Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-03
2003-09-02
Alam, Hosain T. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615204
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the present invention pertains to efficient management and storage of data objects within databases. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for the storage and archival of data which enables high-speed access and flexible update capability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of data communications represents one of the most rapidly evolving technologies in wide spread use today. Data communications and.data processing has become important to virtually every segment of the nation's economy. Whole new industries and companies have organized around the need for, and the provision of, data communications. Through the use of specialized semiconductors for signal processing and data compression, various multimedia applications are evolving which orient data communications to the transport of voice, data, and video information, the types of information desired by the everyday consumer.
The authoring of multimedia works can be a very expensive, time consuming and complicated process. Such projects can involve huge production teams, enormous budgets, and the resources of entire production studios for significant amounts of time. Such multimedia works not only include computerized feature films such as those produced by major Hollywood studios and the like, but they can also include interactive movies, video games and other entertainment and educational type content that can run on personal computers, dedicated game consoles, kiosk machines and the like. It is becoming more common that the production of such multimedia titles consume monetary budgets and other resources not unlike those commonly associated with major Hollywood feature film productions.
Multimedia data, such as collections of digital animations come in a variety of heterogeneous formats and structures. Typically, during the creation of a multimedia project, many different tools and application programs are used to create, edit and otherwise process various types of multimedia data. In general each of the application programs, such as multimedia content authoring tools, operate on particular types and/or formats of data. Such types and formats of data are typically not compatible with all the various application programs used in the production process.
Additionally, each tool generally requires its own unique file structures, hierarchies, and naming conventions, etc., to manage, store and retrieve data. Each tool may also use different methods to catalog, search, and preview data. Likewise, each tool may use a different method (or no method at all), to track different versions of multimedia data. In addition, many tools operate on different computer platforms and environments that are not compatible with each other. In a typical shared development process, such inconsistencies make it difficult to coordinate and share resources among various members of the development team. In addition, such inconsistencies make it difficult to catalog and archive data in an efficient, safe, and consistent manner. Problems arising from such inconsistencies can be very costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for providing a consistent and efficient production environment for the development of various types of multimedia works and for the orderly archiving of the multimedia works to facilitate their re-use in later projects. Examples of multimedia works can include feature animation films, computer animation films, video games, interactive movies, news clips, educational multimedia products, corporate multimedia productions, multimedia sales catalogs and the like. The present invention assists artists, computer programmers, production managers, editors, directors, and producers in tracking and managing all multimedia data created and used during the process of multimedia productions and in finding and re-using assets from previous productions. The present invention also pertains to a set of techniques for mapping objects into relational databases that improves performance as well as flexibility.
In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented as a hybrid data base system for efficiently mapping objects (e.g., multimedia data) into data base storage. The hybrid database system includes at least one fixed mapped table for storing the objects into data base storage such that the objects have a fixed mapping. The hybrid data base system also includes at least one flexible mapped table for storing respective extensions for the objects into data base storage. The extensions for the objects are configured to capture updatable characteristics of the objects, such as those which occur when information comprising the objects changes, evolves, or is otherwise subsequently updated.
The fixed mapped table and the flexible mapped table function cooperatively through a program interface. The program interface functions by coordinating the operation of the fixed mapped table and the flexible mapped table such that objects stored using the fixed mapped table are automatically related to their respective extensions stored using the flexible mapped table. Any extension to an object during its life time is mapped into a database by mapping the extending data members into one or more corresponding flexible mapped tables.
The coordination between the flexible mapping and the fixed mapping provides a hybrid model for mapping object data into relational databases, wherein the extensions capture changes and updates to objects over their lifetimes. This avoids schema evolution problems associated with extending the objects. The use of fixed mapping minimizes processing overhead for accessing those objects that do not change over their lifetimes. This maximizes database performance during storage, retrieval, and query operations, and minimizes the processing penalty paid for accessing extensions.
Multimedia data, as the term is used herein, includes any and all types of data used to produce any and all types of multimedia works. Each instance of multimedia data need not comprise multiple data components or different types of media. Indeed multimedia data can comprise data of a single media type. For example, a JPEG data file is an industry standard for a compressed data format that comprises a single still video image. Even though a JPEG file comprises a single media type, it is considered to be multimedia data because it can be used as part of a multimedia production. Likewise, a multimedia authoring tool that can be used to create JPEG files may be referred to herein as a multimedia tool. Multimedia data can also comprise multiple types of media. For example, an MPEG data file is an industry standard for a compressed data format that comprises full-motion video as well as audio data components. Thus, an MPEG data file is another example of multiple data.
Other embodiments of the present invention are directed towards providing an integrated platform for a variety of diverse computerized utilities and application programs that operate on and/or create various types of multimedia data. Such computerized utilities and application programs can include video film editors, painting programs, three-dimensional modeling utilities, animation tools, and other multimedia data tools, running on a variety of computer systems and platforms.
The present invention provides a means for bringing compatibility and uniformity to diverse multimedia production environments. As stated, a multimedia production environment typically comprises a plurality of diverse types of production tools. The present invention accomplishes compatibility and uniformity among such diverse multimedia production tools by providing them with common program resources. The common program resources include a plurality of utilities and services related to the management, organization and storage of multimedia data. Such program resources are used to facilitate the creation of a consistent and uniform multimedia production environment.
The program resources provided by the p
Alam Hosain T.
Silicon Graphics Inc.
Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
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