Method and system for storing hierarchical content objects in a data repository

Abstract

A web-based system, method and program product are provided for storing content objects (e.g., a custom compilation or prepublished work) in a data repository as a group of hierarchically related content entities. Each noncontainer content object is preferably stored as a separate entity in the data repository. Each content entity is also stored as a row in a digital library index class as a collection of attributes and references to related content entities and containers. As content objects are input to the system or as a user selects desired objects for inclusion in a content object, the system arranges the content objects hierarchically, e.g., into volumes, chapters and sections according to the order specified by the input content object or by the user. The system then creates a file object (e.g., a CBO) defining the content object that contains a list or outline of the container and noncontainer entities selected, their identifiers, order and structure. This file object is stored separately in the data repository.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for storing at least one content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and including a plurality of content entities in a data repository, comprising the steps of:

for each content object,

storing as a file object within the data repository a list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of the content entities for the content object,

storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising the step of storing each associated component as a file object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the content object is a compilation of content.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises an image.

10. A computer implemented method for storing at least one hierarchically structured content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and having a plurality of content entities in a data repository, comprising the steps of:

for each content object,

storing as a file object within the data repository a hierarchical outline of containers and content entity identifiers defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchy of the content object, wherein each container represents an outline hierarchical tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of content entities for the content object,

storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

enabling modification of the presence and position of containers and content entity identifiers within said outline by a user to alter the content and hierarchy of the content object.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a row for each container in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the container.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising the step of storing each associated component as a file object.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the containers are one of books, volumes and chapters.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the content object is a compilation of content.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.

21. A computer implemented method for retrieving a content object from a data repository, the content object being one of a book, collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object and stored within the data repository as a file object containing an ordered list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within and arrangement of the content object, comprising the steps of:

retrieving the file object containing the list of content entity identifiers, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein each content entity is stored as an individually accessible file object within the data repository;

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within the list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object;

for each content entity identifier, retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to the identified content entity; and

inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

22. A computer implemented method for constructing a content object being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, the contents of the content object being defined by an ordered list of content entity identifiers identifying one or more content entities each stored in a data repository as an individually accessible file object, comprising the steps of:

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and structure of the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure;

for each content entity identifier, retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to the identified content entity; and

inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

assigning an identifier to the content object; and

assigning new content entity identifiers to the content entities, the new identifiers including the identifier assigned to the content object.

24. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for storing at least one content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and including a plurality of content entities in a data repository, the method steps comprising:

for each content object,

storing as a file object within the data repository a list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of the content entities for the content object,

storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and the method steps further comprising the step of storing each associated component as a file object.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein the content object is a compilation of content.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.

33. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for storing at least one hierarchically structured content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and including a plurality of content entities in a data repository, the method steps comprising:

for each content object,

storing as a file object within the data repository a hierarchical outline of containers and content entity identifiers defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchy of the content object, wherein each container represents an outline hierarchical tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of content entities for the content object,

storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the content file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

enabling modification of the presence and position of containers and content entity identifiers within said outline by a user to alter the content and hierarchy of the content object.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating a row for each container in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the container.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

39. The device of claim 33, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and the method steps further comprising the step of storing each associated component as a file object.

40. The device of claim 33, wherein the content object is one of a book, a collection of images, an album, and a video.

41. The device of claim 33, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

42. The device of claim 33, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the containers are one of books, volumes and chapters.

43. The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises an image.

44. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for retrieving a content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, from a data repository, the content object being stored within the data repository as a file object containing an ordered list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within and arrangement of the content object, the method steps comprising:

retrieving the file object containing the list of content entity identifiers, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein each content entity is stored as an individually accessible file object within the data repository;

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within the list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object;

for each content entity identifier, retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to the identified content entity; and

inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

45. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for constructing a content object being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, the contents of the content object being defined by an ordered list of content entity identifiers identifying one or more content entities each stored in a data repository as an individually accessible file object, the method steps comprising:

enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and structure of the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure;

for each content entity identifier, retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to the identified content entity; and

inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the method steps further comprise the steps of:

assigning an identifier to the content object; and

assigning new content entity identifiers to the content entities, the new identifiers including the identifier assigned to the content object.

