Dynamic query interpretation in relational databases (Q1124384)

Universal relation interfaces are systems where queries are very simple and easy to formulate. The communication is performed in terms of attributes and data values. The user is freed from the logical navigation but the major problem is the translation of a query into a complete one referring to the actual logical structure. Classes of database schemes are studied for which it is possible to disambiguate the user query by a user-system dialogue concerning only the relevance of attributes, and return the answer that meets the user's intention. A simple kind of conjunctive queries is considered. Problems of selecting a good disambiguation strategy are discussed.