Showing papers on "Multimedia database published in 1999"

Ontobroker: Ontology Based Access to Distributed and Semi-Structured Information

Abstract: The World Wide Web (WWW) can be viewed as the largest multimedia database that has ever existed. However, its support for query answering and automated inference is very limited. Metadata and domain specific ontologies were proposed by several authors to solve this problem. We developed Ontobroker which uses formal ontologies to extract, reason, and generate metadata in the WWW. The paper describes the formalisms and tools for formulating queries, defining ontologies, extracting metadata, and generating metadata in the format of the Resource Description Framework (RDF), as recently proposed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These methods provide a means for semantic based query handling even if the information is spread over several sources. Furthermore, the generation of RDF descriptions enables the exploitation of the ontological information in RDF-based applications.

Query processing issues in image (multimedia) databases

Abstract: Multimedia database systems are essential for the effective and efficient use of large collections of image data. The aim of such systems is to enable retrieval of images based on their contents. As part of our research in this area, we are building a prototype content-based image retrieval system called CHITRA. This uses a four-level data model, and we have defined a fuzzy object query language (FOQL) for this system. This system enables retrieval based on high-level concepts, such as "retrieve images of mountains and sunset". A problem faced in this system is the processing of complex queries such as "retrieve all images that have a similar color histogram and a similar texture to the given example image". Such problems have attracted research attention in recent times. R. Fagin (1996) has given an algorithm for processing such queries and provided a probabilistic upper bound for the complexity of the algorithm (which has been implemented in IBM's Garlic project). In this paper, we provide a theoretical (probabilistic) analysis of the expected cost of this algorithm. We propose a new multi-step query processing algorithm and prove that it performs better than Fagin's algorithm in all cases. Our algorithm requires fewer database accesses. We have evaluated both algorithms against an image database of 1000 images on our CHITRA system. We have used both color histogram and Gabor texture features. Our analysis is presented and the reported experimental results validate our algorithm (which has a significant performance improvement).

Multimedia Database Management Systems

Abstract: Introduction. Multimedia Data Types and Formats. Multimedia Database Design Issues. Text Document Indexing and Retrieval. Indexing and Retrieval of Audio. Image Indexing and Retrieval. Video Indexing and Retrieval. Integrated Multimedia Indexing and Retrieval. Techniques and Data Structures for Efficient Multimedia Similarity Search. System Support for Distributed Multimedia Databases. Measurement of Multimedia Information Retrieval Effectiveness. Products, Applications, and New Developments.

Very Large Databases

Abstract: The sections in this article are 1 Application-Oriented Database Management Systems 2 Multimedia Database Management Systems

Workflow agent for a multimedia database system

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer-implemented workflow agent. Items stored in a data store connected to a computer are tracked in the computer. Initially, a workflow agent is invoked Under control of the workflow agent, an item in the multi-media data store is monitored to determine whether the item meets one or more specified conditions. When the monitoring indicates that the item meets the one or more specified conditions, under control of the workflow agent, whether an action is to be performed is determined. When it is determined that an action is to be performed, the action is performed.

Indexing and searching structure for multimedia database systems

Abstract: Recently, multimedia database systems have emerged as a fruitful area for research due to the recent progress in high-speed communication networks, large capacity storage devices, digitized media,and data compression technologies over the last few years. Multimedia information has been used in a variety of applications including manufacturing, education, medicine, entertainment, etc. A multimedia database system integrates text, images, audio, graphics, database system is that all of the different media are brought together into one single unit, all controlled by a computer. As more information sources become available in multimedia systems, how to model and search the image processing techniques to model multimedia data. A Simultaneous Partition and Class Parameter Estimation algorithm that considers the problem of video frame segmentation as a joint estimation of the partition and class parameter variables has been developed and implemented to identify objects and their corresponding spatial relations. Based on the obtained object information, a web spatial model (WSM) is constructed. A WSM is a multimedia database searching structure to model the temporal and spatial relations of semantic objects so that multimedia database queries related to the objects' temporal and spatial relations on the images or video frames can be answered efficiently.

