Showing papers on "Multimedia database published in 2002"

Introduction to MPEG-7: Multimedia Content Description Interface

Abstract: From the Publisher: The MPEG standards are an evolving set of standards for video and audio compression. MPEG 7 technology covers the most recent developments in multimedia search and retreival, designed to standardise the description of multimedia content supporting a wide range of applications including DVD, CD and HDTV. Multimedia content description, search and retrieval is a rapidly expanding research area due to the increasing amount of audiovisual (AV) data available. The wealth of practical applications available and currently under development (for example, large scale multimedia search engines and AV broadcast servers) has lead to the development of processing tools to create the description of AV material or to support the identification or retrieval of AV documents. Written by experts in the field, this book has been designed as a unique tutorial in the new MPEG 7 standard covering content creation, content distribution and content consumption. At present there are no books documenting the available technologies in such a comprehensive way. Presents a comprehensive overview of the principles and concepts involved in the complete range of Audio Visual material indexing, metadata description, information retrieval and browsingDetails the major processing tools used for indexing and retrieval of images and video sequencesIndividual chapters, written by experts who have contributed to the development of MPEG 7, provide clear explanations of the underlying tools and technologies contributing to the standardDemostration software offering step-by-step guidance to the multi-media system components and eXperimentation model (XM) MPEG reference softwareCoincides with the release of the ISO standard in late 2001. A valuable reference resource for practising electronic and communications engineers designing and implementing MPEG 7 compliant systems, as well as for researchers and students working with multimedia database technology.

Method and a system for managing multimedia databases

Abstract: The management system comprises a set of specialized operational units with an acquisition module, a multimedia database, indexing and search agents that can be subdivided into subagents, an agent dedicated to managing information relating to the structure of documents, a module for analyzing and structuring document components, a user interface including a document indexing interface and a document search interface, a module for creating a multimedia database, and a module for opening a session. The management system also comprises a set of specialized functional units with an agent for arranging the various units of the system, agents for driving document indexing and searching, and an identifier manager. A platform provides interconnection and intercommunication between the specialized operational functional units.

Instantly indexed databases for multimedia content analysis and retrieval

Abstract: Techniques for indexing multimedia data substantially concurrently or contemporaneously with its capture to convert a real world event into an accessible database in real time are provided. The present invention introduces a new paradigm of converting a real world event in real time into a rich multimedia database by processing data from multiple sensors observing the event. Real time analysis of the sensor data, coupled with domain knowledge, results in instant indexing of multimedia data at capture time itself. This yields the semantic information to answer complex queries about the content, and the ability to extract portions of data that correspond to complex actions performed in the real world.

Evolutionary Algorithms for Allocating Data in Distributed Database Systems

Abstract: A major cost in executing queries in a distributed database system is the data transfer cost incurred in transferring relations (fragments) accessed by a query from different sites to the site where the query is initiated. The objective of a data allocation algorithm is to determine an assignment of fragments at different sites so as to minimize the total data transfer cost incurred in executing a set of queries. This is equivalent to minimizing the average query execution time, which is of primary importance in a wide class of distributed conventional as well as multimedia database systems. The data allocation problem, however, is NP-complete, and thus requires fast heuristics to generate efficient solutions. Furthermore, the optimal allocation of database objects highly depends on the query execution strategy employed by a distributed database system, and the given query execution strategy usually assumes an allocation of the fragments. We develop a site-independent fragment dependency graph representation to model the dependencies among the fragments accessed by a query, and use it to formulate and tackle data allocation problems for distributed database systems based on query-site and move-small query execution strategies. We have designed and evaluated evolutionary algorithms for data allocation for distributed database systems.

Integration of a multimedia teaching and reference database in a PACS environment.

