Information retrieval from databases

This study further investigates and generalizes the database model of Coffey, Herbsman, and Sechrest (see Communication Theory and Applications II, HW Communications Ltd., United Kingdom, 1993) by applying new techniques to the problem of data retrieval. The problems analyzed are representative of important issues involved in storing data for context dependent retrieval from databases. They arise when simple storage devices such as tapes and disks are used to store relatively more complex data structures such as large multidimensional images. The mismatch between the physical nature of the storage device and the data structure, i.e., the manner in which its elements are requested, prevents some requests from being instantaneously accessible on the database. Hence, we have the non-trivial problem of designing the database so as to minimize the expected access time