Multiple updates to content descriptions using a single command

A computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions to cause a computer to execute a method comprising:

• receiving a fragment update unit for a multimedia content description represented as a tree, the fragment update unit comprising a navigation path, a fragment payload, and an update command, wherein the navigation path is a context-based address that selects a set of nodes based on their content;
• selecting a set of nodes in the tree using the navigation path;
• selecting the update command;
• formatting the fragment payload if required by the update command;
• calculating the navigation path;
• creating the fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, and the fragment payload if required;
• and
• applying the update command to the selected set of nodes,
• wherein formatting the fragment payload comprises including an attribute identification tag when an attribute is to be updated and wherein the fragment payload is not required when a fragment is to be deleted.

A system for updating a multimedia content description represented as a tree comprising:

• a processor coupled to a bus;
• a memory coupled to the processor though the bus;
• a communications interface coupled to the processor though the bus, and further coupled to a communications medium;
• and
• a decode process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to:
• receive, though the communications interface, a fragment update unit for the multimedia content description, wherein the fragment update unit comprises a navigation path, a fragment payload, and an update command, wherein the navigation path is a context-based address that selects a set of nodes based on their content;
• select a set of nodes in the tree using the navigation path,
• select the update command;
• format the fragment payload if required by the update command;
• calculate the navigation path;
• create the fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, and the fragment payload if required;
• and
• apply the update command to the selected set of nodes,
• wherein formatting the fragment payload comprises including an attribute identification tag when an attribute is to be updated and wherein the fragment payload is not required when a fragment is to be deleted.