A system of operators for spatial-temporal analysis of dynamic scenes

The rapid growth in the volume of information and the need for its comprehensive analysis lead to the development of new methods of working with multidimensional and space-time data. To work with such data, Qualitative Spatial Reasoning is often used to extract (produce) new knowledge based on facts established in one way or another. Despite the variety of formal analysis systems available, sets of operators do not allow for the identification of complex space-time relationships between objects. Existing software tools, such as SparQ, GQR, QAT, CLP (QS), are focused on analyzing one aspect and are applicable mainly for interval analysis of time series of events and production of conclusions about some spatial relationships. In practice, tools are usually used to analyze simple relationships in simple scenes. The lack of interfaces limits their combined use with quantitative analysis tools, necessary, for example, to establish primary facts, and use within the framework of the concepts of 4D (space-time), 5D (space-time and cost) and multi-D (multidimensional) modeling. This paper proposes a system of topological, metric, directional and temporal operators for complex spatial-temporal analysis of dynamic scenes. This system allows combined usage of qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, which is essential not only for determining initial facts, but also for producing new knowledge based on these facts. The system of operators proposed is deemed prospective for problems of spatial-temporal (4D) modeling and planning of industrial projects, and particularly for specifying and detecting of non-trivial conflicts in project schedules.