Digital Media Asset Management
Imagic ims doc
is a highly modular Digital Media Asset
Man-agement system based on Java technology for Windows, Mac and
Linux environments
Scalability
from basic editor workplaces up to complete
sys-tems providing acquisition and processing workplaces,
auto-mated media asset data import, browser-based query
work-places with e-commerce capabilities for external users, internal
and public archives and integrated user management
Communication
with existing customer applications and
archives for automated XML-based media asset import and link
to customer-based LDAP/AD user management for the
auto-mated implementation of user access rights
.
Compliance
with established database systems SQL
Server and Oracle for reliable long-term storage, with MS Word
and MS PowerPoint for the automated creation of presentations
and reports, and with all established operating systems due
to Java
System Components
ims Client
The ims Client is the interactive user interface for all functions and features of the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc, such as image acquisition, process-ing, editing and presentation and provides the appropriate user workplaces for all es-tablished operating systems. These workplaces are configurable and can be easily adapted to user requirements and profiles. The intuitive archive view allows fast and easy Internet-like queries for customer-defined categories and free text contents.
ims Publisher
The ims Publisher is the browser-based archive view of the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc to provide easy query, visualisation and download of media assets and related meta data free of installation. In addition, it features optional e-commerce functionality for media asset download.
ims Viewer
The ims Viewer is a highly versatile visualisation tool for all established digital media asset formats. It comes free of cost with the Media Asset Management ims doc and may be used on local and remote workstations as a general viewer.
ims Server
The central ims Server is the core of the Media Asset Management ims doc to pro-vide storage of and access to all digital media assets and related meta data, based on SQL Server and Oracle databases. A multitude of services allows time- or event-controlled execution of maintenance processes, such as the automated import of digital media assets from external archives, communication with external customer applications, automated digital media asset format conversion and meta data extrac-tion for queries. Furthermore, the server maintains a fully integrated user and access right management and synchronisation with customer LDAP/AD.
Media Asset Acquisition and Management
Document File Acquisition
The Digital Media Assets can be acquired as original files into the archiving system via drag&drop directly from any file storage device or interactively via the ims Studio workplace. For this purpose, ims doc provides a multitude of file format readers, for the automated extraction of meta data such as calibrations, descriptions or geo-graphical coordinates from EXIF, XMP or IPTC fields, to be used for display, media query, as well as for the automated conversion from source to target formats. The ims Studio workbench allows for highly intuitive processing, annotating and measur-ing of acquired images prior to storage in the Digital Media Asset Management ims
doc. Auto-Readout from camera storage devices, macro-based series import with
processing and movie trimming are just as few functional elements of the highly ver-satile acquisition concept.
Import from external archives via XML
Digital media assets from legacy customer archives can be automatically imported with minimal effort via the XML Import Interface into the Digital Media Asset Man-agement ims doc. Export automation from legacy archive formats into XML import format is provided as optional service.
Acquisition directly from Image Sources
ims doc supports a multitude of analogue and digital image sources, such as cameras and scanners, for direct import of images and movies. In this way these digital media may be acquired into the Digital Media Asset Man-agement ims doc in their usual work environ-ment, avoiding the detour of creating interme-diate files.
Management of Digital Media Asset Originals
ims doc stores the acquired media assets in their original file for-mat or allows for autofor-matic forfor-mat conversion on acquisition. On import into the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc, the files may be encrypted or watermarked for protection purposes. For each digital media being acquired a compact reference image is created for fast, image-oriented queries without the need for.Image Operations
Image Processing
Acquired image and movie files may be processed without the need for external applications directly from within the Digi-tal Media Asset Management ims doc. On acquisition clients with attached im-aging hardware, acquisition modes and sequences my be defined via process-ing macros.
Rotation, Mirror, Histogram, Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Inverse, Crop, Size
Movie Editor
Movies may be trimmed and re-stored with just a few clicks using the internal Movie Editor. Additional features are frame-precise single image extraction and re-assembling of sub-sequences.
Extraction of single images, assem-bly of sub-sequences, processing of files in GB size range, support for AVI, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 formats
Annotation and Measurement
Overlay-based annotation elements my be added to im-ages directly during the acquisition phase in the Studio workbench or later within the Digital Media Asset Man-agement ims doc. Automated calibration on acquisition al-lows for immediate interactive measurements on images. Annotation and measurement data are automatically trans-ferred to Word reports or PowerPoint presentations.
Single distance, Multiple distance, Area, Circle, Angle, Ob-ject Counter
The Editor Workplace
The ims Client
The intuitive archive views of the ims Client provide a clearly laid out and Internet-like query interface even for un-trained users. At any time the user has the overview over project and image relevant data for fast finding and visualisation of digital media assets. Distinct
values of existing contents, synonym expressions, keyword lists are just a few control elements to speed-up query processes in the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc.
