International Business Machines Corporation

Steven Victor Kauffman

Rainer Richter

Lara Marie Lewis

Jane K Doong

Ronald Elliott Parrish

James Albert Willey

Chiunn-shyong Yeh

John Ying

Ming C Hao

William J Baer

William Russell Belknap

Jerry Duaine Robertson, Iii

Bradley J Beitel

Robert D Gordon

Ronald L Obermarck

Donald Edward Benson

Arthur M Sherman

Gene E Trivett

Lynn Trivett

Jung-hsin Eva Hu

Lynne C Thieme

In one embodiment, a method includes generating a file list for an aggregation of files based on a file pattern descriptor for each file in the aggregation of files or a file name for each file in the aggregation of files. The method also includes opening a session with a storage system manager and writing data from each file in the file list to a storage tier of a storage system. The method further includes writing metadata and storage location information from each file in the file list to an index file, closing the index file, and closing the session with the storage system manager. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described according to more embodiments.

Scalable and user friendly file virtualization for hierarchical storage

In one embodiment, a method includes storing files in at least one directory in a first storage tier on at least one random access storage medium, creating an index file which includes entries for each file stored in the directory in the first storage tier on the at least one random access storage medium, aggregating in binary large objects (BLOBs) the files stored in the directory in the first storage tier on the at least one random access storage medium, writing out the aggregated BLOBs of files to a second storage tier on at least one sequential access storage medium, adding location information for each aggregated BLOB of files written to the second storage tier on the at least one sequential access storage medium to the index file, and copying the index file to the second storage tier on the at least one sequential access storage medium.

An aggregated file is generated, by storing a plurality of initially provided files in a sequence. A computational device executes a first set of compression operations on each of the plurality of initially provided files to generate a plurality of compressed files that replace the plurality of initially provided files, wherein starting locations of the plurality of compressed files and the plurality of initially provided files are identical, and wherein predetermined bit patterns are stored in empty spaces that follow each of the plurality of compressed files. The computational device sends the aggregated file to a linear storage device configured to perform a second set of compression operations on the aggregated file.

Position invariant compression of files within a multi-level compression scheme

A method for requesting and processing a plurality of objects includes requesting a plurality of objects from a server, receiving a response message from the server, the response message containing the plurality of objects packed into the response message, and automatically unpacking the plurality of objects contained in the response message. The server includes an object packing module for packing requested objects into the response message. The client includes a plugin program that interacts with a network browser, in which the plugin program includes an unpacking module for unpacking the packed response message from the server. By delivering the plurality of requested objects in a single response message the objects are delivered over a single communication session thereby avoiding setting up and tearing down a plurality of communication sessions and reducing overhead processing. The objects can be thumbnail images forming the results of a search query.

System and method for packing of small objects for efficient delivery over networks

A method, system and program product are described for specifying a selection of content segments stored in different formats. The invention involves receiving specification of a plurality of portions of first content stored in a first format, the specification identifying beginning and ending frames for each portion, and building a list comprising a starting mark and ending mark for each selected portion of first content, the list for use in accessing corresponding portions of the same content stored as second content in a second format.

Method and system for specifying a selection of content segments stored in different formats

A customizable workflow is specified in a script that is associated with an object that is to be processed by the workflow. Both the object and the script can be stored in a content management system, with the object and script associated with one another by way of identifying the script in metadata stored in the system for the object. The script can be located by locating the object. The script can specify a sequence of a plurality of workflow processes that are performed over the life of the object.

Digital library system with customizable workflow

Provided are a method, system, and program for defining asset classes in a digital library. At least one asset class is defined to include at least one attribute and attributes are defined for each asset class to have an attribute object type. The attribute object type is defined to indicate one of a plurality of different data structure formats that are searchable through separate application programs, wherein the attribute object types in one asset class are implemented in different data structure formats. A asset object instance is generated for each asset class and information is generated in the asset object instance on a file location of attribute objects providing the attributes for the generated asset object instance.

Method, system, and program for defining asset queries in a digital library

Method, system, and program for defining asset classes in a digital library

A technique for creating a custom database is provided. A system description of a structure of a database is received. A structure for the custom database is generated based on the system description. In addition, a search engine based on the system description is generated to store and locate data in the custom database.

Code generator system for digital libraries

A method, system and program product are described for synchronizing content stored in different encoding formats, only one of which includes timecode support, the invention involving accessing content stored at a first format, the first content having timecodes superimposed on its frames, determining the superimposed timecodes of first and second representative frames of the first content, determining the frame numbers corresponding to the first and second representative frames, and using the determined timecodes and frame numbers to determine general correspondence information between frame numbers and timecodes of the first format.

Method and system for synchronization between different content encoding formats

A distributed client server system for managing and storing digital files includes a digital library and a shared file system, wherein the digital library further includes a library client, a library server including a library catalog, and an object server and wherein the shared file system includes a workstation with a local storage and a shared file server with a shared file storage. The digital library maintains metadata about the files in the shared file system, in a database in the library catalog. The metadata for a file includes different names for different versions of the file and a check-in status flag. A read operation is performed on the shared file system by a user retrieving a file directly from the shared file system. A write operation is performed by the user invoking a digital library application, which in turn changes the status of the flag to &ldquo;checked-out&rdquo;. When a file is &ldquo;checked-out&rdquo; it can not be edited by any other user. When the &ldquo;checked-out&rdquo; file is saved, it is saved under a new name. When a user quits after editing the file, the status of the file is changed back to &ldquo;checked-in&rdquo;.

Shared file system for digital content

An object management system for storing persistent object oriented objects, includes an object vault, a structural type manager and a digital library. The object vault is connected to the structural type manager and the digital library is connected to the structural type manager. An application program is connected to the object vault. Objects to be stored are represented as a Key Value Dictionary (KVD) in which attributes, or metadata, relating to the objects are stored as key-value pairs. Objects are categorized as having different structural types in which certain attributes for objects having the same structural type are cataloged to facilitate indexing and searching for the objects. The structural type manager maintains a mapping between structural types and a subset of keys for the structural types as well as corresponding database references for cataloging the object attributes. Also disclosed is a method of storing objects in the digital library where the corresponding database references for the subset of keys are retrieved from the structural type manager. The values corresponding to the subset of keys are retrieved from the Key Value Dictionary and stored in the library catalog. The Key Value Dictionary is serialized and stored in the digital library, and a signature is returned. The object stored in the digital library is retrieved by locating the objected based on the cataloged key values. Preferably the persistent objects are Java programming language objects.

Object management system for digital libraries

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for supporting large digital objects. More particularly it relates to a client/server library system in which a large digital object is divided into smaller pieces which are stored in the client/server library system. By dividing the large digital object into smaller pieces, system limitations regarding object size are avoided. In one embodiment of the present invention the pieces are stored as files of variable size. Moreover, the pieces can be stored on separate object servers which can be located remotely from one another.

Method and apparatus for dividing, mapping and storing large digital

An overall programming interface containing hundreds of application program interfaces (API's) for performing library functions on data objects in a digital client/server library system is simplified through a new, object oriented interface containing a small number of object oriented classes. Object instances created from the object oriented classes have member functions which are invoked by application programs, and the member functions issue appropriate calls to the API's. Information returned from the API's is handled by the calling object and provided to the application program in a simplified form.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Steven Victor Kauffman