Method for improving the functionality of the binary representation of MPEG-7 and other XML based content descriptions

• US 7,797,346 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Niedermeier, Ulrich, Heuer, Jorg, Hutter, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): PANNALA, SATHYANARAYA R
• Application Number:
  US10/467,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,148 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103.R, 707/3, 707/6, 707/100, 707/200, 715/513, 709/246
• US Class Current: 707/793
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/53 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream

Abstract

A method is provided for encoding string-based data types, which have, for example, a tree-type structure, in such a way that signal bits (flags) for optional sections and/or for length information concerning the codes that are of variable length are placed in a defined sequence at the beginning of the created bitstream, thus accelerating the search for data via a sorting process and bit mask queries. A more efficient encoding is also provided of the #position field by, among other things, the assignment of code fragments for each group of regular expressions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions in a bit stream, the method comprising:

using a computer to define at least one string-based data type by a regular expression with parts selected from at least one of an optional part and a nested optional part;

using the computer to represent the regular expression of the string-based data type through a bit stream by encoding and electronically storing flags for the parts and length information of variable-length codes in a defined order such that the flags are positioned at a start of the bit stream for instantiation of the string-based data type, wherein the order is derived from the regular expression; and

using the computer to transmit said bit stream to a receiving computer.

2. A method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising searching data in the bit stream in at least one instantiation which includes initially checking flags for containing specific optional parts of the regular expression.

3. A method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising searching data in the bit stream in at least one instantiation which includes initially using flags in advance in a decoder to provide corresponding resources for at least one of processing and storing contained data fields.

4. A method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions as claimed in claim 2, the method further comprising using length information to generate a bit pattern for searching in a remaining bit stream.

5. A method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising displaying an image based on at least a portion of the bit stream.

6. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to generate a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions in a bit stream, said computer readable program code when executed on a computer is operable;

to cause a computer to define a string-based data type by a regular expression with parts selected from at least one of an optional part and a nested optional part;

to cause a computer to represent the regular expression of the string-based data type through a bit stream by encoding and electronically storing flags for the parts and length information of variable-length codes in a defined order such that the flags are positioned at a start of the bit stream for instantiation of the string-based data type, wherein the order is derived from the regular expression; and

to transmit said bit stream.

7. A computer-implemented method for mapping a binary representation of XML-based content descriptions in a bit stream, the method comprising:

using a computer to define at least one string-based data type by a regular expression with at least one optional part and at least one nested optional part;

using the computer to represent the regular expression of the string-based data type through a bit stream by encoding and electronically storing flags for the at least one optional part and the at least one nested optional part and length information of variable-length codes in a defined order such that the flags are positioned at a start of the bit stream for instantiation of the string-based data type, wherein the order is derived from the regular expression; and

using the computer to transmit said bit stream to a receiving computer.