A Framework Based on CLP Extended with CHRs for Reasoning with Qualitative Orientation and Positional Information

Several qualitative models have been developed in the last years with the aim of simulating the spatial reasoning process used by humans. However, up to now no model has been developed to represent and reason with several aspects of space (such as orientation, distance and cardinal directions, for instance) in a uniform way, i.e. by referring to the same spatial objects. An approach for the integration of several aspects of space into the same model, based on constraint logic programming extended with constraint handling rules, is proposed in this article. As an example of this approach, the integration of orientation and positional information in the same model is explained.