An object-oriented approach to multimedia databases

• Published in: SIGMOD record 1986-06, Vol.15 (2), p.311-325
• Main Authors: Woelk, Darrell, Kim, Won, Luther, Willis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0163-5808
• DOI: 10.1145/16856.16885

This paper identifies data modelling and data access and sharing requirements which multimedia applications impose on a database system. It shows the capabilities of an object-based data model and indicates extensions which are needed to meet the data modelling aspects of these requirements. A logical implementation of the operations on the model is described. The model generalizes the notions of instantiation and generalization in the standard object-oriented paradigm, and augments it with the notions of aggregation and relationships which are specialized for a multimedia application environment. Objects may exist in aggregation hierarchies which provide the capability to integrate diverse types of multimedia information such as text, sound, bit-mapped images, and complex graphics drawings. Objects may also be linked through other user-defined relationships to capture such application functions as voice annotation and referencing of one document by another. Using this model, the semantics of aggregation and relationships in a multimedia application environment can be understood and efficiently supported by a database system.