Abstract: In one radiology department, a computerized authoring and editing environment was developed and integrated with the picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) for creation of image-based electronic teaching files to replace a collection of printed film images. This multimedia database and authoring environment allows physicians to create reference databases for teaching and research directly from clinical cases being reviewed on PACS diagnostic workstations. The database engine allows users to generate stand-alone CD-ROMs (compact disks, read-only memory) and World Wide Web–based teaching files. The system is fully compliant with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard and supports a large number of standard multimedia image file formats. The focus of the development was on convenience and ease of use of a generic system adaptable to all users. The software was integrated on the PACS workstations to allow users to add new cases to the database at any time and anywhere i...

Instantly indexed multimedia databases of real world events

Abstract: We introduce a new paradigm for real-time conversion of a real world event into a rich multimedia database by processing data from multiple sensors observing the event. A real-time analysis of the sensor data, tightly coupled with domain knowledge, results in instant indexing of multimedia data at capture time. This yields semantic information to answer complex queries about the content and the ability to extract portions of data that correspond to complex actions performed in the real world. The power of such an instantly indexed multimedia database system, in content-based retrieval of multimedia data or in semantic analysis and visualization of the data, far exceeds that of systems which index multimedia data only after it is produced. We present LucentVision, an instantly indexed multimedia database system developed for the sport of tennis. This system analyzes video from multiple cameras in real time and captures the activity of the players and the ball in the form of motion trajectories. The system stores these trajectories in a database along with video, 3D models of the environment, scores, and other domain-specific information. LucentVision has been used to enhance live television and Internet broadcasts with game analyses and virtual replays in more than 250 international tennis matches.

Medical multimedia database system

Abstract: A medical image storage and retrieval system includes a database with relationally linked tables including a disease factoid table, an image and image caption table, and a patient data table. A flexible system allows for peer review, remote access and maintenance of the stored data, and query searching and retrieval of groups of related multimedia (image and text) case file information. The system facilitates distance learning and remote consultation.

Method for content-Based Non-Linear Control of Multimedia Playback

Abstract: A system and method are provided for content-based non-linear control of video data playback. A multimedia database having multimedia data including multimedia content data is searched based on a user query to determine a first set of multimedia data. The multimedia data includes indexes to and condensed representations of corresponding video data stored in a video database. A portion of the first set of multimedia data is displayed at a control device in response to the user query. A user of the control device selects an element of the first set of multimedia data for video playback and video data corresponding to the element delivered to a video device for playback. A user of the control device selects an element of the first set of multimedia data for additional information and a second set of multimedia data corresponding to the element delivered to the control device.

Visual history multi-media database software

Abstract: A virtual library of photographs stored in electronic pages, volumes (“album”), and bookshelves (“collections”) for easy retrieval. An extended multimedia database is created to provide a method of distinguishing and sorting consumer photographs in a meaningful manner conducive to network sharing by interested groups. By providing a graphic representation of the photograph, motion picture, audio file (wav, mp3, etc.), document, or other multimedia file stored, new and useful means of recalling and sorting the media files (hereinafter referred to exemplarily as “photographs”) are obtained. In an initial method, a virtual library of photographs is provided having a bookshelf holding individual volumes of photographs containing multiple pages of photographs. This virtual library allows the photographs to be stored on pages, volumes, and bookshelves sorted according to user criteria. The user can then pull a particular volume of photographs from the shelf to access a particular cross-section of the stored photographs.

MPEG-7 and multimedia database systems

Abstract: The Multimedia Description Standard MPEG-7 is an International Standard since February 2002. It defines a huge set of description classes for multimedia content, for its creation and its communication. This article investigates what MPEG-7 means to Multimedia Database Systems (MMDBSs) and vice versa. We argue that MPEG-7 has to be considered complementary to, rather than competing with, data models employed in MMDBSs. Finally we show by an example scenario how these technologies can reasonably complement one another.

