Method, system, and program for storing data in a data store

• US 20030115219A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chadwick, Henry Dexter
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

Provided is a method, system, and program for storing data in a data store, a first file in a first file format is received including essence, metadata objects providing information on the essence, and a unique identifier assigned to the essence. The essence is extracted from the file and stored in the data store. The metadata is extracted from each metadata object in the first file and stored in the data store in a second file format. The extracted metadata and essence in the data store are accessible using the unique identifier assigned to the essence.

Claims

1. A method for storing data in a data store, comprising:

receiving a first file in a first file format including essence, metadata objects providing information on the essence, and a unique identifier assigned to the essence;

extracting the essence from the file;

storing the essence in the data store;

extracting metadata from each metadata object in the first file; and

storing the extracted metadata in the data store in a second file format, wherein the extracted metadata and essence in the data store are accessible using the unique identifier assigned to the essence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the extracted metadata in the data store in the second file format further comprises:

adding the extracted metadata to a metadata data structure in the second file format, wherein the metadata data structure is stored in the data store.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata data structure comprises a metadata file, and wherein one separate metadata file is provided for each received file in the first file format to store in the data store.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein adding the extracted metadata to the metadata data structure further comprises storing the metadata extracted from each metadata object in the first file in at least one field in the metadata data structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each metadata object in the first file includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein storing the extracted metadata from each metadata object in the metadata data structure further comprises:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format, and

determining from the mapping, for each metadata object, one field type for the metadata code in the metadata object, wherein one field in the metadata data structure including the metadata indicates the determined field type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing the metadata in the data structure for each metadata object further comprises storing a metadata value in an additional field in the metadata structure if the metadata object includes one metadata value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each field in the metadata data structure comprises a tagged field and wherein the metadata data structure is in a tagged file format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein storing the metadata in the at least one field further comprises:

generating a tagged element field indicating the determined field type if the metadata object does not include an attribute value;

inserting the generated tagged element field into the metadata data structure;

generating a tagged attribute field including an attribute value extracted from the metadata object if the metadata object includes the attribute value; and

inserting the generated tagged attribute field into the metadata data structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the essence data comprises one of multimedia data, application data, text, and database records.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first file format comprises the Media Exchange Format (MXF) and wherein the metadata objects in the first file are implemented in the Key, Length, Value (KLV) coding scheme.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a unique identifier;

accessing the essence and the metadata data structure associated with the unique identifier;

generating at least one reconstructed metadata object from the metadata in the metadata data structure; and

assembling a second file in the first file format including the reconstructed metadata object, the accessed essence, and the received unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the metadata data structure includes metadata in tagged fields, wherein generating each reconstructed metadata object comprises:

accessing the metadata data from the tagged fields; and

storing the accessed metadata in the reconstructed metadata object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each metadata object in the first file format includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein generating each reconstructed metadata object further comprises:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format;

determining from the accessed metadata data structure one field type;

determining from the mapping the metadata code corresponding to the determined field type; and

including the determined metadata code in the reconstructed metadata object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the reconstructed metadata object further comprises:

accessing a metadata attribute value from the accessed metadata data structure for the accessed field type; and

adding the accessed attribute value to the reconstructed metadata object for the field type.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second file formats are a same file format.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second file formats are different file formats.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second file formats are different file formats.

17. A system for storing data, comprising:

a data store;

means for receiving a first file in a first file format including essence, metadata objects providing information on the essence, and a unique identifier assigned to the essence;

means for extracting the essence from the file;

means for storing the essence in the data store;

means for extracting metadata from each metadata object in the first file; and

storing the extracted metadata in the data store in a second file format, wherein the extracted metadata and essence in the data store are accessible using the unique identifier assigned to the essence.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for storing the extracted metadata in the data store in the second file format further performs:

adding the extracted metadata to a metadata data structure in the second file format, wherein the metadata data structure is stored in the data store.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the metadata data structure comprises a metadata file, and wherein one separate metadata file is provided for each received file in the first file format to store in the data store.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for adding the extracted metadata to the metadata data structure further stores the metadata extracted from each metadata object in the first file in at least one field in the metadata data structure.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein each metadata object in the first file includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein the means for storing the extracted metadata from each metadata object in the metadata data structure further performs:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format, and

determining from the mapping, for each metadata object, one field type for the metadata code in the metadata object, wherein one field in the metadata data structure including the metadata indicates the determined field type.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for storing the metadata in the data structure for each metadata object further stores a metadata value in an additional field in the metadata structure if the metadata object includes one metadata value.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein each field in the metadata data structure comprises a tagged field and wherein the metadata data structure is in a tagged file format.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for storing the metadata in the at least one field further performs:

generating a tagged element field indicating the determined field type if the metadata object does not include an attribute value;

inserting the generated tagged element field into the metadata data structure;

generating a tagged attribute field including an attribute value extracted from the metadata object if the metadata object includes the attribute value; and

inserting the generated tagged attribute field into the metadata data structure.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the essence data comprises one of multimedia data, application data, text, and database records.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first file format comprises the Media Exchange Format (MXF) and wherein the metadata objects in the first file are implemented in the Key, Length, Value (KLV) coding scheme.

27. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a unique identifier;

means for accessing the essence and the metadata data structure associated with the unique identifier;

means for generating at least one reconstructed metadata object from the metadata in the metadata data structure; and

means for assembling a second file in the first file format including the reconstructed metadata object, the accessed essence, and the received unique identifier.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the metadata data structure includes metadata in tagged fields, wherein the means for generating each reconstructed metadata object further performs:

accessing the metadata data from the tagged fields; and

storing the accessed metadata in the reconstructed metadata object.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each metadata object in the first file format includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein the means for generating each reconstructed metadata object further performs:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format;

determining from the accessed metadata data structure one field type;

determining from the mapping the metadata code corresponding to the determined field type; and

including the determined metadata code in the reconstructed metadata object.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for generating the reconstructed metadata object further performs:

accessing a metadata attribute value from the accessed metadata data structure for the accessed field type; and

adding the accessed attribute value to the reconstructed metadata object for the field type.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second file formats are a same file format.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second file formats are different file formats.

33. An article of manufacture including code for storing data in a data store, wherein the code is capable of causing operations to be performed comprising:

receiving a first file in a first file format including essence, metadata objects providing information on the essence, and a unique identifier assigned to the essence;

extracting the essence from the file;

storing the essence in the data store;

extracting metadata from each metadata object in the first file; and

storing the extracted metadata in the data store in a second file format, wherein the extracted metadata and essence in the data store are accessible using the unique identifier assigned to the essence.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein storing the extracted metadata in the data store in the second file format further comprises:

adding the extracted metadata to a metadata data structure in the second file format, wherein the metadata data structure is stored in the data store.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34, wherein the metadata data structure comprises a metadata file, and wherein one separate metadata file is provided for each received file in the first file format to store in the data store.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 34, wherein adding the extracted metadata to the metadata data structure further comprises storing the metadata extracted from each metadata object in the first file in at least one field in the metadata data structure.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 36, wherein each metadata object in the first file includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein storing the extracted metadata from each metadata object in the metadata data structure further comprises:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format, and

determining from the mapping, for each metadata object, one field type for the metadata code in the metadata object, wherein one field in the metadata data structure including the metadata indicates the determined field type.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 37, wherein storing the metadata in the data structure for each metadata object further comprises storing a metadata value in an additional field in the metadata structure if the metadata object includes one metadata value.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 37, wherein each field in the metadata data structure comprises a tagged field and wherein the metadata data structure is in a tagged file format.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39, wherein storing the metadata in the at least one field further comprises:

generating a tagged element field indicating the determined field type if the metadata object does not include an attribute value;

inserting the generated tagged element field into the metadata data structure;

generating a tagged attribute field including an attribute value extracted from the metadata object if the metadata object includes the attribute value; and

inserting the generated tagged attribute field into the metadata data structure.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the essence data comprises one of multimedia data, application data, text, and database records.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the first file format comprises the Media Exchange Format (MXF) and wherein the metadata objects in the first file are implemented in the Key, Length, Value (KLV) coding scheme.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving a unique identifier;

accessing the essence and the metadata data structure associated with the unique identifier;

generating at least one reconstructed metadata object from the metadata in the metadata data structure; and

assembling a second file in the first file format including the reconstructed metadata object, the accessed essence, and the received unique identifier.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 43, wherein the metadata data structure includes metadata in tagged fields, wherein generating each reconstructed metadata object comprises:

accessing the metadata data from the tagged fields; and

storing the accessed metadata in the reconstructed metadata object.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 44, wherein each metadata object in the first file format includes a metadata code corresponding to a metadata type, and wherein generating each reconstructed metadata object further comprises:

providing a mapping associating field types for the second file format with the metadata codes identifying metadata types in the first file format;

determining from the accessed metadata data structure one field type;

determining from the mapping the metadata code corresponding to the determined field type; and

including the determined metadata code in the reconstructed metadata object.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein generating the reconstructed metadata object further comprises:

accessing a metadata attribute value from the accessed metadata data structure for the accessed field type; and

adding the accessed attribute value to the reconstructed metadata object for the field type.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the first and second file formats are a same file format.