad hoc query optimization. In this paper we investigate logical properties of moving objects in connection with queries over such objects using tools from differential geometry. In an abstract model, object locations can be described as vectors of continuous functions of time. Using this conceptual model, we examine the logical relationships between moving objects, and between moving objects and (stationary) spatial objects in the database. We characterize these relationships in terms of position, velocity, and acceleration. We show that these fundamental relationships can be used to describe natural queries involving time instants and intervals. Based on this foundation, we develop a concrete data model for moving objects which is an extension of linear constraint databases. We also present a preliminary version of a logical query language for moving object databases. 1