Image filing system which has retrieval data containing link information between image data

• US 5,276,805 A
• Filed: 05/30/1990
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamaguchi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Dale M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Application Number:
  US07/530,512
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 395/164, 395/166, 395/600, 395/162, 340/721, 340/799, 340/750, 340/800
• US Class Current: 345/537
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

An image filing system has first and second image storage devices and a retrieval data storage device. Image data representing a plurality of images are stored in the first image storage device, and retrieval data corresponding to the image data are stored in the retrieval data storage device. Desired image data are specified according to the corresponding retrieval data, and retrieved from the first image storage device and outputted to the second erasable random-access image storage device. Link information which indicates other image data related to the specified image data is added to the retrieval data. When desired image data are specified according to the corresponding retrieval data and retrieved and outputted to the second image storage device, the other image data related to the desired identified image data can quickly and efficiently be retrieved according to the link information.

Claims

1. An image filing system comprising:

a first image storage device for storing image data representing a plurality of images;

a second erasable random-access image storage device for storing image data;

a retrieval data storage device for storing retrieval data corresponding to the image data stored in said first image storage device, said retrieval data including storage location information of said image data in said first image storage device and key information to retrieve the image data; and

processing means for specifying image data according to corresponding retrieval data, and for either reading the specified image data from said first image storage device for reproduction, or transferring the specified image data from said first image storage device to said second image storage device and reading the transferred specified image data from said second image storage device for reproduction;

wherein said processing means comprises a first means for adding link information to the retrieval data corresponding to the specified image data, said link information representing other, related image data relative to the specified image data, which other, related image data need not have been recorded consecutively with said specified image data but which nevertheless is related to said specified image data, and a second means for determining the image data related to the specified image data according to the link information and transferring the determined image data from said first image storage device to said second image storage device.

2. An image filing system according to claim 1, wherein said link information comprises first link data for specifying related image data recorded prior to said specified image data and second link data for specifying related image data recorded subsequently to said specified data.