Compound Object Metadata Extraction for Direct Data Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in accessing individual data objects within compound data objects due to proprietary formats and the need for specific applications, which can lead to resource-intensive unpacking and storage processes.
Innovation Solution
Extracting metadata from compound objects using unpack tools to provide direct access to individual data objects without relying on the application that packed them, allowing access through standard file system protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If applications pack multiple data objects in another data object, then it helps to overcome performance and scalability issues and makes it easier to manage objects, but the objects become difficult to access and require specific applications to unpack them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the compound object into individual data objects by extracting metadata that describes each object's location, size, and structure within the compound object. This allows the system to access individual objects without unpacking the entire compound object, thus maintaining the performance benefits of packing while enabling direct access to individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces metadata as an intermediary layer between the compound object and the accessing application. This metadata contains information about the layout and structure of individual data objects within the compound object, enabling standard applications to access individual objects without requiring proprietary unpacking applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If applications provide proprietary formats for packing objects, then it helps to keep related objects together and reduce dependencies, but the formats are difficult to access without the specific application and could change over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential structural information from proprietary compound object formats into a standardized metadata representation. This extracted metadata contains the layout information needed to access individual objects, allowing systems to access objects from various proprietary formats through a uniform interface without depending on the original packing applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal metadata structure that can represent the layout of data objects from different proprietary formats. This universal metadata enables any standard application to access individual objects from any compound object format that conforms to the metadata schema, making the system versatile across different formats while maintaining consistent access methods.
3Ease of operation
If applications provide tools to unpack individual objects, then it allows access to objects, but it requires significant resources to perform the unpacking and store the individual objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by extracting and storing metadata about the compound object's structure during the initial access phase. This metadata contains pre-computed layout information that enables direct access to individual objects without requiring resource-intensive unpacking operations each time an object needs to be accessed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a lightweight copy of the structural information in the form of metadata, which is much smaller and less resource-intensive than copying or unpacking the actual data objects. This metadata copy contains all the necessary layout information to access individual objects directly within the compound object without full unpacking.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for providing access to data objects within another data object are described herein. In one embodiment, a compound object including multiple data objects is received and metadata is extracted for a data object from the compound object, where the metadata includes a layout of the data object in view of the compound object. Subsequently, access to one or more of the data objects within the compound object is provided based on the extracted metadata without using an application associated with the compound object. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.