47. A computer system for storing at least one content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and including a plurality of content entities in a data repository, comprising:

means for storing, as a file object within the data repository, a list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the list in response to user selection of content entities for the content object,

means for storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

means for enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising means for creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

49. The system of claim 48, further comprising means for creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

50. The system of claim 48, further comprising means for creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

51. The system of claim 48 wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

52. The system of claim 47, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising means for storing each associated component as a file object.

53. The system of claim 47, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

54. The system of claim 47, wherein the content object is a compilation of content.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.

56. A computer system for storing at least one hierarchically structured content object, being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, capable of being produced by a processing system and including a plurality of content entities in a data repository, comprising:

means for storing a hierarchical outline of containers and content entity identifiers for each content object, the outline being stored as a file object within the data repository and defining the content and corresponding to a user-defined hierarchy of the content object, wherein each container an outline hierarchical tier and includes at least one content entity identifier forming a subordinate outline hierarchical tier, and wherein the content entity identifiers are determined by the processing system and placed in the outline in response to user selection of the content entities for the content object,

means for storing ones of the plurality of content entities within the data repository as a plurality of individually accessible file objects, wherein each file object contains one content entity, and wherein the content entity identifiers each include identification information identifying the file object containing the content entity associated with that identifier, and

means for enabling modification of the presence and position of containers and content entity identifiers within said outline by a user to alter the content and hierarchy of the content object.

57. The system of claim 56, further comprising means for creating an attribute table in the data repository for storing an attribute pertaining to at least one of content objects and content entities.

58. The system of claim 57, further comprising means for creating a row for each content object in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content object.

59. The system of claim 57, further comprising means for creating a row for each container in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the container.

60. The system of claim 57, further comprising means for creating a row for each content entity in the attribute table, the row containing at least one attribute pertaining to the content entity.

61. The system of claim 57, wherein at least one attribute is extracted from the content object.

62. The system of claim 56, wherein ones of the content entities further comprise components associated with the content object, and further comprising means for storing each associated component as a file object.

63. The system of claim 56, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the content entities are one of volumes, chapters and sections.

64. The system of claim 56, wherein the content object is a book and ones of the containers are one of books, volumes and chapters.

65. The system of claim 56, wherein the content object is a compilation of content.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein at least one of the associated components comprises one of an image, a video segment and an audio segment.

67. A computer system for retrieving a content object from a data repository, the content object being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object and stored within the data repository as a file object containing an ordered list of content entity identifiers indicating the content entities within and arrangement of the content object, comprising:

means for retrieving the file object containing the list of content entity identifiers, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure, and wherein each content entity is stored as an individually accessible file object within the data repository;

means for enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and arrangement of the content object;

means for retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to each content entity identifier; and

means for inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

68. A computer system for constructing a content object being one of a book, a collection of images, an album, a video and a multimedia object, the contents of the content object being defined by an ordered list of content entity identifiers identifying one or more content entities each stored in a data repository as an individually accessible file object, comprising:

means for enabling modification of the presence and position of content entity identifiers within said list by a user to alter the content and structure of the content object, wherein a hierarchical arrangement of the content entity identifiers within the list includes at least one hierarchical tier and at least one subordinate tier and corresponds to a user-defined content object hierarchical structure;

means for retrieving the individually accessible file object corresponding to each content entity identifier; and

means for inserting the content entity into the ordered list at the location of its content entity identifier.

69. The system of claim 68, further comprising:

means for assigning an identifier to the content object; and

means for assigning new content entity identifiers to the content entities, the new identifiers including the identifier assigned to the content object.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to content management, and more specifically, to a system, method and program product for creating compilations of content from hierarchical content stored in a data repository.

2. Background of the Invention

Content management systems have enabled content of all types, e.g., text, still images, moving images, and audio content, to be stored digitally. Content management systems include, for example, relational databases, digital libraries, and media servers. They have further provided functions for manipulating the content, e.g., searching and editing capabilities.

It would be desirable to enable a user to take advantage of vast stores of content to create compilations tailored to the user's needs or desires. For example, a university professor would find value in creating custom textbook tailored to a specific course from prepublished textbooks stored in a content management system. This compilation could be further enhanced to include associated multimedia materials. As another example, a music lover would benefit from a system that allows him to specify musical selections to be included in a custom album. Such systems would have to partition large content objects (e.g., albums, books, videos) into smaller, selectable objects (e.g., musical selection, chapter section, episode) for inclusion in a compilation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A web-based system, method and program product are provided for creating a compilation of content stored in a data repository as a group of hierarchically related content entities, managing, displaying, and searching the content, then creating and exporting compilations of content for publication. Also provided are a system, data structure, method, and program product for storing content into a repository for use in creating a compilation of content.

