The Format Model: A Theory of database Organization

  • Authors:
  • Richard Hull;Chee K. Yap

  • Affiliations:
  • University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California;University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

  • Venue:
  • Journal of the ACM (JACM)
  • Year:
  • 1984

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Abstract

A mathematical theory for the study of data representation indatabases is introduced and developed. The theory focuses on threedata constructs (collection, composition and classification)."Formats" with semantically rich yet tractable structure are builtrecursively using these constructs. Using formats, we obtainseveral nontrivial results concerning notions of relativeinformation capacity and restructuring of data sets. As such, theformat model provides a new approach for the formal study of theconstruction of "user views" and other data manipulations indatabases.