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Semantics of inheritance In logical object specifications

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Deductive and Object-Oriented Databases (DOOD 1991)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 566))

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Abstract

Our goal is to integrate the paradigms of object-oriented structuring and of rule-based specifications for databases. In this paper, we consider hierarchical specifications of objects and object types with attributes defined by logical rules, and we explain their local (single object) semantics as well as their composite (object society) semantics. In order to allow inheritance with exceptions (overriding) even for rules, the defining formulas are interpreted like defaults of different priorities corresponding to levels in the object type hierarchy. Here, minimal model semantics known from default reasoning in artificial intelligence or from database completions can be utilized, but must be modified to respect object-oriented issues, in particular locality. We prove that intended models exist for object and composite specifications under natural conditions, even if general clauses are used as defaults.

This work was partially supported by the CEC under ESPRIT-2 BRA Working Group No. 3023 IS-CORE (Information Systems — COrectness and REusability)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Informatik, Universität Hannover, Lange Laube 22, D-W 3000, Hannover 1, Fed. Rep. Germany

    Stefan Brass & Udo W. Lipeck

Authors
  1. Stefan Brass
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  2. Udo W. Lipeck
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C. Delobel M. Kifer Y. Masunaga

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Brass, S., Lipeck, U.W. (1991). Semantics of inheritance In logical object specifications. In: Delobel, C., Kifer, M., Masunaga, Y. (eds) Deductive and Object-Oriented Databases. DOOD 1991. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 566. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55015-1_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55015-1_22

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-55015-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46646-8

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