An approach to a feature-based comparison of solid models of machined parts

Abstract: Solid models are the critical data elements in modern computer-aided design environments, because they describe the shape and form of manufactured artifacts. Their growing ubiquity has created new problems in how to effectively manage the many models that are now stored in the digital libraries for large design and manufacturing enterprises. Existing techniques from the engineering literature and industrial practice, such as group technology, rely on human-supervised encodings and classification; techniques from the multimedia database and computer graphicssvision communities often ignore the manufacturing attributes that are most significant in the classification of models. This paper presents our approach to comparing the manufacturing similarity assessments of solid models of mechanical parts based on machining features. Our technical approach is threefold: perform machining feature extraction, construct a model dependency graph (MDG) from the set of machining features, and partition the models in a database using a measure of similarity based on the MDGs. We introduce two heuristic search techniques for comparing MDGs and present empirical experiments to validate our approach using our testbed, the National Design Repository.

Automatic video classification using decision tree method

Abstract: Automatic digital video classification is emerging as an important problem in the fields of video analysis and multimedia database. In this paper the decision tree method is used for automatic video classification. Video clips are first segmented into shots, then features of the video clips are generated, and a video features database is created at the same time. After that, the decision tree method is used to classify the videos as different genres and a set of decision rules are produced. The discovered decision rules are used to predicate the genre of a new video. The experimental results show that the decision tree method is promising for video genre recognition.

Towards universal access to content using MPEG-7

Abstract: This paper presents a system providing functionalities for cataloging multimedia content using MPEG-7 and accessing to content and descriptions. The cataloging application indexes content using MPEG-7 and creates annotated variations in order to have the capability of offering media content to a large amount of different terminals and through different access networks. The created multimedia database, both descriptions and content (original sources and variations), is used by, currently, two applications: a searching application, which allows a user selecting specific tags to find the desired media; and a filtering application for transparent access to the content database using profiles. These profiles can be selected from a profiles database or created by the user specifying content preferences, and network and terminal parameters.

A multimedia bilingual database for the lexicon of Swiss German Sign Language

Abstract: This multimedia database project is the first large-scale collection and description of the signs of Swiss German Sign Language (Deutschschweizerische Gebardensprache, DSGS). The aim of the database is to gather linguistic information on the DSGS lexicon which can serve as a basis for future dictionaries and teaching materials, as well as function as a tool for linguistic research. For each lexical entry, there is information about all of the sign’s meanings, its morphological and syntactic characteristic, several categories of usage (geographical and generation variation, style, register) as well as example links to videotaped signed sentences. The information about each lexical item is represented in the database in several different forms: Video clips of the base form of the sign and of signed sentences in which it appears, line drawings, information checkboxes, form notation (HamNoSys and SignWriting), as well as German text.

Multimedia Mining: A Highway to Intelligent Multimedia Documents

Abstract: The conjunction of knowledge discovery and multimedia documents presents a very important challenge. This new field of knowledge discovery in multimedia documents, dealing with non-structured information such as texts, images, videos, audio and virtual data, requires the collaboration of experts in many areas of interest revolving around document management systems, data mining, visual computing, signal processing, multimedia data and machine learning. Multimedia Mining: A Highway to Intelligent Multimedia Documents will bring together experts in digital media content analysis, state-of-art data mining and knowledge discovery in multimedia database systems, knowledge engineers and domain experts from diverse applied disciplines. Multimedia documents are ubiquitous and often required, if not essential, in many applications today. This phenomenon has made multimedia documents widespread and extremely large. There are tools for managing and searching within these collections, but the need for tools to extract hidden useful knowledge embedded within multimedia objects is becoming pressing and central for many decision-making applications. The tools needed today are tools for discovering relationships between objects or segments within multimedia document components, such as classifying images based on their content, extracting patterns in sound, categorizing speech and music, and recognizing and tracking objects in video streams. Multimedia Mining: A Highway to Intelligent Multimedia Documents is designed to meet the needs of a professional audience composed of researchers and practitioners in industry and graduate-level students in computer science and engineering.

Distributed multimedia databases

Abstract: Distributed Multimedia Database involves network technology, distributed control, security, and multimedia computing. This chapter discusses fundamental concepts and introduces issues of image database and digital libraries, video-on-demand systems, multimedia synchronization, as well as some case studies of distributed multimedia database systems. Requirements of multimedia database management systems and their functions are also presented.

