Information item morphing system

• US 20020083055A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Europe (Amsterdam) BV (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony France SA (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Pachet, Francois, Roy, Pierre, Cazaly, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• 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 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of generating sequencing information representing a sequence of items selected in a database. Each of the items comprises a set of descriptors. The method is characterised by comprising the steps of: a) specifying a length of items and at least one of the descriptors; b) performing similarity relation techniques between the items; and c) generating a fixed-length sequence having a morphological continuity. Each of the items is represented by a series of constraint variables having a domain in the database, and modelling each of the values of descriptors in a desired sequence as a constrained variable. The similarity relation performing step may comprise performing global similarity techniques by combining individual similarity measures on all of the descriptors. The sequence-generating step comprises transforming at least one of the values into unary constraints in terms of constraint satisfaction programming techniques.

Claims

1. A method of generating sequencing information representing a sequence of items selected in a database, each of the items comprising a set of descriptors, characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

a) specifying a length of said sequence and at least one of said descriptors;

b) applying similarity relation techniques between said items; and

c) generating a fixed-length sequence having a morphological continuity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said items is represented by a series of constraint variables having a domain in the database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said similarity-relation applying step comprises modelling each of said descriptors in a desired sequence as a constrained variable.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said similarity-relation applying step comprises applying a global similarity relation technique by combining individual similarity measures on all of said descriptors.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said similarity-relation applying step comprises providing mathematical similarity functions.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said similarity-relation applying step comprises providing similarity relations defined by given thresholds.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sequence-generating step comprises transforming said at least one of said values into unary constraints in terms of constraint satisfaction programming techniques.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said sequence-generating step further comprises subjecting said unary constraints to a processing of variables domain reduction.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said descriptors are expressed in terms of descriptor/value pairs respectively, and each of said values for said descriptor is selected from descriptor/value lists.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein each of said descriptors is associated to a descriptor type.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said descriptor type comprises at least one type selected from the group consisting of Integer-Type, Taxonomy-Type and Discrete-Type.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of specifying at least one of said values comprises specifying a first title and a last title of said items in said sequence.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of specifying at least one of said values comprises specifying a morphological style of said items in said sequence.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said database comprises musical pieces.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said values comprise titles, and said titles form a music program.

16. A system adapted to implement the method of claim 1, comprising a general-purpose computer and a monitor for display of the generated information.

17. A computer program product adapted to carry out the method of claim 1, when loaded into a general purpose computer.