"Time and Relational Theory" provides an in-depth description of temporal database systems, which provide special facilities for storing, querying, and updating historical and future data. Traditionally, database management systems provide little or no special support for temporal data at all. This situation is changing because: Cheap storage enables retention of large volumes of historical data in data warehousesUsers are now faced with temporal data problems, and need solutions Temporal features have recently been incorporated into the SQL standard, and vendors have begun to add temporal support to their DBMS products

Based on the groundbreaking text "Temporal Data & the Relational Model" (Morgan Kaufmann, 2002) and new research led by the authors, "Time and Relational Theory" is the only book to offer a complete overview of the functionality of a temporal DBMS. Expert authors Nikos Lorentzos, Hugh Darwen, and Chris Date describe an approach to temporal database management that is firmly rooted in classical relational theory and will stand the test of time.

This book covers the SQL:2011 temporal extensions in depth and identifies and discusses the temporal functionality still missing from SQL.
Understand how the relational model provides an ideal basis for taming the complexities of temporal databases Learn how to analyze and evaluate commercial temporal products with this timely and important information Be able to use sound principles in designing and using temporal databases Understand the temporal support recently added to SQL with coverage of the new SQL features in this unique, accurate, and authoritative reference Appreciate the benefits of a truly relational approach to the problem with this clear, user friendly presentation

A summary of research carried out in the CHOROCHRONOS Project, established as an EC-funded Training and Mobility Research Network with the objective of studying the design, implementation, and application of spatio-temporal database management systems. The nine coherent chapters by leading research groups are written in a tutorial style, making the research contributions of the project accessible to a wider audience interested in spatio-temporal information processing. Following an introductory overview, the book presents chapters on ontologies for spatio-temporal databases, conceptual models, spatio-temporal models and languages, access methods and query processing, architectures and implementation of spatio-temporal DBMS, interactive spatio-temporal documents, and future perspectives.