Method for storing multi-media information in an information retrieval system

Claim 1

A method for storing information in an information retrieval system having a database for retrieval of said input information in response to a query, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving text information representative of text; (b) receiving image information representative of an image; (c) receiving image text information representative of text associated with said image; (d) storing said image information in an image information format in said database; (e) storing said text information and said image text information in separate text files having a common text information format in said database, wherein the format of said stored text information is identical to the format of said stored image text information in said text files; (f) forming a document information directory table having a plurality of document information directory records including a first document information directory record associated with said text information received in step (a) and a second document information directory record associated with said image text information received in step (c), said first and second document information directory records being stored in a single common record format in said document information directory table, said common record format including an offset field wherein said offset field in said first document information record corresponds to a location of said text information in said database and said offset field in said second document information directory record corresponds to a location of said image text information in said database; (g) forming a document index table having a plurality of index records each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of search terms, wherein each of said index records includes a document identification field corresponding to one of said plurality of document information directory records in said document information directory table and a location field corresponding to a location of one of said plurality of search terms within one of said text files; (h) searching said text information and said image text information in said common text information format by selecting index records within said document index table corresponding to a search term in a single query, selecting document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records by using said document identification fields of said selected index records to locate document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records, identifying a first text file corresponding to a first of said selected document information records by using said offset field of said first selected document information directory record to locate said first text file in said database, identifying a search term location corresponding to a position of said search term in said first text file in accordance with a location field value in one said selected index records, and retrieving said text information from said first text file; and (i) using a second selected document information directory record to retrieve said image information wherein said text information and said image information are retrieved in accordance with said single query.

Claim 2

A method for storing information in an information retrieval system having a database for retrieval of said input information in response to a query, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving text information representative of text; (b) receiving image information representative of an image; (c) receiving image text information representative of text associated with said image; (d) storing said image information in an image information format in said database; (e) storing said text information and said image text information in separate text files having a common text information format in said database, wherein the format of said stored text information is identical to the format of said stored image text information in said text files; (f) forming a document information directory table having a plurality of document information directory records including a first document information directory record associated with said text information received in step (a) and a second document information directory record associated with said image text information received in step (c), said first and second document information directory records being stored in a single common record format in said document information directory table, said common record format including an offset field wherein said offset field in said first document information record corresponds to a location of said text information in said database and said offset field in said second document information directory record corresponds to a location of said image text information in said database; (g) forming a document index table having a plurality of index records each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of search terms, wherein each of said index records includes a document identification field corresponding to one of said plurality of document information directory records in said document information directory table and a location field corresponding to a location of one of said plurality of search terms within one of said text files; (h) searching said text information and said image text information in said common text information format by selecting index records within said document index table corresponding to a search term in a single query, selecting document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records by using said document identification fields of said selected index records to locate document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records, identifying a first text file corresponding to a first of said selected document information records by using said offset field of said first selected document information directory record to locate said first text file in said database, identifying a search term location corresponding to a position of said search term in said first text file in accordance with a location field value in one said selected index records, and retrieving said text information from said first text file; and (i) using a second selected document information directory record to retrieve said image information wherein said text information and said image information are retrieved in accordance with said single query.

Claim 8

A method for storing information in an information retrieval system having a database for retrieval of said input information in response to a query, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving text information representative of text; (b) receiving audio information representative of audio information; (c) receiving audio text information representative of text associated with said audio information; (d) storing said audio information in an audio information format in said database; (e) storing said text information and said audio text information in separate text files having a common text information format in said database, wherein the format of said stored text information is identical to the format of said stored audio text information in said text files; (f) forming a document information directory table having a plurality of document information directory records including a first document information directory record associated with said text information received in step (a) and a second document information directory record associated with said audio text information received in step (c), said first and second document information directory records being stored in a single common record format in said document information directory table, said common record format including an offset field wherein said offset field in said first document information record corresponds to a location of said text information in said database and said offset field in said second document information directory record corresponds to a location of said audio text information in said database; (g) forming a document index table having a plurality of index records each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of search terms, wherein each of said index records includes a document identification field corresponding to one of said plurality of document information directory records in said document information directory table and a location field corresponding to a location of one of said plurality of search terms within one of said text files; (h) searching said text information and said audio text information in said common text information format by selecting index records within said document index table corresponding to a search term in a single query, selecting document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records by using said document identification fields of said selected index records to locate document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records, identifying a first text file corresponding to a first of said selected document information records by using said offset field of said first selected document information directory record to locate said first text file in said database, identifying a search term location corresponding to a position of said search term in said first text file in accordance with a location field value stored in one said selected index records, and retrieving said text information from said first text file; and (i) using a second selected document information directory record to retrieve said audio information wherein said text information and said audio information are retrieved in accordance with said single query.

Claim 9

A method for storing information in an information retrieval system having a database for retrieval of said input information in response to a query, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving text information representative of text; (b) receiving audio information representative of audio information; (c) receiving audio text information representative of text associated with said audio information; (d) storing said audio information in an audio information format in said database; (e) storing said text information and said audio text information in separate text files having a common text information format in said database, wherein the format of said stored text information is identical to the format of said stored audio text information in said text files; (f) forming a document information directory table having a plurality of document information directory records including a first document information directory record associated with said text information received in step (a) and a second document information directory record associated with said audio text information received in step (c), said first and second document information directory records being stored in a single common record format in said document information directory table, said common record format including an offset field wherein said offset field in said first document information record corresponds to a location of said text information in said database and said offset field in said second document information directory record corresponds to a location of said audio text information in said database; (g) forming a document index table having a plurality of index records each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of search terms, wherein each of said index records includes a document identification field corresponding to one of said plurality of document information directory records in said document information directory table and a location field corresponding to a location of one of said plurality of search terms within one of said text files; (h) searching said text information and said audio text information in said common text information format by selecting index records within said document index table corresponding to a search term in a single query, selecting document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records by using said document identification fields of said selected index records to locate document information directory records corresponding to said selected index records, identifying a first text file corresponding to a first of said selected document information records by using said offset field of said first selected document information directory record to locate said first text file in said database, identifying a search term location corresponding to a position of said search term in said first text file in accordance with a location field value stored in one said selected index records, and retrieving said text information from said first text file; and (i) using a second selected document information directory record to retrieve said audio information wherein said text information and said audio information are retrieved in accordance with said single query.