Content And Multimedia Database Management Systems

Abstract: A database management system is a general-purpose software system that facilitates the processes of defining, constructing, and manipulating databases for various applications. The main characteristic of the ‘database approach’ is that it increases the value of data by its emphasis on data independence. DBMSs, and in particular those based on the relational data model, have been very successful at the management of administrative data in the business domain. This thesis has investigated data management in multimedia digital libraries, and its implications on the design of database management systems. The main problem of multimedia data management is providing access to the stored objects. The content structure of administrative data is easily represented in alphanumeric values. Thus, database technology has primarily focused on handling the objects’ logical structure. In the case of multimedia data, representation of content is far from trivial though, and not supported by current database management systems.

Quality of Service Semantics for Multimedia Database Systems

Abstract: Quality of service (QoS) support has been a hot research topic in multimedia databases, and multimedia systems in general, for the past several years. However, there remains little consensus on how QoS support should be provided. At the resource-management level, systems designers are still debating the suitability of reservation-based versus adaptive QoS management. The design of higher system layers is less clearly understood, and the specification of QoS requirements in domain-specific terms is still an open research topic. To address these issues, we propose a QoS model for multimedia databases. The model covers the specification of user-level QoS preferences and their relationship to QoS control at the resource-management level, and is applicable to adaptive and reservation-based systems. In this paper we present the model, discuss the implications it has for multimedia database design, and describe a practical implementation of it.

Augmented transition networks as video browsing models for multimedia databases and multimedia information systems

Abstract: In an interactive multimedia information system, users should have the flexibility to browse and choose various scenarios they want to see. This means that two-way communications should be captured by the conceptual model. Digital video has gained increasing popularity in many multimedia applications. Instead of sequential access to the video contents, the structuring and modeling of video data so that users can quickly and easily browse and retrieve interesting materials has become an important issue in designing multimedia information systems. An abstract semantic model called the augmented transition network (ATN), which can model video data and user interactions, is proposed in this paper. An ATN and its subnetworks can model video data based on different granularities, such as scenes, shots and key frames. Multimedia input strings are used as inputs for ATNs. The details of how to use multimedia input strings to model video data are also discussed. Key frame selection is based on the temporal and spatial relations of semantic objects in each shot. These relations are captured from our proposed unsupervised video segmentation method, which considers the problem of partitioning each frame as a joint estimation of the partition and class parameter variables. Unlike existing semantic models, which only model multimedia presentation, multimedia database searching or browsing, ATNs together with multimedia input strings can model these three in one framework.

Survey on Image Content Analysis, Indexing, and Retrieval Techniques and Status Report of MPEG-7

Abstract: Multimedia database management has been intensively studied recently due to the rapid growth of multimedia data and the demand of their access over the Internet. The new member of the MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) family, called the ”Multimedia Content Description Interface” or MPEG-7 in short, will extend the limited capabilities of proprietary solutions in identifying multimedia contents that exist today. State-of-the-art technologies and systems will be evaluated and merged to specify a standard to describe multimedia contents in such a process. In this review paper, a comprehensive survey of image database management techniques and systems is performed, and the status in the MPEG-7 standardization process is reported. Based on this study, future trends and promising research directions are also predicted.

Concentric hyperspaces and disk allocation for fast parallel range searching

Abstract: Data partitioning and declustering have been extensively used in the past to parallelize I/O for range queries. Numerous declustering and disk allocation techniques have been proposed in the literature. However most of these techniques were primarily designed for two-dimensional data and for balanced partitioning of the data space. As databases increasingly integrate multimedia information in the form of image, video, and audio data, it is necessary to extend the declustering techniques for multidimensional data. We first establish that traditional declustering techniques do not scale for high-dimensional data. We then propose several new partitioning schemes based on concentric hyperspaces. We then develop disk allocation methods for each of the proposed schemes. We conclude with an evaluation of range queries based on these schemes and show that partitioning based on concentric hyperspaces has a significant advantage over a balanced partitioning approach for parallel I/O.

