Similarity Measurements on Multi‐Scale Qualitative Locations

Qualitative representation of spatial locations and their similarity measurements are essential for the analysis of linguistic term‐based data. Existing methods have focused on the similarities of spatial relations and spatial scenes but have not considered the variations in geometrical representations and relations over scales. This study developed some new measures to assess the similarities of both single‐ and multi‐scale qualitative locations. Region‐ and cell‐based models were used to formalize qualitative locations of spatial objects with respect to multi‐scale frames of reference. The similarities were assessed by integrating the similarities of frames and qualitative relations. The frame similarity measures how two objects are compared considering the common elements that they occupy in the reference frames. Moreover, the similarity of qualitative relation measures how two relations relate two objects to the corresponding elements in the frames. The location similarities at a single level integrate the similarities of the frames and qualitative relations, whereas the location similarities at multiple scales incorporate the variations in qualitative locations over scales. These methods were used to assess location similarities concerning residential areas, roads, and lakes. The results indicated that the location‐based measurements can disclose the distributions of the similarities and that the cell‐based model is more accurate than the region‐based model.     

Classification of topological relations between spatial objects in two‐dimensional space within the dimensionally extended 9‐intersection model

As an important topological relation model, the dimensionally extended 9‐intersection model (DE‐9IM) has been widely used as a basis for standards of queries in spatial databases. However, the negative conditions for the specification of the topological relations within the DE‐9IM have not been studied. The specification of the topological relations is closely related to the definition of the spatial objects and the topological relation models. The interior, boundary, and exterior of the spatial objects, including the point, line, and region, are defined. Within the framework of the DE‐9IM, 43 negative conditions are proposed to eliminate impossible topological relations. Configurations of region/region, region/line, line/line, region/point, line/point, and point/point relations are drawn. The mutual exclusion of the negative conditions is discussed, and the topological relations within the framework of 9IM and DE‐9IM are compared. The results show that: (1) impossible topological relations between spatial objects can be eliminated by the application of 43 negative conditions; and (2) 12 relations between two regions, 31 relations between a region and a line, 47 relations between two lines, three relations between a region and a point, three relations between a line and a point, and two relations between two points can be distinguished by the DE‐9IM.     

Geometric Algebra Model for Geometry‐oriented Topological Relation Computation

Classical topological relation expressions and computations are primarily based on abstract algebra. In this article, the representation and computation of geometry‐oriented topological relations (GOTR) are developed. GOTR is the integration of geometry and topology. The geometries are represented by blades, which contain both algebraic expressions and construction structures of the geometries in the conformal geometric algebra space. With the meet, inner, and outer products, two topology operators, the MeetOp and BoundOp operators, are developed to reveal the disjoint/intersection and inside/on‐surface/outside relations, respectively. A theoretical framework is then formulated to compute the topological relations between any pair of elementary geometries using the two operators. A multidimensional, unified and geometry‐oriented algorithm is developed to compute topological relations between geometries. With this framework, the internal results of the topological relations computation are geometries. The topological relations can be illustrated with clear geometric meanings; at the same time, it can also be modified and updated parametrically. Case studies evaluating the topological relations between 3D objects are performed. The result suggests that our model can express and compute the topological relations between objects in a symbolic and geometry‐oriented way. The method can also support topological relation series computation between objects with location or shape changes.     

引入结点度的线/面拓扑关系细分方法与应用

针对线/面细分拓扑关系研究存在的不足,提出了一种基于结点度的线/面细分拓扑关系描述与计算方法。该方法在定义线/面单元交线并分析其特点的基础上,引入结点度来区分线/面单元交线细分类型。根据单元交线端点在线/面目标组成图形结构中结点度的不同,及线目标在度为3和4的交线端点处是否有相连线段、相连线段位于多边形的边界上、内部或外部4个谓词推导出了21种有意义的线/面交线细分拓扑关系类型。在此基础上分析比较了本文方法与现有方法的异同与优势,举例说明本文方法在复杂线/面细分拓扑关系描述中的应用。最后用Visual C#语言编程实现了该方法,并将其应用到线状道路/面状河流目标间的数据质量检查与修正中,验证可行性。     

