File structure for storing content objects in a data repository

• US 7,007,034 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Pearson Education Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Pearson Education Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Inventors: Hartman, Robert C. Jr., Walkus, Richard W., Hanapole, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/489,730
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707100-102, 707/103.RZ, 707/104.1, 345/797
• US Class Current: 707/812
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• 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 707/914 Video
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A data structure and method are provided for storing a content object stored (e.g., a custom compilation or prepublished work) as a group of hierarchically related content entities Each content entity is contained in a separate file object. An attribute file object corresponding to each content entity file object contains attributes pertaining to that entity. A list or outline containing container and noncontainer identifiers defines the content, order and structure of the content object. This list or outline is stored as a separate file object (e.g., a CBO or the PSF file of a prepublished work).

Claims

1. A computer program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a file structure for storing a content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities to facilitate content adjustment, said file structure comprising:

an identifier file object containing a list of content entity identifiers defining the content of the content object, wherein a hierarchial arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchial tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of content entities for the content object; and

a plurality of content file objects, each containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said list, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier;

wherein the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list are modifiable by the user to alter content and arrangement of the content object without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said file structure further comprises an attribute file object containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and said file structure further comprises one or more associated component file objects.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises an image.

7. A computer program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a file structure for storing a hierarchically structured content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities to facilitate content adjustment, said file structure comprising:

an identifier file object containing a hierarchial outline of containers and content entity identifiers defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchical structure of the content object, wherein each container represents an outline hierarchial tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of content entities for the content object; and

a plurality of content file objects, each containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said outline, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier;

wherein the presence and position of containers and individual content entity identifiers within said outline are modifiable by a user to alter content and structure of the content object without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said file structure further comprises an attribute file object containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and said file structure further comprises one or more associated component file objects.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the content object is a book and the containers are one or more of a book, a volume, and a chapter.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises an image.

14. A computer implemented method of producing a user work in the form of a content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities each including at least one medium, comprising the steps of:

storing a list of content entity identifiers defining the content of the work within an identifier file object, wherein a hierarchial arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchial tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined work hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of content entities for the work;

storing the content entities identified by the content entity identifiers within a plurality of content file objects with each content file object containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said list, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier; and

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter content and arrangement of the work without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of storing at least one attribute pertaining to the work in an attribute file object.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the work.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the work, and further comprising the step of storing the components in one or more associated component file objects.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the work is one of a book, a collection of images, an album, and a video.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the work is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

20. A computer implemented method of producing a user work in the form of a content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities each including at least one medium, comprising the steps of:

storing a hierarchial outline of containers and content entity identifiers defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchical structure of the work within an identifier file object, wherein each container represents an outline hierarchial tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of content entities for the work;

storing the content entities identified by the content entity identifiers within a plurality of content file objects with each content file object containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said outline, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier; and

enabling modification of the presence and position of containers and individual content entity identifiers within said outline by a user to alter content and structure of the work without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of storing at least one attribute pertaining to the work within an attribute file object.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the work.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the work, and further comprising the step of storing the components in one or more associated component file objects.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the work is a book and the containers are one or more of a book, a volume, and a chapter.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the work is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.

27. A computer program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing a file structure for storing a content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities, comprising:

a first set of program instructions for creating an identifier file object containing a list of content entity identifiers defining the content of the content object, wherein a hierarchial arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchial tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of content entities for the content object; and

a second set of program instructions for creating a plurality of content file objects, each containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said list, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier;

wherein the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list are modifiable by a user to alter content and arrangement of the content object without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising a third set of program instructions for creating an attribute file object containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising a third set of program instructions for creating one or more associated component file objects.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment, and an audio segment.

33. A computer program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for storing a hierarchically structured content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities, comprising:

a first set of program instructions for creating an identifier file object containing a hierarchial outline of containers and content entity identifiers defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchical structure of the content object, wherein each container represents an outline hierarchial tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of content entities for the content object; and

a second set of program instructions for creating a plurality of content file objects, each containing a content entity identified by one of the content entity identifiers contained in said outline, wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier;

wherein the presence and position of containers and individual content entity identifiers within said outline are modifiable by a user to alter content and structure of the content object without manipulating the content entities identified by said content entity identifiers.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising a third set of program instructions for creating an attribute file object containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising a third set of program instructions for creating one or more associated component file objects.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the content object is a book and the containers are one or more of a book, a volume, and a chapter.

38. The device of claim 33, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

39. The device of claim 36, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.