Object-oriented framework for managing access control in a multimedia database

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for an object-oriented framework for managing access control in a multimedia database connected to a computer is provided. A datastore access control object is generated for the datastore, wherein the datastore access control object enables controlling access to the datastore. An access control list object is manipulated with the datastore access control object to set access privileges.

Constraint-based automation of multimedia presentation assembly

Abstract: In this paper, we present a methodology for automated construction of multimedia presentations. Semantic coherency of a multimedia presentation is expressed in terms of presentation inclusion and exclusion constraints. When a user specifies a set of segments for a presentation, the multimedia database system adds segments into and/or deletes segments from the set in order to satisfy the inclusion and exclusion constraints. We discuss the consistency and the satisfiability of inclusion and exclusion constraints when exclusion is allowed. Users express a presentation query by (a) pointing and clicking to an initial set of desired multimedia segments to be included into the presentation, and (b) specifying an upper bound on the time length of the presentation. The multimedia database system then finds the set of segments satisfying the inclusion-exclusion constraints and the time bound. Using priorities for segments and inclusion constraints, we give two algorithms for automated presentation assembly and discuss their complexity. To automate the assembly of a presentation with concurrent presentation streams, we introduce presentation organization constraints that are incorporated into the multimedia data model, independent of any presentation. We define four types of presentation organization constraints that, together with an underlying database ordering, allow us to obtain a unique presentation graph for a given set of multimedia segments. We briefly summarize a prototype system that fully incorporates the algorithms for the segment selection problem.

VisualMOQL: the DISIMA visual query language

Abstract: Multimedia data are now available to a variety of users ranging from naive to sophisticated. To make querying easy, visual query languages have been proposed. Most of these languages have a low expressive power and have their own query processors. Efforts have been made to design query languages with proper semantics to facilitate query optimization and processing in existing database systems. The majority of multimedia database systems are built on top of object or object-relational database systems with the underlying query facilities inherited. The DISIMA system is being built on top of a commercial OODBMS and we have chosen to extend the standard object oriented query language OQL with some multimedia functionalities. The resulting language is called MOQL. This paper presents VisualMOQL, a visual query language implementing the image component of MOQL.

A semantic classification and composite indexing approach to robust image retrieval

Abstract: This paper investigates the use of image content analysis and image clustering techniques to organize an image database and to determine low-level features and semantic meanings for indexing and retrieval. A robust image retrieval system consisting of semantic classification, composite indexing and interactive query is proposed under this framework. In this system, a large image collection with great varieties is categorized into different classes according to distinct characteristics. The semantics of feature descriptors and the relationship between feature descriptors and image contents are then explored. Finally, a composite indexing and interactive retrieval procedure using low-level features and high-level understanding is developed to achieve a robust image query performance.

Integrated multimedia approach to the utilization of an Everglades vegetation database

Abstract: An approach for integrating multimedia data with a geographic information system (GIS) database was developed for an area corresponding to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Long Pine Key and Pa-Hay-Okee Lookout Tower 1 :24,000scale topographic quadrangles in Everglades National Park. The multimedia database contains descriptive text, ground photographs, digital video clips, and audio segments highlighting the characteristics of Everglades plant communities, individual species, and invasive exotics, as well as plant-anima1 interactions, hurricane damage, and post-fire vegetation succession. It is linked to a GIS database that includes detailed vegetation maps, SPOT panchromatic imagery, and scanned National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP) 1:40,000-scale color-infrared (CIR) aerial photographs. The integrated multimedia approach was implemented in two steps: (1) an interactive multimedia system designed to manipulate multimedia information such as hypertext, hyperlinks, scanned photographs, digital video, and sound was developed in a Microsoft Visual Basic programming environment; and (2) a CIS application program to manipulate spatial data was constructed using Visual Basic and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Mapobjects software. The interactive multimedia approach provides a unique way to represent geographic features and associated information on interrelationships between flora, fauna, and human activities in Everglades National Park.

