Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Study Cycle: Graduate

SUBJECT

Code
Subject
MIH0011 Spatial Databases
Section
Semester
Hours: C+S+L
Category
Type
Computer Science - in English
5
2+0+2
speciality
optional
Information engineering - in English
5
2+0+2
optional
Teaching Staff in Charge
Lect. TRÎMBITAS Gabriela, Ph.D.,  gabitrcs.ubbcluj.ro
Aims
To initiate the students into spatial database problems and concepts:
• To understand the value of SDBMS
• To understand the concept of spatial databases
• Learn about the components of SDBMS
• To understand the concept of a query language; improve the skills in using a standard query language (SQL)
• Learn to use spatial ADTs with SQL
• Learn to use OGIS spatial ADTs with SQL
To induce practical skills for working with spatial databases and data struktures
Content
1. What is a Spatial Database System?
• Terms, Definitions
• Modeling Spatial Data in Traditional DBMS
2. Spatial Data Types and Traditional Databases
• Spatial Data Types and Post-relational Databases

3. How is a SDBMS different from a GIS ?
• Components of a SDBMS
4. Three Layer Architecture
• Spatial Taxonomy
• Data Models
5. Spatial Concepts and Data Models
• What is a Data Model?
• Types of Data Models
• Models of Spatial Information
• Field based Model
• Types of Field Operations
• Object Model
6. Classifying Spatial objects
• Spatial Object Types in OGIS Data Model
• Classifying Operations on spatial objects in Object Model
• Topological Relationships
7. Three-Step Database Design
• Extending ER with Spatial Concepts
• Conceptual Data Modeling with UML
• Comparing UML Class Diagrams to ER Diagrams
8. Spatial Query Languages
• Standard Database Query Languages
• Relational Algebra
• Basic SQL Primer
• Query Processing,
• Query Optimization
9. Extending SQL for Spatial Data
• Example Queries that emphasize spatial aspects
• Trends: Object-Relational SQL
10. Spatial Storage and Indexing
• Storage:Disk and Files
• Organizing spatial data with space filling curves
• Grid Files
• R-tree family
• Spatial Indexing:
• Search Data-Structures
11. Trends
4.Geografic Information Systems GIS
4.1 Geographic Data Sources
4.2 GIS Data Models
4.3 Spatial Extensions of Comercial DBMS
4.4 Spatial Extensions of SQL
References
1. Shashi Shekhar, Sanjay Chawla , Spatial Databases: A Tour , Prentice Hall, 2003 (ISBN 013-017480-7)1.Manfred M. Fischer, Peter Nijkamp - Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Modelling and Policy Evaluation, Springer-Verlag GmbH (1993)
2. Emmanuel Stefanakis - Geographic Databases and GIS 2008, Hardcover.,ISBN: 978-3-540-22491-4
3. Gabriel M Kuper, Leonid Libkin, Jan Paredaens (Editors) - Constraint Databases. Springer 2000, ISBN 3-540-66151-4

4. Applications of Spatial Data Structures: Computer Graphics, Image Processing and Gis (Addison-Wesley series in computer science) (Hardcover), 1989

Assessment

The final grade will take into account the laboratory activity and the written and the practical exam; it will be the average of this 3 grades.
Links: Syllabus for all subjects
Romanian version for this subject
Rtf format for this subject