Qualitative reasoning about consistency in geographic information

  • Authors:

  • Matt Duckham;Jenny Lingham;Keith Mason;Michael Worboys

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Geomatics, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia;Department of Computer Science, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK;Department of Earth Sciences and Geography, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK;NCGIA, University of Maine, Boardman Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5711, USA

  • Venue:
  • Information Sciences: an International Journal
  • Year:
  • 2006

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Abstract

This paper explores the development and use of a qualitative reasoning system for describing consistency between different geographic data sets. Consistency is closely related to issues of uncertainty and interoperability in geographic information, and the paper assesses how automated reasoning about consistency can be used to support the integration of heterogeneous geographic data sets. The system developed is based on description logic. The decidability and tractability characteristics of description logic allow consistency checking to be deferred during data integration, so minimizing the information loss that usually accompanies any data integration task. Further, the user interface allows users to negotiate with the system in defining consistency. The results of the research suggest that further work could significantly increase the level of automation for many geographic data integration tasks.