The content is hierarchical in nature. Accordingly, entities at each level of the hierarchy except the lowest are defined by "containers". For example, in the case of textual content, the hierarchical structure of the data may include book containers, volume containers, chapter containers, and subsections (noncontainers, because they are at the leaf level of the hierarchy). In the case of audio content, the hierarchical containers may be album, compact disk, and musical selection, and excerpts of the musical selections are defined as noncontainers. In the case of video content, the hierarchical containers may include movies and excerpts from each movie, and frames are defined as noncontainers. If desired, the maximum size of a container may specified. For example, the volume size in a custom book is preferably determined using a threshold value defining maximum amount of content allowable for that container, and a procedure is provided for managing content entities and containers to maintain this maximum.

The hierarchical data and associated metadata are preferably stored in a digital library that includes search support. A web-based user interface is provided for presenting a user with a plurality of selectable objects, each object representing a subset of the hierarchical data (e.g., chapter subsections, musical excerpts, video excerpts, etc.). The plurality of objects may represent all subsets of the stored content or less than all of the subsets (e.g., categorizing the content and by providing a bookshelf for each category that a user may browse). The user then selects one or more of the objects for inclusion in a compilation (e.g., a custom textbook). Alternatively, the user may search the content by specifying search criteria through the interface. Additionally, the user may create new content, e.g., a new chapter or section, for inclusion in the final compilation by inputting user-provided material through the web interface. The system preferably stores the new content and creates a reusable, selectable object associated with the new content.

Each noncontainer content object is preferably stored as a separate entity in the data repository. Each content entity is also stored as a row in a digital library index class as a collection of attributes and references to related content entities. Each containter and noncontainer is associated with a unique identifier that preferably includes hierarchical information about its position in the hierarchy.

As the user selects desired objects for inclusion in a compilation, the system arranges the objects hierarchically, e.g., into volumes, chapters and sections according to the order specified by the user. The system then creates a file object (e.g., a CBO) defining the compilation that contains a list or outline of the content entities selected , their identifiers, order and structure. This file object is stored separately in the data repository.

The list or outline is presented to the user at the web interface as a table of contents, and may be edited through the interface. For example, the user may add content, delete content, or move content within and across containers. Editing the list or outline redefines the structure of the compilation. Once the user is satisfied with the organization of the compilation, it is submitted it for publication. The submitted compilation is then forwarded to an approval process and is accepted, rejected, or returned to the user with editorial comments appended by the editor.

An aspect of the invention is the calculation of the compilation's cost by estimating the amount of content it contains and determining a content cost based upon the content estimate. Optionally, a cost is assigned to each content entity in the data repository and these actual costs are summed as part of the cost estimation procedure.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide permission checking. Occasionally, it may be desired to prevent certain content entities from appearing a same compilation as other content entities. For example, an author may specify that his work can not be published in the same compilation as the work of another author. Permission checking first requires associating each container and noncontainer with any mutually exclusive containers or noncontainers. For example, such association may be achieved by defining a set of rules specifying containers and/or content entities that are mutually exclusive. Upon selection of a container or noncontainer to add to the compilation, the permission checking procedure determines if the container or noncontainer is mutually exclusive of any other containers or content objects, e.g., by consulting the rules. If so, the permission checking procedure then analyzes the compilation outline to determine whether any of the other mutually exclusive containers or noncontainers already exists in the compilation. If so, then the selected container or noncontianer is not added to the compilation and the user is notified that the content selected may not be included in the compilation. Otherwise, the content is added.

A further aspect of the invention is to provide prerequisite checking, wherein some entities are associated, e.g., by a set of rules, with content objects that are prerequisites to that object (e.g., front or backmatter associated with the subsection such as an introduction, appendix, or bibliography), and wherein selection by the user of an entity prerequisites causes automatic inclusion of all associated prerequisite objects in the final compilation.

Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a functional layer between the user interface and data repository for facilitating the creation, manipulation, storage and management of content objects in the data repository.

