Patent Publication Number: US-2004054665-A1

Title: Apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in video geographic information system and management method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a video geographic information system (GIS) for providing moving or static images data associated with spatial geographic information to show and supply spatial geographic information much more realistically, and more particularly, to an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data, being in volume too large to be stored in a single system, and making them integrated-searchable and manageable in a video geographic information system, and a management method thereof.  
       [0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art  
       [0004] Generally, a conventional video geographic information system does not provide means for sharing and storing, integrated-searching, and managing vast quantities of video data which cannot be stored in a single system, and therefore, there is a limitation in volume of video data which is possibly shown with associated with other information in the video geographic information system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a video geographic information system that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
       [0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for providing processing including, for example, sharing and storing, integrated-searching and changing vast quantities of video data, being unsuitable for a storage in a single system, into a plurality of video databases in a video geographic information system, and a management method thereof.  
       [0007] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
       [0008] To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system, the apparatus comprising: a map viewer for searching and outputting spatial geographic information; a video viewer for searching and outputting video data; a mass video data share, storage and management component for communicating with the map viewer and the video viewer, sharing and storing mass video data, which is not suitable for a storage in a single database, into a plurality of databases, and managing the plurality of databases to be accessible, integrated-searchable and manageable just like a single database; and a server including a share and storage information database for actually sharing and storing video data, which is managed by the mass video data share, storage and management component, offering a search, change, and management for each shared and stored data, and allowing to store and search the shared and stored information data; a plurality of video databases for storing and searching video data; and a spatial geographic database for storing and searching spatial geographic information corresponding to video data.  
       [0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for sharing, storing and managing mass video data in a video geographic information system, which is characterized in establishing database by sharing and storing mass video data corresponding to spatial geographic information, the method comprising the steps of achieving video data corresponding to spatial geographic information, which a mass video data share, storage and management component is to establish; dividing the achieved video data, and determining a database being used to store each video data according to achieved location information of corresponding video data; separating the video data to be stored, and transmitting to and storing in each video database; and changing the share and storage information database by adding share and storage information including the achieved location information of newly-stored video data.  
       [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for sharing, storing and managing mass video data in a video geographic information system, which is characterized in searching mass video data corresponding to shared and stored spatial geographic information, the method comprising the steps of: a mass video data share, store and management component&#39;s achieving search query and condition for video data corresponding to spatial geographic information to be searched, from a map viewer and a video viewer through a share and storage component interface; determining video database to be searched by referring to the achieved search query and condition, and the share and storage information database; searching each video database, and establishing plans for post-process to be performed to achieve the same result as in a single database; separating queries to be performed in each video database; transmitting the separated query to each video database to perform query, bringing the performed result back, and performing the post-process for the performed result of the separated query; and changing share and storage information database to update with additional information of statistical information for search query.  
       [0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for sharing, storing and managing mass video data in a video geographic information system, which is characterized in changing mass video data corresponding to shared and stored spatial geographic information, the method comprising the steps of a mass video data share, storage and management component&#39;s achieving query and condition for video data corresponding to spatial geographic information to be changed from a map viewer and a video viewer; determining video database, which stores the video data to be changed, by referring to share and storage information; separating content to be changed from the determined video database; changing the separated video data, and storing again; and changing the share and storage information database by adding share and storage information of the changed video data.  
       [0012] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
     [0014]FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system according to the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is an exemplary view of sharing and storing video data and spatial geographic information in an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data according to the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is an ER data exemplary view of storing share and storage information into database in an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data according to the present invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for sharing and storing video data and spatial geographic information in an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of a video geographic information system according to the present invention;  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for searching video data and spatial geographic information in an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of a video geographic information system according to the present invention;  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for changing video data and spatial geographic information in an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of a video geographic information system according to the present invention; and  
     [0020]FIG. 7 illustrates an operation state of an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of a video geographic information system according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0021] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
     [0022] Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system of the present invention is figured to include a client  100  having a map viewer  110 , a video viewer  120 , and a mass video data share, storage and management component  130 ; and a server  200 .  
     [0023] The map viewer  110  enables a user to search and output spatial geographic information. The video viewer  120  enables a user to search and output video data.  