The image
gallery with overview and zoom display modes, showing the reference images of the original documents, allows for compact display and visualisa-tion of the queried assets. Mouse-over on gallery thumb-nail shows a high-quality ref-erence image with attached project- and document-relevant meta data.
The flexible and dynamic form view presents the detail information of the original documents and allows editing of single or multiple media assets. Free text fields, keyword lists and auto-completing make data entry easy and avoid typing errors. Imported subject catalogues with built-in search-select features are available for documentations and queries. Check fields al-low the selective release for various purposes, such as publication or automated export.
Digital Media Asset Visualisation
ims Publisher
The ims Publisher is the browser-based user interface of the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc, optimised for fast and intuitive me-dia query, document visualisation and download. Without the neces-sity of local installation or training, the authorised user has immediate
and global access to all published media as-sets. The Internet-like query concept, en-hanced by professional tools such as category and synonym search, query operators and distinct value lists guarantees precise query results and short response times on all knowl-edge levels.
The modular interface concept allows the creation of user and group-defined views with overview, detail and gallery displays. The flexible download access control may be based on user rights or meta data contents.
And the optional e-commerce download functionality based on optional PayPal or credit card payment modes makes the ims Publisher a versatile digital media asset visualisa-tion tool for internal and exter-nal users.
Supports established Browsers, no installation and training required. Flexible download functionality for digital media assets, user authorisation via access rights management
Digital Media Asset Visualisation
Image Comparison
Images of a project-oriented query selection may be visualised and compared to each other using the ims Client module Image Com-parison. Multiple refer-ence images of the se-lection may be directly compared with the complete image collec-tion.
Up to 8 static reference images, image gallery, Original and reference image display, launched directly from archive view or Collection Point.
Ims Viewer
The Digital Media Asset Management ims doc supports the display of established file formats using the ims Viewer. This stand-alone appli-cation may be used as a general-purpose visuali-sation tool. Images and movies can be imported directly via drag&drop and image and movies imported from the Digital Media Asset Manage-ment ims doc for visuali-sation can be exported into the file system. Universal viewer for image and movie files, external stand-alone application, flexible grid view for the visualisation and direct comparison of multiple documents
Interaction und Communication
Map
Module Map displays maps and map sections and allows searching for locations and ad-dresses, zooming in and out, assigning world coordinates to archived images and showing images with assigned coordi-nates on the map.
The module supports image acquisition with direct read-out of EXIF coordinate information from image sources providing GPS localisation, as well as displaying multiple images or image collections on the map. Interactive graphical section search with automatic data-base query and display of re-lated images on the map ex-tend the fields of application of the map module.
.
Chat
Module Chat allows written communication between multiple ims Client users, as well as the exchange of image links.
A chat history may be recalled, and via the image links being just dragged into the chat window, the chat partners may directly view the related images.
Presentation
Image Collections
The Collection Point is a gallery workbench for col-lecting and free arrangement of documents from the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc. In the Col-lection Point, topic-oriented media colCol-lections can be created, arranged, stored and re-loaded. The format-free collections may be moved or copied via drag&drop to one of the Showcases for further proc-essing or output on a target device.
Showcases
In the same way as the Collection Point, Showcases are arranged media collections and can be output on a keystroke as Word Report, PowerPoint Presenta-tion, Slideshow or printed pages. Showcases can be stored and loaded for dedicated users or user groups. Simple drag&drop copy and move processes from one Showcase into another allow the creation, extension, rearrangement and sorting of presenta-tions in a few seconds.
PowerPoint Presentations and Word
Reports
Using modules Word Report and PowerPoint Presen-tation, complete and automated reports and presen-tations may be created on a click from the assigned Showcases, from the Collection Point or via drag & drop directly from the archive view. Customer-defined Word and PowerPoint layouts enable the automated transfer of project, document and related meta from the archive view into Word documents and Power-Point presentations. Images may be post-processed, and optimised directly in the Word document. With additional functionality like showing zoomed image sections or locating images back in the Digital Media Asset Management ims doc, creating Reports and presentations in established formats has never been so easy and efficient.
