Image Applications and Database Systems: an Approach Using Object-Oriented Systems

With the recent advances in computer technology it is now possible to manage several types of information such as alphanumerical data from traditional applications or images, sounds and graphics from more sophisticated applications. At present the challenge is to integrate all these different types of data inside multimedia systems [Kerherve92]. In our project, we pay special attention to images and to their integration in database systems. We propose an image data model allowing the description of the different types of data which compose the image. We examin how Object Oriented Database Systems can support image applications and we propose an image database architecture offering tools to efficiently manage images and related data in an integrated manner. The functionnal architecture of our system is divided into four different managers: the interface manager, the request manager, the image data manager and the access and storage manager. Each of these components is in charge of specific tasks that are mandatory for image applications.