     [0024] The mass video data share, storage and management component  130  communicates the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120 , shares and stores mass video data, which cannot be stored in a single database, into a plurality of databases, and then, controls to access to, integrated-search, and manage the plurality of databases such that the databases can be treated as a single database.  
     [0025] The share and storage component interface  131  of the mass video data share, storage and management component  130  enables the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  to access to the component  130  through one common interface.  
     [0026] A share and store information manager  132  of the mass video data share, storage and management component  130  stores and manages the share and storage information of video data corresponding to spatial geographic information.  
     [0027] A query processor  133  of the mass video data share, storage and management component  130  processes queries associated with video data from the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120 .  
     [0028] A query analyzer  134  of the query processor  133  refers share and storage information and determines a video database  220  for the query to be actually performed on. Then, the query analyzer  134  collects the performed results in each video database  220 , and makes the plans for post-process for achieving the same results as that in a single database.  
     [0029] A query separator  135  of the query processor  133  separates query according to the analyzed result of the query by the query analyzer  134  such that a corresponding query is processed in each video database.  
     [0030] A query executor  136  of the query processor  133  transmits each query separated by the query separator  135  to a corresponding video database  220 , and performs the post-process plan from the query analyzer  134  to achieve final results.  
     [0031] A communication module  137  of the mass video data share, storage and management component  130  transmits query and performed results of the query between the elements of the client  100 , and the databases  210 ,  220 ,  230  of the server  200 .  
     [0032] The server  200  shares and stores actual video data, which is managed by the mass video data share, storage and management component  130 , and provides search, change, and management for each of the data, which is shared and stored.  
     [0033] The server  200  includes the share and storage information database  210  for allowing to store and search the shared and stored information, the plurality of video databases  220  for allowing to store and search video data, and the spatial geographic database  230  for allowing to store and search spatial geographic information corresponding to the video data.  
     [0034] The original video data is shared and stored in the plurality of video databases  220  in consideration of neighboring locations of video data, and whether or not to store a specific video data in a specific video database  220 .  
     [0035] The share and storage information database  210  stores and maintains only achieved location information of the video data stored in each video database  220  as least share and storage information of the video data with an identifier of video data and an identifier of the video database  220  in order to share and store the video data corresponding to spatial geographic information in each video database  220 , and accordingly, the size limitation of the data, which cannot be stored in a single system, is obviated, and quick search for the storage location of each data is provided by using indices.  
     [0036] The achieved location information of video data included in the share and storage information is represented as a shape of MBR or line string for the area shown by the video data.  
     [0037] Actually, as shown in FIGS.  2 ( a ) and ( b ), the video data A, B, C to be shared and stored corresponding to spatial geographic information represents each location information as MBR, and if sharing and storing the video data A, B, C, the share and storage information database  210  stores the achieved location information of video data as MBR with an identifier of video data and an identifier of the video database  220  to record share and store information of video data. In addition, the share and store information database  210  for storing and managing the share and storage information provides a search for an actual database identifier, etc. which stores video data for a specific location.  
     [0038] As shown in FIG. 3, referring to ER data model prepared for efficient share and storage of video data corresponding to spatial geographic information, the location information  210   a  of achieved video data in the present invention is represented as MBR, a line string or space such as polygon, etc. in order to share and store video data. Such information is stored in the share and storage information database  210 , and separated spatial geographic information  230   a  and the video data  220   a  are stored in the spatial geographic database  230  and the video database  220  respectively. In addition, in the present invention, schema of table for storing share and storage information is prepared based on the model of FIG. 3.  
     [0039] The apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system structured as above according to the present invention operates as follows.  
     [0040] Referring to FIG. 4, the apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of the present invention shares and stores mass video data corresponding to spatial geographic information to establish a database.  
     [0041] The component  130  of the client  100  achieves video data corresponding to spatial geographic information from the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  through the share and storage component interface  131  (S 410 ), divides the achieved video data, and determines a database for storing each video data in accordance with the achieved location information of the corresponding video data (S 411 ).  
     [0042] Then, the component  130  divides the video data being stored (S 412 ), transmits and stores in each video database  220  (S 413 ), and changes the share and storage information database  210  by adding the share and storage information including the achieved location information of the newly-stored video data (S 414 ) so as to establish a database by sharing and storing mass video data corresponding to spatial geographic information.  
