Abstract
This paper proposes axioms for a temporal system based on a discrete set of primitive elements, which may be intervals or points, supporting duration reasoning. It is shown that this system can be interpreted in various possible models. The proposed system overcomes problems involved in the need to model ‘open’ and ‘closed’ intervals, by allowing knowledge of interval end-points to be expressed explicitly.
The axioms are formulated in terms of a single relation ‘meets’. and formalise an intuitive consistency condition for a temporal database: that a well-ordered sequence of fundamental elements exists which underlies the database. A graphical representation of the database is given, in terms of which a necessary and sufficient consistency condition for the existence of a well-order is proved.
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