Sound Classification and Similarity Tools

Abstract: The MPEG standards are an evolving set of standards for video and audio compression. MPEG 7 technology covers the most recent developments in multimedia search and retreival, designed to standardise the description of multimedia content supporting a wide range of applications including DVD, CD and HDTV. Multimedia content description, search and retrieval is a rapidly expanding research area due to the increasing amount of audiovisual (AV) data available. The wealth of practical applications available and currently under development (for example, large scale multimedia search engines and AV broadcast servers) has lead to the development of processing tools to create the description of AV material or to support the identification or retrieval of AV documents. Written by experts in the field, this book has been designed as a unique tutorial in the new MPEG 7 standard covering content creation, content distribution and content consumption. At present there are no books documenting the available technologies in such a comprehensive way. * Presents a comprehensive overview of the principles and concepts involved in the complete range of Audio Visual material indexing, metadata description, information retrieval and browsing * Details the major processing tools used for indexing and retrieval of images and video sequences * Individual chapters, written by experts who have contributed to the development of MPEG 7, provide clear explanations of the underlying tools and technologies contributing to the standard * Demostration software offering step-by-step guidance to the multi-media system components and eXperimentation model (XM) MPEG reference software * Coincides with the release of the ISO standard in late 2001. A valuable reference resource for practising electronic and communications engineers designing and implementing MPEG 7 compliant systems, as well as for researchers and students working with multimedia database technology.

The numeric indexing for music data

Abstract: The management of large collections of music data in a multimedia database has received much attention in the past few years. In most current work, researchers extract features from the music data and develop indices that will help to retrieve the relevant music quickly. Several reports have pointed out that these features of music can be transformed and represented in the form of music feature strings. However, these approaches lack scalability upon increasing music data. In this paper we propose an approach to transform music data into numeric forms and develop an index structure base on the R-tree for effective retrieval. The experimental results show that our approach outperforms existing string index approaches.

Principles of schema design for multimedia databases

Abstract: This paper presents the rudiments of a theory of schema design for databases containing high dimensional features of the type used for describing multimedia data. We introduce a model of multimedia database based on tables containing feature types, and the concept of schema design which is based on splitting tables depending on the functional relations between different parts of the features. We show that certain relations between substructures of a same feature structure can lead to schemas for which efficient algorithms for k-nearest neighbor and range searches can be defined.

Mobile agents in a distributed heterogeneous database system

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present a new infrastructure for multimedia database searches based on CORBA and mobile agent technology. A new mobile agent system, called Vagabond, was implemented in pure Java using only standard CORBA facilities. The fundamental agent design and architecture is introduced. Measurements demonstrated the merits of Vagabond, namely the simple design, the implicit heterogeneity inherited from CORBA, and its speed. The system (renamed as M/sup 3/) was implanted inside an Oracle8i database system which is able to run Java code as a stored procedure. Further measurements have justified the idea presented above, ie. sending agents directly inside the database can decrease the response time of multimedia content search and retrieval. However, the required modifications made the embedded agency accessible for clients using only Aurora, Oracle's modified Visi-broker ORB. On the basis of the Proxy design pattern, the paper presents a proxy solution that encapsulates the specific protocol issues that restricted interoperability, and thus provides the user of the infrastructure with the benefits of a truly heterogeneous environment.

Communicating Cuneiform:The Evolution of a Multimedia Cuneiform Database

Abstract: Our paper presents the work of the Cuneiform Digital Forensic Project (CDFP), an interdisciplinary project at The University of Birmingham, concerned with the development of a multimedia database to support scholarly research into cuneiform, wedge-shaped writing imprinted onto clay tablets and indeed the earliest real form of writing. We describe the evolutionary design process and dynamic research and developmental cycles associated with the database. Unlike traditional publications, the electronic publication of resources offers the possibility of almost continuous revisions with the integration and support of new media and interfaces. However, if on-line resources are to win the favor and confidence of their respective communities there must be a clear distinction between published and maintainable resources, and, developmental content. Published material should, ideally, be supported via standard web-browser interfaces with fully integrated tools so that users receive a reliable, homogenous and intuitive flow of information and media relevant to their needs. We discuss the inherent dynamics of the design and publication of our on-line resource, starting with the basic design and maintenance aspects of the electronic database, which includes photographic instances of cuneiform signs, and shows how the continuous review process identifies areas for further research and development, for example, the “sign processor” graphical search tool and three-dimensional content, the results of which then feedback into the maintained resource.

Process and apparatus for management of multimedia databases

Abstract: The management system comprises a set of specialized operational units with an acquisition module, a multimedia database, indexing and search agents that can be subdivided into subagents, an agent dedicated to managing information relating to the structure of documents, a module for analyzing and structuring document components, a user interface including a document indexing interface and a document search interface, a module for creating a multimedia database, and a module for opening a session. The management system also comprises a set of specialized functional units with an agent for arranging the various units of the system, agents for driving document indexing and searching, and an identifier manager. A platform provides interconnection and intercommunication between the specialized operational functional units.

Adding Value to Large Multimedia Collections through Annotation Technologies and Tools: Serving Communities of Interest.

Abstract: A group of research projects based at HP-Labs Bristol, the University of Bristol and ARKive (a new large multimedia database project focused on the worlds biodiversity based in the UK) are working to develop a flexible model for the indexing of multimedia collections that allows users to ‘annotate’ content utilising extensible controlled vocabularies. As part of the educationally focused ARKive-ERA project a series of models for user ‘annotation’ have been developed. The need for these types of user support and tools was identified while conducting pre-design user studies with specialist user groups. The needs centre around the limitations of current online museum and library systems that do not provide support for users to annotate or ‘tag’ multimedia objects of relevance to their particular ‘community of interest’ or with specialised indexing terms. This would enable specialised resource discovery and knowledge sharing with other members of their communities. One example is that of University Lecturers and Researchers studying a particular type of animal behaviour. They may wish to identify all relevant images or video of that particular behaviour and annotate them as good illustrations of aspects of that behaviour. However significant issues arise over for example, the validation of information, access control and the use of such annotations by the resource discovery tools. The paper explores these and other issues and problems involved and how the various models can help provide solutions to the key problems and thus meet the needs of a diverse range of ‘communities of interest’ and adding significant value to on-line multimedia collections.

Speeding up the similarity search in multimedia database

Abstract: In recent years, applications in multimedia databases have been more and more important. One new capability is to search by similarity in low-level image features (such as color, texture, shape, and motion). The performance of the similarity search highly relies on efficient index structures. However, current high-dimensional indexing techniques have limitations and a simple sequential scan algorithm can outperform them in many cases. We notice that few researchers have really evaluated the utilization of the actual memory size and the trade-off between I/O access time and computation time. Some methods tried to reduce the I/O access time but caused computation overhead. We propose a novel indexing technique, the RA-Blocks (Region Approximated Blocks), to overcome these limitations and improve the similarity search in multimedia databases. We also demonstrate the better performance of our work in experiments.

Case study: Cairo---a distributed image retrieval system for cluster architectures

Abstract: Cairo is a distributed, cluster-based image retrieval system that provides a high-quality, object-based image analysis and search. The state-of-the-art retrieval approach, which compares entire images, is extended by an exhaustive search in all image sections for the occurrence of selected regions of interest. The large computational effort requires the use of parallel architectures in order to maintain reasonable system response times. The goal of this chapter is to give an overview of the different techniques required for distributed image retrieval, such as querying mechanisms and operations for image analysis and comparison, related aspects of parallel processing, scheduling, and data placement. The proposed architecture, Cairo, combines all these aspects and offers one possible design for a user-friendly, flexible, efficient, and distributed image database. The global system structure, the design of the individual modules, the internal communication, and typical use cases are outlined in the main part of this chapter.

