Data management method and apparatus for such data management

A data management apparatus for managing a plurality of data including images, voice, characters, in a unified manner, said apparatus comprising:

• a) data registration means for forming an attribute file for registering therein an attribute peculiar to data to be registered so as to register the attribute data in peculiar to the data in said attribute file, simultaneously with the registration of the data;
• b) data management means for processing and managing the attribute data registered by said data registration means through application in a unified manner;
• c) data erase means for deleting the data by use of said attribute file and for shifting the to be operable under the management of an operating system said data management apparatus;
• and
• d) attribute setting means for setting the attribute stored in said attribute file to be the mode of "read-only" or "hidden" in response to the processing for ending an operation of the application.

A method for managing a plurality of data including images, voice, characters, in a unified manner, said method comprising the steps of:

• registering an attribute peculiar to the data in an attribute file, concurrently with the registration of the data;
• allowing the data to be processed and managed through an application in a unified manner based on the attribute data stored in the attribute file;
• and
• setting the attribute data to be the mode of "read-only" or "hidden" in response to completion of the processing for ending an operation of the application, thereby protecting the data from being accessed by an operating system and applications other than the application.

A method for managing a plurality of data including images, voice, characters, or the in a unified manner, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) registering an attribute peculiar to the data in an attribute file, concurrently with the registration of the data;
• b) allowing the data to be processed and managed through an application in a unified manner based on the attribute data stored in the attribute file;
• c) deleting the data by use of one of the attribute file and attribute table, and shifting the data to be usable under the management of an operating system (OS), thereby erasing the data;
• and
• d) setting the attribute data in one of the attribute file the attribute table to be the mode of "read-only" or "hidden" in response to the processing for ending the application, by protecting the data from being accessed by the operating system and applications other than the application.

A data management system for managing a plurality of data including image data, said apparatus comprising:

• a) attribute file formation means for forming an attribute file for registering therein an attribute peculiar to data to be registered;
• b) data registration means for registering an attribute peculiar to the data into said attribute file, simultaneously with the registration of the data;
• c) data processing means for processing and managing the data through a predetermined application in a unified manner based on attribute data registered in said attribute file;
• and
• d) attribute setting means for setting the attribute data registered in said attribute file so as to inhibit the data from being rewritten in response to the processing for ending an operation of the application.

A data management system for managing data in a unified manner, said apparatus comprising:

• a) data registration means for forming an attribute file for registering therein an attribute peculiar to data in said attribute file, simultaneously with the registration of the data;
• b) data management means for processing and managing the attribute data registered by said data registration means through application in a unified manner;
• c) data erase means for deleting the data by use of said attribute file and for shifting the data to be operable under the management of an operating system said data management apparatus;
• and
• d) attribute setting means for setting the attribute registered in said attribute file to be the mode of "read-only" or "hidden" in response to the processing for ending an operation of the application.

A method for managing data in a unified manner, said method comprising the steps of:

• registering an attribute peculiar to the data in an attribute file concurrently with the registration of the data;
• allowing the data to be processed and managed through an application in a unified manner based on the attribute data stored in the attribute file;
• and
• setting the attribute data to be the mode of "read-only" or "hidden" in response to completion of the processing for ending an operation of the application, thereby protecting the data from being accessed by an operating system and applications other than the application.