Database extension structure

A method of processing in a digital repository containing data items, comprising:

• receiving from a client, a first request to access a data item, wherein the data item is stored in the digital repository and includes an interface identifier pointing to an interface routine;
• running the interface routine pointed to by the interface identifier to obtain an interface description document including at least one data processing resource identifier pointing to at least one data processing routine and a data identifier identifying data in the digital repository;
• returning the interface description document from the digital repository to the client as a response to the first request, wherein the at least one data processing routine identifies a web service to which the client is to transmit a data processing request;
• receiving a second request from the web service identified by the at least one data processing routine to access the data identified by the data identifier;
• and
• returning the data item identified in the first request in the digital repository to the web service, wherein the web service is to implement the at least one data processing routine to process the data, and wherein the web service is to return the processed data to the client.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored machine readable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

• receive, from a client, a first request to access a data item from a plurality of data items stored in a digital repository, wherein the data item includes an interface identifier pointing to an interface routine;
• run the interface routine pointed to by the interface identifier to obtain an interface description document including at least one routine identifier pointing to at least one data processing routine and a data identifier identifying data in the digital repository;
• return the interface description document from the digital repository to the client as a response to the first request, wherein the at least one processing routine identifies a web service to which the client is to transmit a data processing request;
• receive a second request from the web service identified by the at least one data processing routine to access the data identified by the data identifier;
• and
• return the data item identified in the first request in the digital repository to the web service, wherein the web service is to implement the at least one data processing routine to process the data, and wherein the web service is to return the processed data to the client.

A computerized digital repository system comprising:

• a data store storing a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes including at least one property, wherein the at least one property is a uniform resource indicator (identifier);
• a plurality of data nodes, each data node of the plurality of data nodes containing at least one data identifier being or pointing to data;
• and
• at least one collection node, the at least one collection node having a property pointing to a data node containing an interface identifier pointing at a method of getting an interface description document;
• wherein implementation of the at least one property of the data node including the interface identifier pointing at an interface routine that is to get an interface description document returns an interface description document to a client that requested access to a data item stored in the data store, wherein the interface description document describes at least one data processing routine to be applied to the data of the data node and how the at least one data processing routine is to be invoked by a web service;
• and
• a processor and a memory on which is stored machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
• return the interface description document from the digital repository to the client as a response to the request, wherein the interface description document includes at least one routine identifier pointing to the at least one data processing routine and a data identifier identifying data in the digital repository, and wherein the at least one data processing routine identifies a web service to which the client is to transmit a data processing request;
• receive a second request from the web service identified by the at least one data processing routine to access the data identified by the data identifier;
• and
• return the data item identified in the first request in the digital repository to the web service, wherein the web service is to implement the at least one data processing routine to process the data, and wherein the web service is to return the processed data to the client.