System and apparatus to represent, store, manipulate, and process metadata information

A system for representing metadata, the system comprising:

• a module configured to define a map to metadata stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers;
• a module configured to receive a query for metadata associated with a file;
• a module configured to determine which of the plurality of metadata containers the query requires;
• and
• a module configured to respond to the query based on metadata associated with the file from the global database retrieved using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.

A computer-readable medium storing a computer program having instructions for representing metadata, the instructions comprising:

• defining a map to metadata stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers;
• receiving a query for metadata associated with a file;
• determining which of the plurality of metadata containers the query requires;
• and
• responding to the query based on metadata associated with the file from the global database retrieved using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.

A method for storing metadata, the method comprising:

• defining a map for metadata to be stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers;
• receiving information to be entered as metadata associated with a file;
• determining which of the plurality of metadata containers is compatible with the received information;
• and
• storing the information in the global database associated with the respective file using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.

A method for manipulating metadata, the method comprising:

• defining a map to metadata stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers;
• receiving a request to manipulate metadata associated with a file;
• determining which of the plurality of metadata containers the request is associated with;
• and
• manipulating the metadata associated with the file in the global database as requested using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.

A system for manipulating metadata, the system comprising:

• a module configured to define a map to metadata stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers;
• a module configured to receive a request to manipulate metadata associated with a file;
• a module configured to determine which of the plurality of metadata containers the request is associated with;
• and
• a module configured to manipulate the metadata associated with the file in the global database as requested using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.