Write it recursively: A generic framework for optimal path queries

Optimal path queries are queries to obtain an optimal path specified by a given criterion of optimality. There have been many studies to give efficient algorithms for classes of optimal path problem. In this paper, we propose a generic framework for optimal path queries. We offer a domain-specific language to describe optimal path queries, together with an algorithm to find an optimal path specified in our language. One of the most distinct features of our framework is the use of recursive functions to specify queries. Recursive functions reinforce expressiveness of our language so that we can describe many problems including known ones; thus, we need not learn existing results. Moreover, we can derive an efficient querying algorithm from the description of a query written in recursive functions. Our algorithm is a generalization of existing algorithms, and answers a query in O(n log n) timeonagraphof O(n) size. We also explain our implementation of an optimal path querying system, and report some experimental results.