Centralized Image Catalog with Remote Storage Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accessing images over wide-area networks is challenging due to the lack of awareness of available images, limited connectivity and bandwidth at image acquisition locations, and inefficient transfer of large image files.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where image files are stored at remote locations and periodically transferred to a central server, creating a searchable catalog that allows users to access images from either the central or remote locations, reducing storage and bandwidth requirements by deleting images from remote locations after transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If images are transferred immediately from remote locations to central server, then users can access images centrally, but bandwidth consumption and transfer time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by transferring images to the central server in advance of user requests, during periods of low network utilization. The batch transfer mechanism proactively moves images before they are needed, ensuring availability while avoiding peak bandwidth consumption periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic batch transfers of images from remote locations to the central server. Instead of continuous or on-demand transfers, images are transferred in periodic batches during off-peak hours, reducing overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining image availability for users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If images are stored at multiple remote locations, then image acquisition is flexible, but users cannot determine which images are available and where
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary metadata database that stores information about image locations, descriptions, and availability. This intermediary layer connects users to distributed image storage, allowing users to query what images are available and where they are located without needing to know the physical distribution details.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments image data and metadata management into separate components. Image files are stored at remote locations while metadata (descriptions, location information, availability status) is managed centrally in a database, allowing independent optimization of each component.
3Quantity of substance
If images are transferred from remote to central location, then central storage capacity increases, but remote storage requirements and bandwidth needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates copies of images and transfers them to the central server in batch operations. Remote locations maintain copies of images for local access while the central server builds its repository, allowing both locations to serve users without requiring constant synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a retention policy where images are deleted from remote storage after they have been successfully transferred to and verified at the central server. This recovers remote storage resources while ensuring central storage capacity grows with the transferred image collection.
Data Source
AI summary
Images created by one or more image acquisition devices are initially stored in remote data bases at one or more remote or satellite locations and copies of the images are subsequently transferred to a central server at a central storage location over a network and stored in a central data base. A common catalog listing local image files stored at the central data base and remote image files stored at one or more remote data bases is stored at the central location and is accessed by users to search for images. User requests for images associated with local image files result in transfer of the requested images by the central server to the user. User requests for images associated with remote image files are relayed by the central server to the associated remote location, and the requested images are then relayed to the user from the remote location via the central server.