A user interface for distributed multimedia database querying with mediator supported refinement

Abstract: The Delaunay/sup MM/ system supports an interactive, customizable interface for querying multimedia distributed databases, such as digital libraries. Through this interface, users select virtual document styles that cater the display of query results to their needs, while also offering transparent preand post-query refinement and querying. Delaunay/sup MM/'s virtual documents preserve context by maintaining a single customizable interface for result viewing. The advanced transparent query features rely on mediation to provide adept access to information. In this paper, we present the framework for Delaunay/sup MM/, its architecture, the user interface, and results of the first usability study.

Document warehousing based on a multimedia database system

Abstract: Nowadays, structured data such as sales and business forms are stored in data warehouses for decision makers to use. Further, unstructured data such as emails, HTML texts, images, videos, and office documents are increasingly accumulated in personal computer storage due to spread of mailing, WWW, and word processing. Such unstructured data, or what we call multimedia documents, are larger in volume than structured data and precious as corporate assets as well. So we need a document warehouse as a software framework where multimedia documents are analyzed and managed for corporate-wide information sharing and reuse like a data warehouse for structured data. We describe a prototype document warehouse system, which supports management of simple and compound documents, keyword-based and content-based retrieval, rule-based classification, SOM-based clustering, and XML data query and view rules.

Organization of Multimedia Resources: Principles and Practice of Information Retrieval

Abstract: If you want to convert a collection of images into a computer database, organize access to sound recordings through a Web browser or store a company s archives in one searchable computerized structure, the database must be set up so that users can find what they want and make maximum use of the information it holds. Mary Burke provides much-needed guidance on organizing such information for effective retrieval whether from local, stand-alone computers or remote networked databases. The earlier chapters of the book explain the need for a logical structure for multimedia databases and for consistent description and indexing of their components. Analyzing the structure and characteristics of different information items, and the relationship between the original object and surrogate representations of it, the author extends the principles of cataloguing, classification, indexing and database structure to different multimedia products, identifying the difficulties of providing for multimedia retrieval by organizing data according to subject, creator or other characteristics. Theoretical principles and practical guidelines are given for storage of, and access to, the information content of textual, visual, audio and integrated multimedia databases. Later chapters of the book analyse electronic data structures and the particular requirements of visual and audio formats. The author also explores future scenarios for multimedia databases in networked environments. Practical assignments throughout the book encourage readers to apply principles to their own individual projects. Examples and illustrations from a variety of systems and formats demonstrate the principles described. Organization of Multimedia Resources is exceptional in drawing together the complementary principles of information retrieval and multimedia database design. It is aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students of information science, electronic publishing, records management and librarianshi"

Digital audio watermarking and its application in multimedia database

Abstract: In this paper, the general frame of audio watermarking and the current watermarking techniques and their applications are presented. In order to improve the inaudibility and robustness in watermark embedding and extraction, we proposed an adaptive content-based audio watermarking scheme. Finally, the evaluations for various audio watermarking techniques are given.

A data model and a query language for multimedia documents databases

Abstract: A multimedia application involves information that may be in a form of video, images, audio, text and graphics, need to be stored, retrieved and manipulated in large databases. In this paper, we propose an object-oriented database schema that supports multimedia documents and their temporal, spatial and logical structures. We present a document example and show how the schema can adress all the structures described. We also present a multimedia query specification language that can be used to describe a multimedia content portion to be retrieved from the database. The language provides means by which the user can specify the information on the media as well as the temoral and spatial relationships among these media.

Soft query in image retrieval systems

Abstract: We explore the use of soft computing and user defined classifications in multimedia database systems for content-based queries. With traditional database systems, objects/tuples are grouped into classes/relations using hard membership. Hence, the result of a query to obtain the members of a class is a fixed set. With multimedia databases, however, an object may belong to different classes with different probabilities (soft membership). In addition, alternative users may classify objects differently due to subjectivity of human perception on multimedia objects. In order to remedy for this situation, we propose a unified model that captures both conventional techniques and soft memberships. We implemented the model by extending the traditional database query capabilities such that the result of a query depends on the user who submits the query. We compared our proposed system with conventional image retrieval systems and observed a significant margin of improvement in matching the user expectations.