     [0043] Referring to FIG. 5, the apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of the present invention searches mass video data corresponding to the spatial geographic information which is shared and stored.  
     [0044] The component  130  of the client  100  achieves search query and condition for video data corresponding to spatial geographic information to be searched, from the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  through the share and storage component interface  131  (S 510 ).  
     [0045] Then, the component  130  determines which video database to select for a search in the plurality of the video databases  220 , by referring to the achieved search query and condition, and the achieved location information which is included in the share and storage information of the share and storage information database  210  (S 511 ), searches each video database  220 , and establishes plans to perform for post-process to achieve the same results as in a single database (S 512 ).  
     [0046] Providing that the plans for post-process are established as above, the component  130  divides the query to be performed at each video database  220  (S 513 ), transmits each divided query to the respective video database  220  to perform the query, brings the performed results back (S 514 ), and performs the post-process plan for the performed results of the divided query (S 515 ). After performing the post-process plan, finally, the component  130  searches mass video data corresponding to the shared and stored spatial geographic information, by changing the share and storage information database  210  so as to update additional information for statistical information, etc. for the search query.  
     [0047] Referring to FIG. 6, the apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of the present invention changes mass video data corresponding to shared and stored spatial geographic information.  
     [0048] Then, the component  130  of the client  100  achieves search query and condition for video data corresponding to spatial geographic information to be changed, from the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  through the share and storage component interface  131  (S 610 ), and determines a video database  220  having the video, data to be changed therein, by referring to the share and storage information (S 611 ).  
     [0049] Then, the component  130  separates the content to be changed from the determined video database  220  (S 612 ), changes the separated video data and stores again (S 613 ), and adds the share and storage information of the changed video data so as to change the share and storage information database  210  (S 614 ), resulting in mass video data corresponding to the shared and stored spatial geographic information being changed.  
     [0050] Referring to FIG. 7, a detailed description will be made on how to operate the component  130  of the client  100 , and the databases  210 ,  220 ,  230  of the server  200  in the apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data of the present invention in order to share and store, allow an integrated-search, and change mass video data as follows.  
     [0051] First, if a query for adding, searching, changing, and outputting video data is transmitted from the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  through the share and storage component interface  131  to the component  130  (S 710 ), and the query is transmitted to the query analyzer  134  of the query processor  133  (S 711 ).  
     [0052] According thereto, the query analyzer  134  refers the share and storage information database  210  to determine the video database  220  being referred to perform a query (S 712 ), and first, determines the video database to perform the query, and plans for post-process to achieve final results after performing each query at the respective video database  220  (S 713 ), and transmits to the query separator  135  (S 714 ).  
     [0053] Then, the query separator  135  separates the query by using the share and storage information achieved from the query analyzer  134  such that each video database  220  performs the query, and transmits the separated query and the post-process plan to the query executor  136  (S 715 ).  
     [0054] The query executor  136  transmits the separated query to each video database  220  and the spatial geographic database  230  through the communication module  137  (S 716 , S 717 ) to perform the query. The performed result of the query is transmitted to the query executor  136  through the communication module  137  (S 718 , S 719 ).  
     [0055] The query executor  136 , which received the performed result of the query, performs the post-process plan prepared by the query analyzer  134 , for the performed result of the separated query and transmits the final results to the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  through the share and storage component interface  131  (S 720 , S 721 ).  
     [0056] By the processes set forth before, the map viewer  110  and the video viewer  120  of the apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data according to the present invention, uses mass video data as if it is stored in a single database even though the mass video data is not actually suitable for a storage in a single database.  
     [0057] As described above, an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system, and a management method thereof according to the present invention, allows mass video data, being not suitable to be stored in a single database, to be shared and stored in a plurality of databases, and to be integrated-searchable and manageable such that the plurality of databases are viewed as a single database, which provides advantages of allowing a use of spatial indices for shared and stored information, and a quick search for stored databases.  
     [0058] The above embodiment is just one example of an apparatus for sharing and storing mass video data in a video geographic information system, and a management method thereof according to the present invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.