One early use of JPEG 2000 will be as a base file format in image archives and databases. Traditionally, image archives store multiple copies of an individual files at varying resolutions and quality levels so that they can supply appropriate image data on request.  In addition, considerable metadata is held about each image to allow it to be easily classified and retrieved.

JPEG 2000 files typically can have extensive metadata stored with them, in a standard compliant XML environment.  As well as allowing selected metadata from an image database to be distributed to its users, this does permit interchange of image files with metadata between databases, and removes the need for an extensive manual data entry stage when cataloguing new images.  In addition, the files can be stored at high quality in a lossless, colour managed environment, with conversion to lower resolution or lower quality performed 'on the fly'.  The ability of part of a JPEG 2000 file to be used for generation of such modified images also means that it becomes practical to provide other capabilities on demand.

One example might be to watermark each image as delivered, not only with details which communicate authorship or ownership, but also transactional information.  This could include licensing restrictions, details of the customer, or information which would allow the image to be easily recognised through some automated process designed to test for breaches of copyright.

The new Part 8 of the JPEG 2000 standard (JPSEC) dealing with security addresses these possibilities, whilst Part 9 (JPIP) defines how interactive applications between a client and server can be created.  This too will be very important in the image database arena - as examples it makes retrieval of selected parts of an image much faster and easier to control, permitting 'pan and zoom' operations on part of an image.  Demonstrations of this technology already exist (for example using Kakadu) in which several areas of an image can be selected by a user and are delivered more rapidly that the remaining less interesting parts.  A range of novel browsing opportunities exist therefore for remote client software, making the delivery of large high quality image information under user control a practical reality.