Another aspect of the invention allows a user to create multiple compilations concurrently. Yet another aspect of the invention allows a user to modify a compilation by creating a clone or copy of the compilation and applying user-specified changes to the copy (e.g., in the creation of a new edition or version of an existing work.)

Other aspects of the invention include a configurable model for storing hierarchically related data in a relational database, and a data structure for storing the data and associated metadata, whereby the hierarchical relationship of the data is preserved.

As a further aspect of the invention, queries are executed on the hierarchical containers and noncontainers through an application or user-interface. The results of the independent searches are merged using hit masks. A hit mask is a string of bits, each bit representing a query. For each container and noncontainer in the result set, a hit mask is generated and ones of the bits are set to indicate which of the queries the container or noncontainer satisfies. Container hit masks are OR-ed with their child containers and/or noncontainers to reflect inheritance. Containers and noncontainers with all bits set comprise the merged result set.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a block diagram representing the content management system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram representing the content input path of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram representing a digital library suitable for practicing the present invention;

FIG. 4 graphically represents the structures for storing content parts in a digital library;

FIG. 5 graphically represents the index classes used in storing content in a digital library;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram representing the path for creating and submitting compilations of content according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 represents parts of a compilation of content stored in the digital library;

FIGS. 8A-21B represent the interface of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 22A-22D represent the system administrator interface of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 22A-22E represent the system administrator interface of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a state diagram representing the states of a user, request and CBO at various stages of the process for creating compilations of content.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

I. System Overview

FIG. 1 functionally depicts a system for creating compilations of content. It comprises three parts: a path for inputting content to the data repository (FIG. 2), a path for enabling a user to select content and organization from the data repository through a web-based interface for inclusion in a compilation of content (FIG. 3), and a path that interfaces with a publishing system for creating the compilation of content from the user's specification (FIG. 2). Each path will be described in detail below.

The present invention will now be described in terms of a specific embodiment for creating custom textbooks. The intended user group comprises university professors, for example. The content stored in the system comprises a plurality of published textbooks, broken down into hierarchically related objects: book, volume, chapter and chapter subsection.

Using the proposed system in this context, a university professor is able to access content from a collection of textbooks stored in a digital library and select books, volumes, chapters and/or chapter subsections for inclusion in a custom textbook, and is further able to create content objects for inclusion in the final work.

Although the specific embodiment is provided to facilitate the reader's understanding, it will be understood that present invention is of a much broader scope and may be applied in the creation of compilations of all types of content including text, image, audio and video content.

A. Receiving and Storing Content

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, content and other information is input to digital library 20 through the input data path shown in FIG. 2. Briefly, the content and other information is input by a user in at an input interface represented by block 8. In the preferred embodiment, the input content is provided in SGML format, although other formats may be supported if desired. The content is forwarded by input application 8 to a converter 10 for conversion into the format expected by data loader 14.

After reformatting, converter 10 outputs the reformatted content and other information to a loader application 14. Loader 14 receives and maps the data for storage in the data repository according to a configuration model 12. According to the present example, the data repository is a digital library 20, and the configuration model 12 is specific to the IBM DB2(R) Digital Library data storage model. Loader 14 interfaces with the digital library 20 through the digital library client application 16. Using the configuration model 12, the content loader 14 is able to map the content and other information it receives in a manner appropriate for the structure of the underlying digital library 20. However, the loader 14 of the present invention may be reconfigured for other types of data repositories by defining a configuration model 12 for each data repository used. Thus if the data repository type is later changed, the configuration file 12 can be updated to reconfigure the input path without having to reprogram the loader application 14.

The elements of the input path will now be described in greater detail.

1. Digital Library

Examples of digital libraries suitable for use in the present invention are described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,787,413 entitled "C++ classes for a digital library" issued to Kauffman et al., and 5,857,203 entitled "Method and apparatus for dividing, mapping and storing large digital objects in a client/server library system" also issued to Kauffman et al.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the data repository comprises the commercially available IBM DB2 Digital Library. However, other commercially available data repositories may be used either in combination with, or in lieu of, the DB2 Digital Library Digital libraries are used to store and manage a wide variety of digital objects such as documents, graphics, audio, video, spread sheets and word-processing text. A conceptual view of a conventional digital library client/server system is shown in FIG. 3 and includes a library server 44, one or more object servers 48 and a library client 42. Each of the library and object servers and the library client includes an information store. That is, the library server 44 includes a library catalog 46, the is object server 48 includes an object store 50 and the library client 42 includes a client cache 40. The client applications interface to the digital library through an object-oriented API 16. Also, a communications isolator (not shown) is included which allows the library server 44, object server 48 and library client 42 to communicate with one another without concern for complex communications protocols.

