JPH0275069A - Method and device for offering, storing and retrieving information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the response of a data base for users by storing a single memory unit of the picture information into plural memory media after dividing the unit into plural pieces. CONSTITUTION:The information is divided into a basic information part which is used to know the outline of the information and other additional parts. At the same time, each of these divided parts of information are stored in the memory devices 11a, 12a and 12b. At retrieval, an access is given to the device 11a which stores the basic information part. Thus a large capacity of information can be retrieved by a small capacity of basic information at a high speed regardless of the limitation of the transfer speeds of information received from the devices 11a - 12b. As a result, the retrieving response can be extremely improved for a data base.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a database structure and a search method thereof, and in particular to an information providing method, an information providing device, and an information providing method suitable for searching analog information such as image information and audio information. The present invention relates to an information storage device, an information retrieval method, and an information retrieval device.

[Conventional technology]

When searching an image database containing videos, high-definition still images, etc., files containing target image data are specified using their title or keywords. However, with such a method, it is not possible to search for image information as an image. As a result, the displayed image specified by the keyword may often differ from the intended information. Therefore, the database had to be accessed many times to obtain the necessary image information.

In order to compensate for these drawbacks, various improvements have been made to the Videotex system and the like. for example,
The conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 62-53085-6 includes a screen search memory circuit that stores image search status in a terminal device, and a database device that automatically requests images according to information in the screen search memory circuit. The system was equipped with an automatic screen request control circuit. This is an attempt to reduce the burden on the user when accessing the database by automatically requesting a new image based on the memory of past screen search processes without the user having to make a designation.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] With the above-mentioned conventional technology, the responsiveness of the database from the user's perspective can be improved by reducing the response time of the database and the file size compared to the time it takes for the user to recognize image information. This is a case where the transfer time is negligibly short. However, when searching for image information such as high-definition still images or videos, which have a much larger amount of information than before, the information transfer speed of file devices and communication devices cannot be ignored, and these factors affect database access. It can be said that it determines responsiveness.

Among these, the transfer speed of communication devices has been significantly improved due to recent advances in optical communication technology. On the other hand, since the information transfer speed of a file device requires mechanical operation due to its configuration, it is difficult to increase the information transfer speed to the same level as that of a communication device. Furthermore, since multiple users access such a database at the same time, normal service may become difficult if access is concentrated.

The purpose of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned limitations due to the information transfer speed of file devices and to provide high-definition information.

The aim is to achieve good database responsiveness even for videos.

[Means to solve the problem]

Even when searching for a large amount of image information such as high-definition still images or videos, it is usually not possible to determine whether the information is the desired information without looking at the details of the image. A person can recognize the difference from the target information only from the outline of the image information. Detailed classification for users.

Alternatively, rather than specifying information using keywords or the like, it is often easier to search for desired information by skimming information that has been narrowed down by a somewhat rough specification of content.

Based on the above-mentioned facts, in the present invention, information is divided into a basic information part used for grasping its outline and other ancillary information parts, and each part is stored in different storage devices. When searching, a storage device that holds basic information is accessed.

[Effect]

In the present invention, the basic information part is a part cut out from all the information to the extent that the user can identify it in an analog manner as image information.

If this is 1/N of the total information, it is possible to achieve the same effect as using a storage device with a file transfer speed that is substantially N times faster. In other words, a storage device based on the same technology as usual can be used as a storage device that is substantially N times faster. This makes it possible to solve the above problems.

〔Example〕

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The right side of the figure shows the database side, and the left side shows the user side.

The transmission path (18) indicates a logical communication path connecting the user side and the database side. In this embodiment, image information is divided into one type of basic information and multiple types of accompanying information, and these are stored in different storage devices (lla).

12a, 12b).

A database user first accesses the database via the display control section (16) and access control section (14) and requests basic information. The database sends basic information to the file access control device (13) to the user. The access control section (14) on the user side displays the received basic information on the display section via the image composition section. In this case, the display section displays only basic information to the user. After searching the displayed image information and specifying the desired information, the user requests the database to transfer all of the desired information through the access control section (14).

The file access control unit (13) on the database side sends the accompanying information (1) and (2) of the corresponding information to the user based on the user's instructions. On the user side, an image composition section (15) composes the sent accompanying information and the previously captured basic information, and displays this on the display section.

In this embodiment, when searching for high-definition color still images, for example, if image information converted into monochrome values is used as basic information, the amount of information will be reduced to 1/3 by converting it into monochrome.
By setting 256 gradations to 2 gradations, the amount of information becomes 1/8, and the total amount of information becomes 1/16. This has the same effect as using a storage device with a transfer rate 16 times faster in storage device access for searching. In this case, the gradation information is held as accompanying information (1) and the color information is held as accompanying information (2) in the storage devices (12a, 12b).

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, image information is divided into multiple types of basic information and multiple types of accompanying information, and is stored in a memory table [1(lla).

