The Integration of Mobile GIS and Spatio-temporal Database for Evaluating Space-time Accessibility of an Individual: An Approach Based on Time Geography Model

This study attempts at building an integrated GIS computing framework for evaluating space-time accessibility of an individual with the approach of time geography model. The proposed method is based on the integration of mobile GIS and object-relational spatio-temporal database. Three components are central to our system: ( i ) mobile GIS application that transmits spatio-temporal trajectory data of an individual; ( ii ) spatio-temporal database server that incorporates the time geography model; and (iii) geovisualization client that provides time geographic queries to the spatio-temporal database. As for the mobile GIS application, spatio-temporal trajectory data collected by GPS-PDA client is automatically transmitted to the database server through mobile data management middleware. The spatio-temporal database server implemented by extending a generic DBMS provides spatio-temporal objects, functions and query languages. The geovisualization client illustrates 3D visual results of the queries about space-time path. space-time prism and space-time accessibility. This study shows a method of integrating mobile GIS and DBMS for time geography application, and presents an appropriate spatio-temporal data model for evaluating space-time accessibility of an individual.