The knowledge-based object-oriented PICQUERY+ language

PICQUERY⁺, a high-level domain-independent query language for pictorial and alphanumeric database management, is introduced. The PICQUERY⁺ language and its underlying stacked image data model are enhanced with major advances that include: convenient specification of the data domain space among a multimedia database federation, visualization of underlying data models, knowledge-based hierarchies, and domain rules, understanding of high-level abstract data types, ability to perform data object matches based on imprecise or fuzzy descriptors, imprecise relational correlators, and temporal and object evolutionary events, specification of alphanumeric and image processing algorithms on data, and specification of alphanumeric and image visualization methods for user presentation. The power of PICQUERY⁺ is illustrated using examples drawn from the medical imaging domain. A graphical menu-driven user interface is demonstrated for this domain as an example of the menu interface capabilities of PICQUERY⁺