The library server, object servers and library clients are connected by a communications network, such as a wide-area network (WAN), but also can be locally connected via a local area network (LAN). In the conventional library client/server system the library client 42 is typically embodied in a workstation, such as a personal computer, and the library server 44 and object servers 48 are typically embodied in a host processor: generally a mainframe computer environment such as a MVS/ESA environment running under CICS. The library server 44 uses a relational database such as the IBM DB2 Universal Database or the Oracle database as a library catalog 46 to manage digital objects and provide data integrity by maintaining index information and controlling access to objects stored on one or more object servers. Object servers can also use a relational database such as IBM DB2 or the Oracle database to manage their contents. Library servers and object servers run, for example, on AIX and Windows NT.

Library Server. The library server 44 directs requests from clients to update or query entries in the library catalog 46, which contains object indexes and descriptive information. Library server 44 additionally performs searches and routes requests to the appropriate object server 48 to store, retrieve, and update objects.

Each user is assigned a set of privileges for access to the library by a system administrator. Library server 44 checks library catalog 46 before processing a request to ensure that the user's name and password are valid, and to ensure that the user has been granted the appropriate privileges to perform the requested action. An example of a library privilege is the ability to delete objects. In typical implementations, there are groups of individuals who need access to the same objects. Therefore, to simplify the process of granting access to objects a system administrator can define patrons as members of a group. When a patron is defined as a member of a group, that patron is able to access any object for which the group has been granted privileges.

The library server 44 also checks to ensure that the object's owner has granted the patron the privileges needed to do what is requested (e.g., update the object). The owner of an object is the user who first stored the object. When an owner stores an object that owner must specify which other patrons are to have access to the object.

If a client request involves the storage, retrieval, or update of an object, library server 44 forwards the request to the object server 48 that contains or will store the object(s) referred to in the request based upon information provided by library catalog 46. If the client request is a query of the information stored in library catalog 46, library server 44 will interact only with the library catalog 46 and will not contact object server 20.

Library Catalog. The library catalog 46 is analogous to a conventional library's card catalog. It is a set of database virtual tables or index classes which contain an index of all the objects stored in the library system and the object servers owning them. Each row of these virtual tables or index classes references one or more stored objects. Implicitly, the first column of each index class contains a unique digital library item identifier (e.g., the IBM DB2 Digital Library ItemID) for the object referenced by its corresponding row. Other information stored in an index class may include textual descriptions for each object, information on the type of object (e.g., image object, spreadsheet, text document), user names and privileges, access authorization data for each object, links between objects, and an object's properties.

An item is a row in an index class and a part is a file within the object server 48 that is stored in an access managed directory structure. The management access of the directory structure is performed by the object server 48, but the directory structure responsibilities are performed by the operating system (i.e. AIX, NT, MVS).

The library server 44 contains a parts table 62, as shown in FIG. 4, which resides in the library catalog 46. For each part or object in the library system, library server 44 stores information about that part. As shown in the parts table 62 in FIG. 4, the information stored for a part includes the item identifier (ItemID), a part number (PartID), a representation type (REP type) and an object server ID identifying which object server contains the object. In the presently described embodiment of the invention, the REP type is a default value (FRN$NULL).

When a part is stored in the conventional client/server library system 20, library server 44 assigns an item ID and a part number, which are 16 bytes and 4 bytes long, respectively. The item ID is a unique identifier for an item (i.e. row in the library server index class) to which the part belongs. For example, an item could represent a folder in which the part represents a document within that folder. Likewise, the part number is a unique identifier for that part.

The REP type field can be used to indicate the type or class in which the part is classified. For example, if the part is an image stored in a TIFF format, the REP type for that part could indicate that the part is a TIFF formatted image.

Object Servers. An object server 48 maintains objects stored within the library system. Objects are stored or retrieved from an object store 50 by object server 48. Object server 48 receives requests from library server 44 and communicates with library client 42 to complete the requests. Such a library system can contain several distributed object servers. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the object server field in the library server's parts table 62 indicates the identifier for the object server 48 which owns the part. For example, if the part is stored on object store 50 of object server 48, the object server ID field will contain the identifier for object server 48.

