Database interoperation support in multimedia applications: architecture and methodology

One of the major concerns for the early adopters of the new media technolog ies is how to safeguard their investments in the face of rapid technologica l change. In this paper, we argue that technological change and the ensuing problems are a well-known issue in databases, and that the multimedia indu stry can benefit from lessons learned in database technology. Moreover, we argue that meta-translation, a specific approach to software interoperation that has been developed in the context of heterogeneous databases, may als o be useful in multimedia applications, particularly in converting propriet ary annotation and indexing schemes into emerging or existing standards, su ch as MPEG-7. This technology automates the construction of conversion tool s significantly, thus reducing the cost of migration and interoperation. Be ginning with a discussion of architectural aspects of multimedia systems an d a summary of relevant interoperation standards, the paper proceeds to des cribe and then to assess meta-translation as an approach and technology in this context.