On Query Languages for Linear Queries Definable with Polynomial Constraints

Abstract

It has been argued that the linear database model, in which semi-linear sets are the only geometric objects, is very suitable for most spatial database applications. For querying linear databases, the language FO + linear has been proposed. We present both negative and positive results regarding the expressiveness of FO+linear. First, we show that the dimension query is definable in FO + linear, which allows us to solve several interesting queries. Next, we show the non-definability of a whole class of queries that are related to sets not definable in FO+linear. This result both sharpens and generalizes earlier results independently found by Afrati et al. and the present authors, and demonstrates the need for more expressive linear query languages if we want to sustain the desirability of the linear database model. In this paper, we show how FO + linear can be strictly extended within FO + poly in a safe way. Whether any of the proposed extensions is complete for the linear queries definable in FO + poly remains open. We do show, however, that it is undecidable whether an expression in FO + poly induces a linear query.