Each object server 48 contains an object server table 64 as shown in FIG. 4. The object server 48 uses object server table 64 to manage storage of parts in its storage areas, such as the object store 50. Object server table 64 also contains the same item ID, part number and REP type for the part as does the library server parts table 62. The object server table also contains a file name for the part 66, which indicates the location in object store 50 of stored part 66.

When a user's privileges are defined a default object server can be set for that user. When the user stores an object, it will be stored in his default object server. If it is later determined that an object or a group of objects should be relocated to a different object server, a client application can cause those objects to be moved from one object server to another.

Library Client. The library client 42 is the interface through which application programs can submit requests to the library system. These can include requests to store objects, update/add descriptors to objects, delete objects and query information in the library catalog. Library requests can be submitted through the library client either individually or in batches.

The library client 42 includes a client cache 40 used to locally hold copies of objects that have been stored to or retrieved from the object server 48. These local copies allow very fast access to objects and provide a means for communicating between the library client 42 and the servers 44, 48.

Additional Search Support. IBM DB2 Digital Library includes parametric search support, and is integrated with text search support from the IBM Intelligent Miner for Text. The library server 44 may be further integrated with other search support 52. For example, image querying may be provided by IBM's Query by Image Content(QBIC) technology (see commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,471 to Barber et al.).

In the present example for creating compilations of text, library server 44 is preferably coupled to the IBM Intelligent Miner for Text full text search support, allowing the user to automatically index, search, and retrieve documents based on a full text search. Text Miner allows users to locate documents by searching for words or phrases, abbreviations and acronyms, and proper names. In a typical LAN environment, a text search installation comprises one or more servers and several clients. The text search server program is installed on a machine with other Digital Library components. The text search client resides on client workstations and provides access to the server. Text search runs, for example, on AIX and Windows 95 and NT. In addition to the server and client components, text search uses dictionaries to support the linguistic processing of documents in different languages during indexing and retrieval. Dictionaries are installed on the server workstation, and at each client workstation.

Data Flow. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, when a requesting library client 42 requests an object, or blob, it sends a request to library server 44. Upon receipt of the request library server 44 consults the parts table 62, among other tables, in the library catalog 46 and determines which object server 48 owns and has the requested object stored in its object store 50. The request contains the item ID, part number and REP type of the requested part. Upon receiving the request, object server 48 retrieves the blob from object store 50 by consulting its object server table 64 and sends a copy of it to client 42. Object server 48 stores the blob in client cache 40. When the blob is successfully transmitted to client cache 40 object server 48 sends a response to library server 44 indicating a successful transfer of the blob to client cache 40. Library server 44, in turn, sends a response to requesting library client 42 indicating that the blob was successfully transferred, which allows the client 42 to retrieve the blob from client cache 40 for use by a client application.

When an application program submits a request for storage of an object in the library system, library client 42 creates a copy of the object in its client cache 40 to allow the appropriate object server 48 to retrieve the object. The library client then sends a storage request to library server 44. Included in the storage request is a handle to the object stored in the client cache 40. The handle is an identifier which is used to locate the object in the client cache.

Upon receiving the storage request, library server 44 updates tables in library catalog 46, including the parts table 62 shown in FIG. 4, to identify the object server 48 in which the object is to be stored. Typically, the object server 48 is selected by default based on the user's identity. Library server 44 then sends a request to object server 48 to retrieve the blob from the client cache 40 and store it in the object store 50. Included in the request is the handle of the object stored in client cache 40 and the item ID, part number and REP type of the part.

The object server 48, upon receiving the request to retrieve a copy of the object, retrieves the copy from client cache 40 and stores it in object store 50, then updates its object server table 64 accordingly to indicate a file name for the blob stored in object store 50. The file name uniquely identifies the location of the blob stored in object store 50.

Upon successfully storing a copy of the blob, object server 48 sends a response to library server 44 to notify it that the object was successfully stored. Library server 44 then updates its tables including the parts table 62 to indicate that the object is successfully stored in object server 48. The library server 44 sends a response to library client 42 indicating that the object was successfully stored so that the library client 42 can take further action based on the fact that the object was successfully stored in object store 50, such as deallocating memory resources for that object in client cache 32.

