Retrieval method and system of multimedia database

• US 6,085,185 A
• Filed: 07/03/1997
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuzawa, Shigeru, Takiyasu, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLEURANTIN, JEAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/888,236
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/102, 707/200, 707/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/483 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A multimedia database system effectively retrieves the contents in an optional storage position of an optional medium among a large amount of video and audio media. When a user puts an annotation to a specific range of a medium, the system registers an annotation object comprising the object ID of the target medium, specific range, and annotation information in a table. Next, when an annotation is put to a specific range of a medium once, the system automatically produces annotation objects for all media in the citation relation to it. The system manages the link relation between the citation destination and the citation source by a management table which is newly installed. The system retrieves the table and displays an annotation list coincident with the retrieval condition.

Claims

1. A data management method in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said method comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a source object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is changed; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a destination object of said changed first link information.

2. A data management method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating a copy of the retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to the source object of the changed first link information; and

generating and storing the changed second link information indicating a link with the copied retrieval information and the destination object of said changed first link information.

3. A data management method according to claim 1, wherein said object comprises data corresponding to a partial time span when said object has an attribute of time.

4. A data management method according to claim 1, wherein said object is an object having a time axis;

and

said first link information includes a start point and an end point on the time axis of the object having said time axis.

5. A data management method in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said method comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with a retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a destination object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is changed; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a source object of said changed first link information.

6. A data management method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

generating a copy of the retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to the destination object of the changed first link information; and

generating and storing the changed second link information indicating a link with the copy of the retrieval information and the source object of said changed first link information.

7. A data management method according to claim 5, wherein said object comprises data corresponding to a partial time span when said object has an attribute of time.

8. A data management method according to claim 5, wherein said object is an object having a time axis;

and

said first link information includes a start point and an end point on the time axis of the object having said time axis.

9. A data management method in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said method comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said second link information;

selecting an object indicated by a link in said first link information corresponding to an object indicated by a link of the changed second link information, if the second link information is changed; and

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with the retrieval information indicated by a link of the changed second link information.

10. A data management method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

generating a copy of the retrieval information indicated by a link in said changed second link information; and

generating the second link information indicating a link of an object indicated by a link of said first link information corresponding to an object indicated by a link of the changed second link information, and the copied retrieval information.

11. A data management method according to claim 9, wherein said object comprises data corresponding to a partial time span when said object has an attribute of time.

12. A data management method according to claim 9, wherein said object is an object having a time axis;

and

said first link information includes a start point and an end point on the time axis of the object having said time axis.

13. A computer readable storage medium storing a data management program, the program being executable in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a source object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is charged; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a destination object of said changed first link information.

14. A computer readable storage medium storing a data management program, the program being executable in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a destination object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is changed; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a source object of said changed first link information.

15. A computer readable storage medium storing a data management program, the program being executable in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the steps of:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said second link information;

selecting an object indicated by a link in said first link information corresponding to an object indicated by a link of the changed second link information, if the second link information is changed; and

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with the retrieval information indicated by a link of the changed second link information.

16. A data management program in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the codes for:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a source object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is changed; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a destination object of said changed first link information.

17. A data management program in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the codes for:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said first link information;

generating retrieval information indicated by a link in said second link information given to a destination object of the changed first link information, if the first link information is changed; and

generating and storing changed second link information indicating a link with said retrieval information and a source object of said changed first link information.

18. A data management program in a database system storing a plurality of objects and first link information representing reference relationships among said plurality of objects, said data management program comprising the codes for:

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with retrieval information and an object for retrieving the object;

detecting a change of said second link information;

selecting an object indicated by a link in said first link information corresponding to an object indicated by a link of the changed second link information, if the second link information is changed; and

generating and storing second link information indicating a link with the retrieval information indicated by a link of the changed second link information.