Efficient Algorithms for Qualitative Reasoning about Imprecise Space

Abstract

. This paper addresses the problem of qualitative spatial reasoning and presents efficient algorithms to deal it. We assume a representation which views space as a totality of objects surrounded by a haze area and connected in terms of qualitative spatial relations. Statements relating objects in this represesentation are expressed in terms of haze-order constraints. Reasoning about haze-orders involves, first, determining the consistency of a set of haze-order constraints, and, second, deducing new relations from those that are already known. The developed reasoning algorithms make use of a data structure called haze-order graph which trades space for efficiency. Experimental results illustrate the efficiency of the algorithms. 1 Introduction Reasoning about the spatial relations between physical objects or regions of space is of fundamental importance. In many cases this can be done without precise quantitative information about these relations. In fact, some knowledge of the topol..