ims doc - Technical Specifications
ims Server
Programming Language Java 1.6
Database System MS SQL Server 2005 / 2008, optional: Oracle 9i / 10g / 11g
Communication Protocol TCP/IP
Supported Operating Systems Windows Server 2003 / 2008, Windows 7 / Vista / XP, Unix (requires Java 1.6), Linux (requires Java 1.6)
Licensing XML file, license pool for distributed concurrent session, group assignment on function level, client PC assignment for acquisition stations
Memory Min. 4 GB on database server
Installation Copy onto target path
Configuration Configuration Wizard for all system settings
System Control Web-based System Monitor
User Management Manual or via LDAP System with following functions: Automated user import from LDAP into ims user management system, user / password verification on Login into ims Client and ims Publisher
System Failure Security Login distribution to multiple ims Servers (server clustering) Load Distribution Automatic load distribution to multiple ims Server (server clustering)
Task Management Multiple time- and event-controlled server tasks for data import, export, synchronisation
Optional Modules for ims Server
Signature Signature is stored as in archive with image check
Check for original state on keystroke Established signature algorithm
XML Import Reads XML file from source path
Creates / updates archive entries with field data and images/documents User documentation and examples
XML Export Creates XML file in target path
Copies field data and images/documents Event- and content-controlled export activation
LDAP Import Authentication of logged-in user via user/password verification in LDAP Automatic Import and update of users in ims system management Support for nested LDAP structures (nested membership) Support for MS Active Directory (AD) and Novell eDirectory
XML Control Interface XML-based command/data structure, socket connection or file exchange between external application and ims proxy service Control of ims Client functions
Data exchange with ims Server Activation of ims Publisher
Watermarking Merging of text or image into large reference image (Emboss)
Transparency and size selectable
Remote Sync Unidirectional synchronisation of remote databases into central archive time- and event-controlled activation
Offline Acquisition Login to ims Client for image acquisition without network connection Storage of acquired documents and related meta data in local XML files Manual and automatic transfer of local data into archive on network re-connection Server Clustering Multiple ims Servers on different database servers connecting to single database node
ims Publisher
Programming language Java 1.6
Web Server Tomcat 6.0 (integrated standard installation) Apache2
Servlet Engine Tomcat 6.0 (integrated standard installation) Glassfish Operating Systems Windows Server 2003 / 2008, Windows 7, Vista, XP
Unix (requires Java 1.6) Linux
Communication Protocol HTTP / TCP/IP
Installation The integrated standard installation is achieved by copying files to a server path. If Servlet Engine already exists, WAR file is trans-ferred to Servlet Engine. Depending on Servlet Engine, this can be achieved by copying to a dedicated location or via administration software
Configuration Browser-based Configuration Wizard for all Publisher settings User Management Username/Password Login with verification on ims Server
ims Client
Programming language Java 1.6
Communication Protocol TCP/IP (addresses and ports for ims Server)
Operating Systems Windows 7 / Vista / XP
Linux MAC OS X Word Report & PowerPoint
Presentation
Windows only (7, Vista, XP)
Camera and Microscope Driv-ers, TWAIN Image Sources
Windows only (7, Vista, XP)
Installation Copy of small loading application to client path, or
Copy of full client into client path , if dynamic software Update prohibited (e.g. Terminal Server environments)
Configuration No system settings required at client station. Pre-configured user workplaces automatically started from ims Server on log-in
User Management Central user management integrated into ims Server
Log-in into ims Client via user name/password/domain
Optional Modules for ims Client
Imagic Source Manufacturer-independent user interface for the control of all analogue and digital image sources supported by Imagic Read-out and write-back of acquisition-relevant device parameters, cConsistent interface for all supported devices, user-defined, storable configurations
Canon EOS cameras: 40D, 450D, 500D, 50D, Leica DFC cameras, Jenoptik cameras C3, C5, C14+, CF, CFcool, CFscan, CT3, MFscan, Mfcool, Zeiss AxioCam cameras, Video sources: Y/C (S-Video), FBAS (Composite Video)
TWAIN Source Support of image acquisition from sources providing proprietary TWAIN driver
Image Processing Image processing module providing standard functionality: rotate, mirror, brightness/contrast/gamma, invert, histogram equalisation, image size, crop, snapshot, binarisation, windowing (brightness/contrast for images providing high dynamic range)
Movie Editor Editor module for the trimming of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 movie files, assembly of sub-sequences Extraction von single images
Annotation Annotation of images on overlay plane: line, rectangle, circle, textbox
Globally and locally editable and configurable annotation properties, Show and hide function Automatic transfer into Word reports and PowerPoint presentations
Measurement Measurement of images on overlay plane: istance, multiple distance, parallel distance, area, circle, angle, object counter Globally and locally editable and configurable annotation properties, Show and hide function
Automatic transfer into Word reports and PowerPoint presentations
Map Assignment of geographic coordinates to archived images based on an interactive, graphic map interface Automatic display of archived images with assigned geographic coordinates in interactive map interface Extraction of geographic coordinates from EXIF fields of image files
Chat Communication between multiple ims Client users, based on integrated chat interface
Transfer of image links via Drag&Drop from archive view; direct image display by clicking on image link in chat window Chat History for each individual connection
Word & PowerPoint Automated creation of Word reports and PowerPoint presentations on a keystroke Image/text transfer directly from archive view or via Showcase modules
