This monograph is devoted to computational morphology, particularly to the construction of a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional closed object boundary through a set of points in arbitrary position. By applying techniques from computational geometry and CAGD, new results are developed in four stages of the construction process: (a) the gamma-neighborhood graph for describing the structure of a set of points; (b) an algorithm for constructing a polygonal or polyhedral boundary (based on (a)); (c) the flintstone scheme as a hierarchy for polygonal and polyhedral approximation and localization; (d) and a Bezier-triangle based scheme for the construction of a smooth piecewise cubic boundary.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 12th International Conference of the Entity-Relationship Approach, held in Arlington, Texas in December 1993; it contains the revised versions of 42 papers selected for presentation at the conference from a total of 87 submissions. The volume presents many of the most important results on the ERA published since the predecessor conference ER '92. It is organized in sections on object-oriented models, query languages, applications of the ER model, knowledge-based modeling, data modeling, schema integration, reuse and reengineering, integrating ER and object-orientation, conceptual clustering, modeling time and data semantics.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the 13th International Conference on the Entity-Relationship Approach, ER '94, held in Manchester, UK in December 1994. The ER '94 book is devoted to business modelling and re-engineering and provides a balanced view between research and practical experience. The 34 full revised papers presented are organized in sections on business process modelling, enterprise modelling, systems evolution, modelling integrity constraints, object-oriented databases, active databases, CASE, reverse engineering, information system modelling, schema coordination, and re-engineering.

This book is a comprehensive presentation of entity-relationship (ER) modeling with regard to an integrated development and modeling of database applications. It comprehensively surveys the achievements of research in this field and deals with the ER model and its extensions. In addition, the book presents techniques for the translation of the ER model into classical database models and languages, such as relational, hierarchical, and network models and languages, as well as into object-oriented models.

The British National Conference on Databases (BNCOD) was established in 1980 as a forum for research into the theory and practice of databases. The original conference in the series took place at the University of Aberdeen. To be precise, this conference was in fact entitled ICOD which stood for International Conference on Databases. It was the intention, when the series began, that an ICOD would take place every two years, whilst a BNCOD would run in the years in between. As the record shows ICOD was only held in 1980 and 1983. The more junior conference has managed to acquire a lifetime much longer than that of its senior relative! If truth wereknown,however,BNCOD has,overthe years,growninto ICOD and although the conference is still titled “British National,” it is, in fact, an international conference that takes place on a yearly basis. Proof of this can be obtained simply by looking at the table of contents of these proceeding which clearlyshowthatthe majorityofpaperspresentedatthis year’sconferencecame from contributors whose a?liations are outside the UK. Despitetherangeofpapersono?er,BNCODstillretainsitsuniquelyBritish ?avor. The Programme Committee is drawn from UK academics and the c- ference is always held at a British university (or in earlier years a polytechnic!).

Information modeling techniques are used during information systems analysis and design, and are important kinds of techniques, that are part of information systems development methodologies. An optimal information modeling technique may be defined as an information modeling technique that is most appropriate to be applied in a specific situation indicated by certain contingency factors. Optimal Information Modeling Techniques examines these methods and provides the most recent research in the field, to be applied to the management applications of modern organizations.