intervalstructured

Intervalstructured is a term used to describe data and systems where data elements are defined by intervals on a continuum rather than by single points. In this model, each record is associated with a time, spatial, or other one-dimensional interval, denoted as an inclusive or half-open range [start, end), and carries an associated value or set of attributes. Intervalstructured data supports representations of validity, availability, occupancy, measurement windows, and other phenomena that unfold over a period.

Key concepts include the use of interval relations such as overlap, containment, adjacency, and disjointness to formulate queries. Data items may be indexed with structures designed for interval data, such as interval trees or segment trees, which enable efficient range queries and reporting of all records active within a given interval. Handling choices about open versus closed endpoints, as well as whether endpoints are inclusive, exclusive, or partially inclusive, is a practical consideration in implementations.

Applications of intervalstructured data span scheduling and calendar systems, temporal databases that track validity over time, finance for pricing or risk over specified periods, and geospatial-temporal contexts where events have a duration. It also intersects with interval arithmetic and related data models used in auditing, versioning, and sensor data fusion, where understanding the intersection and union of intervals is crucial.

The term intervalstructured is used in some research and documentation to describe this class of interval-based data modeling and its associated query and indexing techniques. Related concepts include interval trees, temporal databases, and interval arithmetic.