Abstract: In the creation of the index file, one index record is allocated to each set consisting of one retrieval key and the initial and final positions in the motion image of one frame to which the retrieval key is allocated, and information on this set is stored therein. In the query processing, for a query specified by a Boolean expression of retrieval keys, records whose keywords match any of the retrieval keys included in the query are retrieved from the index file. Thereafter, all the initial and final positions of the matching records are arranged along a time axis. For each of intervals defined by those positions, a truth table is created in which the allocation of the retrieval keys included in the query is expressed by truth values, and the logical condition of the query is evaluated based on the table.

Abstract: An image processing method and system wherein the virtual storage concept is introduced into the storage and management of image data so as to be adapted to an image processing. Data representing an image is stored on a block basis as data blocks corresponding to image strips in a virtual image, in a first storage device, having a plurality of storage blocks, corresponding to a virtual storage, and the data blocks to be processed are fetched from the first storage device into a second working storage device, having a smaller number of storage blocks than the plurality of storage blocks in the first storage device, corresponding to real storage, to perform image processing.