11b, 12a, 12b). A database user searches for information using the same procedure as in the embodiment shown in FIG. can. When searching for high-definition color still images,
After narrowing down the information by performing a rough search using monochrome-valued information, if the user wants to perform a further search using monochrome images with gradations, the user accesses basic information (2) through the access mode control unit. The two types of basic information taken in are combined by an image combining section (25) and displayed on the display section.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to search for information according to the quality desired by the user, and the convenience of database searches is improved.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention.9 In this embodiment, part of the basic information is stored on the database side in a storage device (lla').
It is stored in duplicate. In a normal database usage mode, most of the time is spent searching for information, and the access to the storage device is mainly to access basic information (1).

In this embodiment, when access from multiple users to the storage device (lla) is concentrated, the file access control device (lla)
33) distributes access to multiple storage devices that store data redundantly.

According to this embodiment, even if access to basic information is concentrated from a large number of users, it can be handled without degrading the responsiveness of the database.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the transmission line (18) is divided into two sections, such as a distribution section (18') and a line section (48).

A local file access control unit and a storage device (41a) for storing basic information (1) are installed between the two sections. A plurality of users are connected to the local file access control unit via a distribution transmission path (not shown). Normal search access is to the local storage table [(41a), and access to the main database is limited to when accompanying information is required. Therefore, the feeder section (48) has the effect that the transmission capacity is smaller than that in the case where all users are connected to the main database.

According to this embodiment, the distance of the distribution section can be shortened and the transmission capacity of the line section can be reduced, so that database users located in remote areas can be efficiently accommodated.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an auxiliary storage device (54) is installed in the access control section (54). In this embodiment, when a user searches for basic information, part or all of the basic information is transferred to the auxiliary storage device (54) installed on the user's side, and the user can retrieve the information on the auxiliary storage device. Identify the purpose information by searching for it.

After that, a request is made to the database to transfer the accompanying information.

According to this embodiment, since the information for searching is transferred to the user side all at once, the frequency of access to the database itself is reduced. This makes it difficult to compete for access to the same storage device, and has the effect of improving database responsiveness when a large number of users use the database at the same time.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, there are transfer sections (62a) at both ends of the transmission line (68).

62b) is connected. The transfer unit stores multiple memory tables [(
1lb, 1.2a, 12b) activates a logical transmission path corresponding to the storage device when transmitting information stored therein. That is, by transferring information in the storage device in parallel, all information is transferred faster than usual. The transferred information is held in the auxiliary storage device (61) on the user side. The user side auxiliary storage device I (61) is also installed in a manner corresponding to the database side storage device.

In this embodiment, the user uses the information by transferring the information specified by the search at high speed and reading it from the auxiliary storage device at a speed slower than the transfer speed.

According to this embodiment, since long-time video information and the like are transferred in a shorter time, there is an effect that the transmission path can be used effectively.

In each of the above embodiments, an example of a high-definition color still image was mainly explained. However, the invention is also applicable to other types of information, such as videos. For moving images, continuous image frames are thinned out as basic information, and target information can be specified by continuously searching for this information. For example, if a moving image of 60 frames/second is thinned out to 1/60th as basic information, and other information is stored as additional information in separate storage devices, a search can be performed at 3600 frames/second.

The above embodiments have been described with reference to the case where monochrome value information or gradation information is used as basic information. but,
For example, if the average value of an image block is used as basic information,
It is also possible to store the compressed information and high-definition information separately so that the difference from the average value is used as the accompanying information. It is also possible to use these methods in combination with the above methods.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where image information is mainly handled has been described. However, the method of the invention is also applicable to databases storing other information, such as audio information. The retrieval responsiveness of a speech database can also be improved by using compressed information as basic information for speech information, and supplementing this information to provide high-quality speech as supplementary information.

In each of the above embodiments, a case has been described in which the entire information is uniformly divided into basic information and supplementary information.

However, it is also possible to improve the responsiveness of database searches by, for example, making the first part of the information the basic information and the remaining part the incidental information.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above in detail using the embodiments, according to the method of the present invention, it is possible to search a large amount of data using a small amount of basic information, and a high-speed search that does not depend on the limit on the information transfer speed from the storage device is possible. It is possible.

