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Telic Distinction in Temporal Databases

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Encyclopedia of Database Systems

Synonyms

Point-versus period-based semantics

Definition

In the context of temporal databases, telic (atelic) data are used to store telic (atelic) facts, and the distinction between telic and atelic data are drawn using the properties of downward and upward inheritance.

  • Downward inheritance. The downward inheritance property implies that one can infer from temporal data d that holds at valid time t (where t is a time period) that d holds in any sub-period (and sub-point) of t.

  • Upward inheritance. The upward inheritance property implies that one can infer from temporal data d that holds at two consecutive or overlapping time periods t 1 and t 2 that d holds in the union time period \(t_1\cup t_2 \).

In temporal databases, the semantics of atelic data implies that both downward and upward inheritance holds; on the other hand, neither downward nor upward inheritance holds for telic data.

Historical Background

The distinction between telic and atelic facts dates back to Aristotle’s...

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Recommended Reading

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Vijay Khatri

  2. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Richard T. Snodgrass

  3. University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Paolo Terenziani

Authors
  1. Vijay Khatri
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  2. Richard T. Snodgrass
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  3. Paolo Terenziani
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, 266 Ferst Drive, 30332-0765, Atlanta, GA, USA

    LING LIU (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Database Research Group David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, N2L 3G1, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    M. TAMER ÖZSU (Professor and Director, University Research Chair) (Professor and Director, University Research Chair)

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© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Khatri, V., Snodgrass, R.T., Terenziani, P. (2009). Telic Distinction in Temporal Databases. In: LIU, L., ÖZSU, M.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_1526

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