Issues in multimedia database management

Abstract: Multimedia information systems pose significantly different data management requirements than traditional database applications. Some of the multimedia data management issues have been well studied by the database community, but there are other problems that have been largely ignored. In this paper, the generality of multimedia database management is considered and a brief and personal overview of the issues is given.

Capabilities of multimedia gis

Abstract: A geographical information system (GIS) is used to capture, store, retrieve, analyzed and display the spatial (locationally defined) data. In contrast to traditional GIS, multimedia GIS is not only able to collect, analyze and store the data in traditional formats i.e. text, images (pictures) and graphs but also audio (sound), animations and video (moving pictures) as well. In this paper the advantages of multimedia GIS over traditional GIS are explained. Multimedia GIS is fully capable of providing services to both technical and non-technical users and users of multimedia GIS can retain more knowledge than users of traditional GIS. It can be applied to various fields such as tourism, environment, education etc. Some implementation issues such as data updating, information retrieval and data compression etc. are also addressed. Finally, future development of MMGIS (using new multimedia technologies such as Virtual Reality and Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is discussed.

Efficient and reliable digital media archive for content-based retrieval

Abstract: Recent years have witnessed a significant price reduction in many enabling technologies for wide-spread deployment of multimedia to desktop PCs and workstations. This advancement has lead to an increasing demand for systems that can store, retrieve, and manipulate large volumes of multimedia information. For a multimedia information system to better meet information users' needs, it must provide suitable access structures and methods. The answers to this demand fall into the research area of what most people called content-based multimedia indexing and retrieval. Existing approaches to content-based indexing and retrieval have limitations. What we need is a digital-media-archiving system that is both efficient and reliable. By reliable, we mean that users should be able to retrieve documents that have the most potential for being relevant to their queries. On the other hand, an efficient digital-media-archiving system should provide an environment that allows human operators to create document indices without the need to manually watch every multimedia object and enter keyword descriptions. This can be done by providing initial structure information of the video to the user, by guiding the human operator through the indexing process, and by offering tools to create multiple media representations in a hierarchical structure.

Adaptive QoS aware binding of persistent multimedia objects

Abstract: The heterogeneity of distributed multimedia systems in terms of hardware, operating systems, programming languages, data formats, compression formats, available resources, and QoS requirements imposes severe problems. The purpose of the middleware platform is to provide interoperability and portability of distributed system services and applications. However, today's middleware platforms, like CORBA and TINA-DPE, do not solve all these problems. For example, automated control of interface compatibility and quality of service (QoS) support are still important research topics. This is especially true in the context of multimedia database systems (MMDBS) in distributed systems, because interface type and QoS depends on the result of queries and cannot be determined in advance. We show how the temporal object oriented data model, TOOMM, and the formal model for bindings MBS can be utilized in a heterogeneous distributed system to: (1) solve compatibility issues, (2) find agreeable levels of QoS, and (3) automatically adapt the flexible multimedia object request broker (ORB) MULTE-ORB, to application requirements and available resources.

Issues in Designing Contemporary Video Database Systems.

Abstract:  Video databases became an active field of research during the last years. Many universities and research groups are building prototypes and the first commercial products are becoming available. This paper surveys some of the most important open issues that should be taken into account when designing a contemporary video database system. Index Terms  Video databases, Multimedia database systems, Video indexing and retrieval, Digital libraries.

Analysis of quality-of-service in a wide-area interactive distance learning system

Abstract: Interactive distance learning (IDL) is an evolving paradigm of instruction and learning that attempts to overcome both distance and time constraints found in traditional classroom learning The electronic classrooms at two sites of the University of Oslo and two further sites in Norway overcome separations in space by exchanging digital audio, video, and whiteboard information via the Norwegian academic ATM-based network "Supernett II" The electronic classrooms are used since 1993 for teaching graduate level courses This paper presents measurements and analysis results of transport, application, and user level Quality-of-Service (QoS) of the electronic classrooms We describe our general experiences with this system for synchronous IDL The lessons learned represent the motivation for the ongoing extension to support asynchronous IDL by a multimedia database system (MMDBS) to manage all data used and generated in the electronic classrooms