On desirable semantics of functional dependencies over databases with incomplete information
From MaRDI portal
Publication:4637862
DOI10.3233/FI-2018-1651zbMATH Open1386.68043arXiv1703.08198OpenAlexW2604861954MaRDI QIDQ4637862FDOQ4637862
Publication date: 3 May 2018
Published in: Fundamenta Informaticae (Search for Journal in Brave)
Abstract: Codd's relational model describes just one possible world. To better cope with incomplete information, extended database models allow several possible worlds. Vague tables are one such convenient extended model where attributes accept sets of possible values (e.g., the manager is either Jill or Bob). However, conceptual database design in such cases remains an open problem. In particular, there is no canonical definition of functional dependencies (FDs) over possible worlds (e.g., each employee has just one manager). We identify several desirable properties that the semantics of such FDs should meet including Armstrong's axioms, the independence from irrelevant attributes, seamless satisfaction and implied by strong satisfaction. We show that we can define FDs such that they have all our desirable properties over vague tables. However, we also show that no notion of FD can satisfy all our desirable properties over a more general model (disjunctive tables). Our work formalizes a trade-off between having a general model and having well-behaved FDs.
Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1703.08198
Recommendations
- Axiomatisation of functional dependencies in incomplete relations
- Functional dependencies in relations with null values
- Functional dependencies in incomplete databases with limited domains
- Functional dependencies and constraints on null values in database relations
- The additivity problem for functional dependencies in incomplete relations
Cited In (2)
This page was built for publication: On desirable semantics of functional dependencies over databases with incomplete information
Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q4637862)
