Efficient Label-Constrained Path Queries on Time-Dependent Graphs via LP-Tree Decomposition
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Shortest path queries are among the most fundamental operations in graph processing. Prior studies have extensively examined label-constrained queries on static graphs with fixed edge weights. However, real-world networks exhibit temporal dynamics and often contain complex heterogeneous structures. Examples include peak-hour variations in travel time and the coordination of multiple transportation modes. These time-dependent and label-dependent characteristics limit the applicability of existing methods to the Time-Dependent Label-Constrained Shortest Path (TD-LCSP) problem. To address this limitation, we propose LP-Tree, a label-partitioned tree decomposition framework that models both label constraints and temporal dependencies in a unified manner. Based on this structure, we design the Parameter-Separated (PS) Index, which decouples key parameters to improve query efficiency and reduce storage costs. The combined approach significantly lowers space consumption and achieves sub-millisecond query latency on large-scale time-dependent graphs. Extensive experiments on multiple datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed approach.
Source: Data Science and Engineering
Authors: Yishu Wang, Jinlong Chu, Ye Yuan, Yongjiao Sun, Xiangguo Zhao, Hangxu Ji
Institutions: Northeastern University, Beijing Institute of Technology
Language: English
Topic: Graph Theory and Algorithms
Subfield: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,390
OpenAlex ID: W7141720051