An integrity constraint checking method for temporal deductive databases

Abstract

The authors propose a method for integrity checking in the context of temporal deductive databases. A temporal deductive database is a deductive database that supports some aspect of time, in our case valid time, in which valid time is the time when the fact is true in the modelled reality. Their method augments a database with a set of transition and event rules, which explicitly define the insertions and deletions by database update. Standard SLDNF resolution can then be used to check satisfaction of integrity constraints. A temporal deductive database has to be consistent, that is, after performing an update the database must satisfy its set of integrity constraints. Using their method the temporal deductive database is always consistent because if a retroactive or proactive update violated some integrity constraint the update would be rejected.