Database system, particularly for multimedia objects
AssigneeMCI, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Paul Brock, Maxime Gaëtan Geoffrey Haot, Gregory Kenneth Willis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A database system stores data relating to media objects and includes a meta table, a supplementary meta table, a content table, a supplementary content table, each supplementary content data record being linked to a supplementary metadata record and to a content data record. An object type link table links together records in the meta table, and a content data link table links together records in the content data table. An information retrieval system analyzes the tables and provides, for a selected instance of an object, information about that object's attributes and relationships with other objects in a hierarchical form.
Claims40
A database system for managing data objects, the system comprising:
- a meta table for storing metadata records;
- and a content table for storing instances for each of the data objects, the instance for a particular one of the data objects being linked to at least one of the metadata records stored in the meta table and including at least one value for a parameter applicable to the metadata records to which the particular data object is linked, wherein the content table includes a content link table defining relationships between the object instances based on a linkage information between a first content item table and a second content item table, wherein the meta table includes a first meta item table including definitions for a first subset of the data objects, a second meta item table including definitions for a second subset of the data objects, and a meta link table defining hierarchical relationships between the first subset of data objects and the second subset of data objects.
A method for managing data objects comprising:
- storing metadata records in a database;
- storing instances for each of the data objects in a content table in the database, wherein the database includes a content link table defining relationships between the object instances based on a linkage information between a first content item table and a second content item table;
- and linking the instance of a particular one of the data objects to at least, one of the metadata records stored in the database, the instance including at least one value for a parameter applicable to the metadata record to which the particular data object is linked, wherein the database includes a first meta item table including definitions for a first subset of the data objects, a second meta item table including definitions for a second subset of the data objects, and a meta link table defining hierarchical relationships between the first subset of data objects and the second subset of data objects.
A method comprising:
- updating a metadata record in a meta table of a database;
- and
- updating an instance for one of a plurality of data objects in a content table in the database, wherein the instance includes a link to the metadata record, the instance including at least one value for a parameter associated with the metadata record,
- wherein the parameter includes a description of the at least one value of the instance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.