2. Data Model Definition

Storing content for use in creating a compilation of content first requires defining a Data Model, i.e., the constructs for mapping input content and other information in digital library 20. The data model is dependent on the constructs available within the underlying data repository. It is also defined by the nature of the content and information being input.

The content to be stored comprises products such as books, albums, images and videos. The content of each of these products may be organized hierarchically. For example, the hierarchy of a book may be defined by its volumes, chapters and chapter subsections. Since it is desired to create compilations of content from selected entities of these products, the content of the input products is partitioned into selectable entities. Information about the hierarchical relationship is also stored in the data repository. In the present example, other information to be stored includes user and content category definitions.

In the present example, the data repository is a digital library that includes a relational database, and the data model consists of entity groups defining the constructs in which the content is to be organized and stored within the relational database. Each entity group includes index class definitions, and may include part definitions. The parts store the actual content, and outlines describing the hierarchical relationship of the content entities. The index classes define relational tables for storing parametric attributes parametric (i.e. Integer, Float, Date, Time, String, Char, etc.) of the content, programs, and approval requests. The content index classes further include references to the parts containing them.

There are four entity groups in the present example: the Product Entity Group, the Program Entity Group, the CBO Entity Group and the Request Entity Group. The Product Entity Group defines the constructs for storing prepublished works or "products" in the digital library 20. These products provide the content from which a user can build a compilation of content. The Program Entity Group defines categories for content. In the present example these categories consist of academic programs. For example, "Freshman Engineering" is one program defined in the present example. The CBO Entity Group defines the constructs for storing a compilation of content. The Request Entity Group defines the contructs for storing information about requests for approval of compilations of content.

The following tables represent index class definitions, i.e., the meta definitions of the index classes. The rows within the figures define the columns of the index classes. For example, the Product_Aux index class contains 8 columns: SeqID, ProductItem, ParentItem, SiblingItem, ChildItem, Keyword, Value and NextValueltem.

Each primary index class contains a fixed number of columns. The columns of the index class definitions for the primary index classes define the primary index class column name (first column from the left), attribute type (second column), and source of the attribute value for each column of the index class (third column). In some cases, an attribute value is passed to digital library 20 by the loader 14 application, and the second column of the definition table is used to map the external attribute names to the internal digital library attribute names. In other cases, the attributes are program generated, as is indicated by the value "program generated" in column two. In the index class definition tables below, a fourth column has been added to each table to describe each column. It shall be understood, however, that this column is only provided to facilitate the reader's understanding and is not a part of the index class definitions.

The primary index class columns are restricted to single value attributes. Those columns that are multivalued or were not known when the system was first created are placed into the auxiliary index class.

The Program Index Class, Product Index Class and Request Index Class each have an associated auxiliary index class (ProgramAux Index Class, ProductAux Index Class, and RequestAux Index Class). Use of auxiliary index classes is generally understood by those skilled in the use of digital libraries. Each row within an auxiliary index class defines an additional (theoretical) column to a ROW in the corresponding primary index class (NOT to the entire primary index class). The column is theoretical in the sense that the digital library 20 does not handle auxiliary index class rows as additional columns in the primary index class. Rather, the API layer 30 provides the mapping mechanism to enable this theoretical column notion. Therefore users perceive these auxiliary index class rows as additional columns for a row, but in actuality they are stored as rows within the auxiliary index class. Theoretically, the primary index class appears as a table containing multiple rows and each row contains the columns defined in the primary index class definition plus those columns defined by rows in the auxiliary index class. In other words, these auxiliary index class columns (a.k.a. theoretical columns) are bound to a row within the primary index class and not the primary index class itself.

The manner in which an auxiliary index class defines theoretical columns on rows of a primary index class will now be described with reference to the Product Entity auxiliary index class. The ProductItem column (represented as a row in the auxiliary index class definition, below) contains the itemid, a unique identifier for each row in the primary index class. This column forms the linkage between a row within the auxiliary index class and the corresponding row of the primary index class.

The keyword column of the auxiliary index class (not to be confused with the Keyword column of the auxiliary index class definition) represents the name of the theoretical column to be added to a row of the primary index class. The current domain of theoretical primary index class column names appears in the Keywords column of the product auxiliary index class definition, below (2nd column from left). For example, one theoretical column name is Pub_Med_Type.

Note: In the present example, the domain is not restricted by the digital library 20 other than that the names must not exceed the length of the keyword column definition. Therefore, the domain of theoretical primary index class column names can be continuously enlarged by simply adding additional columns to the auxiliary index class.

