Moss as a multimedia-object server

Abstract

Multimedia requires new techniques for storage and retrieval of data objects. Based on the concept of abstract data types MOSS is presented as a multimedia-object storage system to experiment with new methods of managing so-called single-medium objects (SMOs; pertaining to one medium only). SMO-sets are introduced as a means to group SMOs and to connect them with the data in a DBS. They also form the basis for content-based retrieval. The open, layered architecture of MOSS allows the separation of all media-related functionality into modules for medium-specific abstract datatypes. This is especially aimed at the design of new access methods that represent some of the semantic richness of SMOs and the employment of novel storage techniques to meet the requirements of the new media. Another focus of our work is the design of general interfaces between the modules.