Scheduling and Optimization of the Delivery of Multimedia Streams Using Query Scripts

Abstract: New techniques are necessary to satisfy the high bandwidth requirement and temporal relationships of multimedia data streams in a network environment. Clients can experience gaps between the multimedia data streams during presentations as the multimedia server services multiple clients. This variable delay occurs between the end of one multimedia stream and the beginning of the next multimedia stream because client requests are queued awaiting service. This leads to interruptions and discontinuities of the client's presentation. Special techniques are necessary to manage the temporal relationships between multimedia streams in distributed environments. In this paper we propose two scheduling algorithms for delivering multimedia streams by using the query script, which is a multimedia database interface for clients. A client can specify all the multimedia objects that make up the presentation and their temporal relationships in a query script. Once submitted, the information in the query script is used by the multimedia database system to schedule and optimize the delivery. Using simulations we analyzed the performance of the proposed delivery scheduling algorithms and the predelivery optimization method. The simulation results show that delivery scheduling algorithms satisfy the specified temporal relationships between multimedia streams while maintaining better use of system resources.

Digital Video Searching And Authoring Tool

Abstract: PURPOSE: An apparatus for searching and creating digital video is provided which searches annotation describing related information about characteristic scenes of a digital video clip and contents with respect to extraction of characteristics on a local network or Internet. CONSTITUTION: An apparatus for searching and creating digital video includes a meta database(150) in which video index is stored as data to support searching of annotation describing related information about video clips and contents with respect to extraction of characteristics, a presentation database in which video clips searched from the meta database and edited by a presentation editor are stored as presentation data, and a multimedia database that stores the meta data, presentation data and digital video and is connected to the Internet(15). The apparatus further has a video searching device(120) performing searching based on the video index, an inquiry interpreter(25) for finding out the type of an input inquiry using a parameter list, and an inquiry language generator(30) for receiving the parameter list from the inquiry interpreter and converting the parameter list into an inquiry language of a corresponding DBMS. The apparatus also has a search result processor(40) for displaying representative frames according to the searched result to allow a user to be able to selectively watch contents information, and a structure browser(50) by which a video structure can be easily grasped and searched.

Image Processing Apparatus And Method In Mobile Internet

Abstract: PURPOSE: A device and a method for processing an image in the wireless Internet are provided to cut the image according to a transmission speed of a wireless Internet service and a screen size of a mobile terminal, and to assign URLs(Uniform Resource Locators) for each cut image to enable a user to selectively receive the cut image, so that the user receives a desiring part of the image with high resolution CONSTITUTION: An electronic mail server(31), a multimedia parsing unit(32), a user profile storage unit(34) and a Web server(36) are arranged A multimedia database(33) stores multimedia information classified by media, and stores image information cut into predetermined numbers according to a screen size of a mobile terminal In a media converting unit(35), an image converter(35-1) searches a user profile to change resolution, depth and format of the image An image cutting unit(35-2) cuts the image converted by the image converter(35-1) into predetermined number of image segments according to the screen size of the mobile terminal and stores the image segments in the multimedia database(33) And the image cutting unit(35-2) assigns URLs to each image segment to enable a receiving party to selectively download the image segments, and transmits the URL-assigned image segments to the mobile terminal

Database and data communication network systems : techniques and applications

Abstract: Database and Data Communication Network Systems examines the utilization of the Internet and Local Area/Wide Area Networks in all areas of human endeavor. This three-volume set covers, among other topics, database systems, data compression, database architecture, data acquisition, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and the practical application of these technologies. The international collection of contributors was culled from exhaustive research of over 100,000 related archival and technical journals. This reference will be indispensable to engineering and computer science libraries, research libraries, and telecommunications, networking, and computer companies. It covers a diverse array of topics, including: * Techniques in emerging database system architectures * Techniques and applications in data mining * Object-oriented database systems * Data acquisition on the WWW during heavy client/server traffic periods * Information exploration on the WWW * Education and training in multimedia database systems * Data structure techniques in rapid prototyping and manufacturing * Wireless ATM in data networks for mobile systems * Applications in corporate finance * Scientific data visualization * Data compression and information retrieval * Techniques in medical systems, intensive care units