The Value column contains the value for the theoretical column identified by the auxiliary index class Keyword column.

In addition to defining additional theoretical primary index class columns, the auxiliary index class can store multiple valued theoretical columns and hierarchical theoretical columns. Similar to theoretical single valued columns, theoretical multiple valued columns can be represented within a relational datastore model by using rows of an auxiliary index class. In the single valued column, only one row is necessary. In the multiple valued column, two or more rows are necessary (1 row for each value needing to be stored). Each value in the multiple valued column is ordered. This order is then used to chain multiple rows within the auxiliary index class together. Furthermore, the NextValueltem column contains the unique identifier of the auxiliary index class row which follows in the multivalued chain.

For example, if one wishes to store a multivalued column, First_Name with values: Fred and Barney and the auxiliary index class row containing Barney in the Value column has a unique identifier equal to ABC then the NextValueItem column for the row containing Fred in the Value column is ABC. Thus, the NextValueItem serves as the pointer to the next value in the multivalued chain.

The ParentItem, SiblingItem and ChildItem columns in the auxiliary index class are used to store hierarchical attributes of a row. Since a book's data model is hierarchical, the concept of hierarchical attribute storage/retrieval is crucial. The ParentItem column of a row in the auxiliary index class contains the unique identifier or itemid of another row in the auxiliary index class that holds a parent attribute of the current row. Similar to the multivalued columns, the children of a container are ordered (chained together). The unique identifier of the auxiliary index class row containing the preceding child is stored in the SiblingItem field. A container's first child's unique identifier is stored in the ChildItem column of the container row, thereby constructing a link between the container and first child, first child and second child and all other children after.

For example, the AC_Group column in the product auxiliary index class is a hierarchical attribute. AC_Group contains child attributes: ACFORMID and NUMBERAC. This inheritance is identifiable by the tabbing of the terms in the keywords column of the figure. Each AC_Group attribute contains an ACFORMID and NUMBERAC. Therefore the AC_Group is a kind of container.

This attribute family is represented by three rows within the auxiliary index class: one representing an AC_Group, one representing the ACFORMID and one representing the NUMBERAC. The parentItem column for the AC_Group row is blank to indicate that it is a parent attribute, whereas the ParentItem column for the ACFORMID and NUMBERAC rows contains the unique identifier of the AC_Group row. The ChildItem column of the AC_Group contains the unique identifier of the ACFORMID row. The SiblingItem column for the ACFORMID contains the unique identifier of the NUMBERAC row. The NUMBERAC row's SiblingItem is left blank representing the last child of AC_Group.

The Product and CBO Entity Groups are associated with Part definitions, since these entities define constructs for storing content in the digital library 20.

Product Entity Group

The Product Entity Group includes two index classes: Product Index Class and ProductAux (Auxiliary) Index Class. These index classes define the storage model for existing content products and their associated attributes to be stored. More specifically, they are used to generate a Product Index class in a relational database representing the content products, and the parts containing the actual content, prerequisite material and hierarchical product outline.

"Product" in this context refers to an existing content product such as a book, album or video. Since users will be selecting excerpts of existing content products to include in a compilation of content, each content product is stored as a group of hierarchically related entities Entities at each hierarchical level of the work except the lowest is defined by containers. In the present example, the containers are "book", "volume", and "chapter". Each container is described by the subentities or "content entities" it contains. For example, each "book.c" container includes references to all chapters denoted by the keyword, "chapter.c", contained in that textbook product. Similarly, each "chapter.c" container includes references to all sections contained in that chapter. The lowest level of the hierarchy is a "section". All three entities (book.c, chapter.c and section) are described by a unique sequence identifier. Each entity is represented by a row in the Product Index class

Product Index Class

The product index class defines a relational Product Index Class that is populated with a row for each content entity. Thus for textbook products the resulting product index class includes a row for each book, volume, chapter and section. In addition, each associated component for an entity is also represented by a row in the index class This index class is used as a quick reference for obtaining attribute information about each product entity, as well as a reference to the actual part numbers containing the product files.

Each product entity is assigned a unique identifier or sequence ID. Preferably, the sequence identifier further includes intrinsic information about the hierarchical level of the entity. To illustrate, the sequence ID used to represent textbook components is in the following form: