A unique-ID-based matrix strategy for efficient iconic indexing of symbolic pictures

In this paper, we propose an efficient iconic indexing strategy called uniq ue-ID-based matrix (UID matrix) for symbolic pictures, in which each spatia l relationship between any two objects is assigned with a unique identifier (ID) and is recorded in a matrix. Basically, the proposed strategy can rep resent those complex relationships that are represented in 2D C-strings in a matrix, and an efficient range checking operation can be used to support pictorial query, spatial reasoning and similarity retrieval; therefore, the y are efficient enough as compared to the previous approaches. From our sim ulation, we show that the proposed UID matrix strategy requires shorter tim e to convert the input data into the corresponding representation than the 2D C-string strategy, so is the case with query processing. Moreover: our p roposed UID matrix strategy may require lesser storage cost than the 2D C-s tring strategy in some cases. (C) 2000 Pattern Recognition Society. Publish ed by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.