This has the effect of significantly improving the search responsiveness of the database.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a basic embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. 2 to 6 show other embodiments of the invention. 11a-1, 1b...Storage device that stores and holds basic information, 12a-12b...Storage device that stores and holds incidental information, 13, 23, 33.63...File access control device, 14, 24 , 54, 64...Access control device, 15.25...Image composition unit,]6゜26...
Display control unit, 17...Display unit, 18...Transmission path, 2
9... Access mode control unit, 18'... Distribution transmission line, 48... Feeder transmission line, 41a... Local storage device, 43... Local file access control device 5
1.61--Auxiliary storage device, 62 a, 62
h ・=transfer unit 6 40th − at 1: ~7・,・,1,・
-----ノ

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an information providing device that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, one storage unit of the image information is divided and stored in a plurality of storage media. information provision method. 2. An information providing device that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, which includes a plurality of storage media, a portion that divides the image information according to a predetermined rule, and a portion that divides the divided information as described above. 1. An information storage device, comprising: a portion for controlling data to be stored in a plurality of storage media. 3. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the unit of division is luminance information and color difference information of image information. 4. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the unit of division is predetermined upper bits and lower bits of digitized luminance information. 5. In the information providing method according to claim 1, the unit of division is high-efficiency encoded image information and high-definition information that complements the high-efficiency encoded image information. Information provision method. 6. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the unit of division is an image frame of moving image information. 7. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the unit of division is a leading portion of moving image information and a portion other than the leading portion. 8. An information providing method characterized in that, in an information providing apparatus that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, one storage unit of the audio information is divided and stored in a plurality of storage media. 9. An information providing device that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, comprising a plurality of storage media, a portion that divides the audio and visual information according to a predetermined rule, and the divided information. an information storage device, comprising: a portion for controlling storage of the information on the plurality of storage media; 10. In the information providing method according to claim 8 or 9, the unit of division is highly efficiently encoded audio information and high definition information that complements the highly efficiently encoded audio information. information provision method. 11. The information providing method according to claim 8, wherein the unit of division is a beginning part of audio information and a part other than the beginning part. 12. An information retrieval method comprising: a mode in which only one division unit of the divided image information or the divided audio information is accessed; and a mode in which the entire storage unit of the image information or the audio information is accessed. 13. An information providing device that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, including a plurality of storage media and means for dividing the image information according to a predetermined rule;
An information storage device comprising: means for controlling the divided information to be stored in the plurality of storage media; and means for selecting a portion to be read from the plurality of storage media. 14. An information providing device that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, including a plurality of storage media and means for dividing the image information according to a predetermined rule;
A means for controlling the divided information to be stored in the plurality of storage media, a means for selecting a portion to be read from the plurality of storage media, and a means for synthesizing the information read from the plurality of storage media. An information storage device comprising: 15. A mode for accessing only one division unit of divided image information or divided audio information, a mode for accessing multiple division units of divided image information or divided audio information, and a mode for accessing multiple division units of divided image information or divided audio information; An information retrieval method comprising: a mode for accessing an entire memory unit. 16. An information providing device that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, including a plurality of storage media and means for dividing the audio information according to a predetermined rule;
An information storage device comprising: means for controlling the divided information to be stored in the plurality of storage media; and means for selecting a portion to be read from the plurality of storage media. 17. An information providing device that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, including a plurality of storage media and means for dividing the audio information according to a predetermined rule;
A means for controlling the divided information to be stored in the plurality of storage media, a means for selecting a portion to be read from the plurality of storage media, and a means for synthesizing the information read from the plurality of storage media. An information storage device comprising: 18. An information providing method characterized by storing one divided unit of divided image information or divided audio information in a plurality of storage media in duplicate. 19. Information providing method according to claim 18, characterized in that one division unit of the divided image information or the divided audio information that exists redundantly is placed in different communication nodes. How it is provided. 20. In the information retrieval method according to claim 12, an auxiliary storage means is provided on the user side, and the divided image information or the divided audio corresponds to a plurality of storage units of the image information or the audio information. 1. An information retrieval method, characterized in that the divided units of information are transferred from the storage medium to the auxiliary storage means, and the image information or audio information is retrieved using the auxiliary storage means. 21. In an information providing device that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, an auxiliary storage means is provided on the user side, and the storage device divides the image information into a plurality of storage media. An information providing method characterized in that the image information is stored and transferred from the plurality of storage media to the auxiliary storage means in a shorter time than the time required to reproduce the image information. 22. In an information providing device that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, an auxiliary storage means is provided on the user side, and the storage device divides the audio information into a plurality of storage media. An information providing method comprising: storing the audio information, and transmitting the audio information from the plurality of storage media to the auxiliary storage means in a shorter time than the time required to reproduce the audio information. 23. In an information providing apparatus that reproduces image information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, a plurality of storage media, means for dividing the image information and storing it in the plurality of storage media, and the plurality of storage media are provided. An information providing device characterized by having means for simultaneously and parallelly reading out the image information stored in a storage medium, and means for time-division multiplexing the read image information and sending it to a user terminal. . 24. An information providing device that reproduces audio information from a storage device in response to a request from a user terminal, comprising a plurality of storage media, means for dividing the audio information and storing it in the plurality of storage media, and the plurality of storage media. An information providing apparatus characterized by having means for simultaneously and parallelly reading out the audio information stored in a storage medium, and means for time-division multiplexing the read audio information and sending it to a user terminal. .