Abstract: A system and method is provided that can integrate a set of video processing systems for the purpose of increasing productivity and throughput. The integrated system edits video into clips, automatically adds records corresponding to these clips in a centralized database system, adds information about the content of these clips into these records, and controls the compression or conversion of these clips for distribution. The database system is used for managing the clips as well as for the searching of the clips based primarily on the content information added in the above process. Using this process, a digital production line may be built that allows video editors to edit sections from a video tape, have these sections (or clips) be dynamically added to a database system, and provide a mechanism for the editors to apply meta-information to the newly created clips at the same time the clips have been authored.

Abstract: A method and apparatus aids consistent, high-quality input of meta-information associated with items inserted into a database by coupling a hierarchical subject taxonomy, used to definitively assign an element, with sets of attributes appropriate for each category. Each attribute in turn is itself associated with a set of legal values drawn from a universe of appropriately typed values. The method and apparatus can be used to enable a user of a database management system to input or augment a set of semantically relevant and consistent meta-information associated with content in or being placed into the database management system. The content in the database system is placed into one or more of a set of hierarchical taxonomic categories. Zero or more semantically relevant attributes are associated with each taxonomic category. Relevant sets of values for each attribute, drawn from a universe of appropriate values, are associated with each attribute at each level in the taxonomic hierarchy.