Topological relations between a directed line and a directed region

Representing the topological relations between directed spatial objects has gained increasing attention in recent years. Although topological relations between directed lines and other types of spatial objects, such as regions and bodies, have been widely investigated, few studies have focused on the topological relations between directed lines and directed regions. This research focuses on the representation and application of directed line–directed region (DLDR) topological relations, and may contribute to spatial querying and spatial analyses related to directed spatial objects or time‐varying objects. Compared with other topological relation models, a DLDR model that considers the starting and ending points of the directed line and the front and back faces of directed regions is proposed in this research to describe the topological relations between directed lines and directed regions. DLDR topological relations are presented, the completeness of the 111 DLDR topological relations is proved, and the topological relations based on the 9‐intersection model (9IM), 9⁺‐intersection model (9⁺‐IM), and DLDR model are compared. The formalism of the DLDR model and the corresponding geometric interpretations of the 111 DLDR topological relations are presented, seven propositions are stated to prove the completeness of the 111 DLDR topological relations, and the case study shows that more detailed topological relation information can be obtained based on the DLDR model.     

基于拓扑约束的方向关系定性描述模型

针对原有方向关系矩阵模型对于参考目标MBR区域的方向描述缺陷问题,本文将拓扑约束引入方向关系定性描述,构建基于拓扑参考的方向关系定性描述模型,实现了MBR区域方向关系的有效表达。新模型首先将参考目标的MBR区域划分为不同的拓扑区域,提出方向关系拓扑参考定义;基于拓扑参考,分别对不同拓扑区域定义相应的方向关系矩阵;最后,根据参考目标与源目标间的不同拓扑关系,提出不同情况下方向关系分层定性描述策略。实验结果表明,新模型充分反映了拓扑关系对方向关系描述的约束关系,能有效提高方向关系表达的准确性和精确性。     

Extracting invariant characteristics of sketch maps: Towards place query‐by‐sketch

In geography, invariant aspects of sketches are essential to study because they reflect the human perception of real‐world places. A person's perception of a place can be expressed in sketches. In this article, we quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed the characteristics of single objects and characteristics among objects in sketches and the real world to find reliable invariants that can be used to establish references/correspondences between sketch and world in a matching process. These characteristics include category, shape, name, and relative size of each object. Moreover, quantity and spatial relationships—such as topological, ordering, and location relationships—among all objects are also analyzed to assess consistency between sketched and actual places. The approach presented in this study extracts the reliable invariants for query‐by‐sketch and prioritizes their relevance for a sketch‐map matching process.     

移动目标空间拓扑关系的度量描述

针对传统9交模型对移动目标空间拓扑关系表达及量化描述的不足,基于格网化思想,提出了度量参数量化描述的方法。首先对移动目标和参考目标进行格网化,划分为固定大小的格网阵列;然后利用9交模型确定空间目标间拓扑关系的形式化描述;最后引入内部分量、边界分量、外部分量3种度量参数对移动目标空间拓扑关系进行度量化描述。试验证明,该方法计算简单、直观,能更加有效地度量移动目标间的拓扑关系。     

Dealing with spatial relations for spatial objects with randomness in GIS

To design retrieval algorithm of spatial relations for spatial objects with randomness in GIS, this paper builds up the membership functions based on set theory idea, used for determination of topological spatial relations between random objects, such as between point and point, point and line or polygon, which provides theoretical basis for retrieving spatial relations between certain and random objects. Finally, this paper interprets detailed methods and steps of realizing them by means of some simple examples under the GIS's environment.     

DEALING WITH SPATIAL RELATIONS FOR SPATIAL OBJECTS WITH RANDOMNESS IN GIS

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Ontology‐based Qualitative Feature Analysis: Bays as a Case Study

A methodology for analyzing geographic data using the techniques of: (1) qualitative geometric abstraction; and (2) ontological analysis of geographic features is described. The first technique is a bottom‐up approach to extract qualitative spatial relations from geographic representations (raster or vector) while the second technique is a top‐down approach to determine which qualitative relations can possibly hold between the parts of the geographic features. The process of analyzing geographic data includes the extraction of both the features and the qualitative relations among features. These qualitative relations are then used to classify the geographic features within the “space” of ontological possibilities. In this article bays in Wisconsin and their cartographic representation are used as a running example and the subject of a case study.     

关于线状地理特征空间关系的自然语言描述的形式化表达

目前的地理信息系统都使用定量的方法存储和查询空间信息,不能反映人们的定性思维方式,因此它表达地理空间信息的能力受到限制。在关于空间关系的自然语言描述的调查的基础上,本文定义了一组能反映线状物体空间关系的度量指标,结合反映拓扑关系的定量指标,使用决策树的数据挖掘算法,对调查结果进行分析,形式化了描述空间关系的自然语言词汇,建立了模糊的自然语言表达和图形的几何特征之间的联系。自然语言形式化后得到的规则可用于空间关系的自然语言查询系统。     

Consistency among parts and aggregates: A computational model

Heterogeneous geographic databases contain multiple views of the same geographic objects at different levels of spatial resolution. When users perceive geographic objects as one spatial unit, although they are physically separated into multiple parts, appropriate methods are needed to assess the consistency among the aggregate and the parts. The critical aspect is that the overall spatial relationships with respect to other geographic objects must be preserved throughout the aggregation process. We developed a systematic model for the constraints that must hold with respect to other spatial objects when two parts of an object are aggregated. We found three sets of configurations that require increasingly more information in order to make a precise statement about their consistency: (1) configurations that are satisfied by the topological relations between the two parts and the object of interest; (2) configurations that need further information about the topological relation between the object of concern and the connector in order to be resolved unambiguously; and (3) configurations that require additional information about the topological relation between the aggregate's boundary and the boundary or interior of the object of interest to be uniquely described. The formalism extends immediately to relations between two regions with disconnected parts as well as to relations between a region and an arbitrary number of separations.     

模糊空间对象拓扑关系的Rough描述

利用Rough Set理论,在四交差模型的基础上,提出适合于描述确定和模糊区域或两个模糊区域目标间拓扑空间关系的扩展模型(4-4ID模型),并且详细讨论模糊对象之间的拓扑关系。     

Ontology‐supported Querying of Geographical Databases

Querying geographical information systems has been recognized as a difficult task for non‐expert users. Furthermore, user queries are often characterized by semantic aspects not directly managed by traditional spatial databases or GIS. Examples of such semantic geospatial queries are the use of implicit spatial relations between objects, or the reference of domain concepts not explicitly represented in data. To handle such queries, we envisage a system that translates natural language queries into spatial SQL statements on a database, thus improving standard GIS with new semantic capabilities. Within this general objective, the contribution of this article is to introduce a methodology to handle semantic geospatial queries issued over a spatial database. This approach captures semantics from an ontology built upon the spatial database and enriched by domain concepts and properties specifically defined to represent the localization of objects. Some examples of the use of the methodology in the urban domain are presented.     

不确定性线状目标之间拓扑关系的描述与判别

总结了常见的不确定性线状目标描述模型以及确定性线状目标之间拓扑关系的描述模型，并在此基础上提出了一种定量化分析方法，对不确定性线状目标之间的拓扑关系进行了描述和判别。     

多尺度表达中空间拓扑关系等价性评价模型

本文主要讨论不同尺度下地理目标之间拓扑关系的等价性问题。根据人类认知习惯,得出从大比例尺地理空间中拓扑关系抽象为小比例尺空间中拓扑关系应当遵循的基本规则,并利用模糊函数将这些规则定量化;在此基础上,得到评价地理空间场景中多个空间目标之间拓扑关系在不同尺度下是否等价的综合评价模型。该模型可以用于检验和维护空间数据质量、为地图自动综合提供空间关系处理和评价方法的参考。