System and method for navigating and deleting descriptors

Abstract

A system comprising at least two devices coupled to a bus wherein at least one device contains a descriptor hierarchy. A data structure has a descriptor specifier which specifies an entry by a list identifier and an object identifier.

1 - 44 . (canceled)  
   
   
       45 . A method comprising: 
 inserting parent information into a lower list descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the parent information identifying a higher entry descriptor contained in a higher list description in the hierarchy, the higher entry descriptor including child information that identifies the lower list descriptor.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the parent information comprises a description specifier that identifies the higher entry descriptor, the description specifier comprising a list identifier corresponding to the higher list descriptor and an object identifier corresponding to the object represented by the higher entry descriptor.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46  further comprising: 
 navigating up the hierarchy from the lower list descriptor to the higher entry descriptor using the description specifier.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 46  further comprising: 
 opening the higher entry descriptor using the description specifer.    
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising: 
 creating the hierarchy of descriptors.    
   
   
       50 . A method comprising: 
 receiving a delete descriptor command comprising a descriptor specifier that identifies a descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the descriptors comprising list descriptors containing entry descriptors that reference list descriptors in a parent child relationship, the descriptor specifier comprising a list identifier and an object identifier; and    deleting one of a list descriptor and an entry descriptor based on the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 updating a parent entry descriptor referencing a child list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 deleting a child list descriptor referenced by a parent entry descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 deleting all child list descriptors referenced by parent entry descriptors within a list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 propagating deletion of a descriptor down the hierarchy.    
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the deletion skips list descriptors that are open for writing.  
   
   
       56 . A machine readable medium having executable instructions to cause a processor to perform a method comprising: 
 inserting parent information into a lower list descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the parent information identifying a higher entry descriptor contained in a higher list description in the hierarchy, the higher entry descriptor including child information that identifies the lower list descriptor.    
   
   
       57 . The machine readable medium of  claim 56 , wherein the parent information comprises a description specifier that identifies the higher entry descriptor, the description specifier comprising a list identifier corresponding to the higher list descriptor and an object identifier corresponding to the object represented by the higher entry descriptor.  
   
   
       58 . The machine readable medium of  claim 57  further comprising: 
 navigating up the hierarchy from the lower list descriptor to the higher entry descriptor using the description specifier.    
   
   
       59 . The machine readable medium of  claim 57  further comprising: 
 opening the higher entry descriptor using the description specifer.    
   
   
       60 . The machine readable medium of  claim 56  further comprising: 
 creating the hierarchy of descriptors.    
   
   
       61 . A machine readable medium having executable instructions to cause a processor to perform a method comprising: 
 receiving a delete descriptor command comprising a descriptor specifier that identifies a descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the descriptors comprising list descriptors containing entry descriptors that reference list descriptors in a parent child relationship, the descriptor specifier comprising a list identifier and an object identifier; and    deleting one of a list descriptor and an entry descriptor based on the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       62 . The machine readable medium of  claim 61  further comprising: 
 updating a parent entry descriptor referencing a child list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       63 . The machine readable medium of  claim 61  further comprising: 
 deleting a child list descriptor referenced by a parent entry descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       64 . The machine readable medium of  claim 61  further comprising: 
 deleting all child list descriptors referenced by parent entry descriptors within a list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       65 . The machine readable medium of  claim 61  further comprising: 
 propagating deletion of a descriptor down the hierarchy.    
   
   
       66 . The machine readable medium of  claim 65 , wherein the deletion skips list descriptors that are open for writing.  
   
   
       67 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving parent information; and    means for inserting the parent information into a lower list descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the parent information identifying a higher entry descriptor contained in a higher list description in the hierarchy, the higher entry descriptor including child information that identifies the lower list descriptor.    
   
   
       68 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the parent information comprises a description specifier that identifies the higher entry descriptor, the description specifier comprising a list identifier corresponding to the higher list descriptor and an object identifier corresponding to the object represented by the higher entry descriptor.  
   
   
       69 . The apparatus of  claim 68  further comprising: 
 means for navigating up the hierarchy from the lower list descriptor to the higher entry descriptor using the description specifier.    
   
   
       70 . The apparatus of  claim 68  further comprising: 
 means for opening the higher entry descriptor using the description specifer.    
   
   
       71 . The apparatus of  claim 67  further comprising: 
 means for creating the hierarchy of descriptors.    
   
   
       72 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving a delete descriptor command comprising a descriptor specifier that identifies a descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the descriptors comprising list descriptors containing entry descriptors that reference list descriptors in a parent child relationship, the descriptor specifier comprising a list identifier and an object identifier; and    means for deleting one of a list descriptor and an entry descriptor based on the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       73 . The apparatus of  claim 72  further comprising: 
 means for updating a parent entry descriptor referencing a child list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    means for updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       74 . The apparatus of  claim 72  further comprising: 
 means for deleting a child list descriptor referenced by a parent entry descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and    means for updating a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.    
   
   
       75 . The apparatus of  claim 72  further comprising: 
 means for deleting all child list descriptors referenced by parent entry descriptors within a list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier.    
   
   
       76 . The apparatus of  claim 72  further comprising: 
 means for propagating deletion of a descriptor down the hierarchy.    
   
   
       77 . The apparatus of  claim 76 , wherein the means for deletion skips list descriptors that are open for writing.  
   
   
       78 . A computer system comprising: 
 a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and    a process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to insert parent information into a lower list descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the parent information identifies a higher entry descriptor contained in a higher list description in the hierarchy, the higher entry descriptor including child information that identifies the lower list descriptor.    
   
   
       79 . The computer system of  claim 78 , wherein the parent information comprises a description specifier that identifies the higher entry descriptor, the description specifier comprising a list identifier corresponding to the higher list descriptor and an object identifier corresponding to the object represented by the higher entry descriptor.  
   
   
       80 . The computer system of  claim 79 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to navigate up the hierarchy from the lower list descriptor to the higher entry descriptor using the description specifier.  
   
   
       81 . The computer system of  claim 79 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to open the higher entry descriptor using the description specifer.  
   
   
       82 . The computer system of  claim 78 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to create the hierarchy of descriptors.  
   
   
       83 . A computer system comprising: 
 a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and    a process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to receive a delete descriptor command comprising a descriptor specifier that identifies a descriptor in a hierarchy of descriptors representing audio-video objects, the descriptors comprising list descriptors containing entry descriptors that reference list descriptors in a parent child relationship, and to delete one of a list descriptor and an entry descriptor based on the descriptor specifier, wherein the descriptor specifier comprises a list identifier and an object identifier.    
   
   
       84 . The computer system of  claim 83 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to update a parent entry descriptor referencing a child list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and to update a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.  
   
   
       85 . The computer system of  claim 83 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to delete a child list descriptor referenced by a parent entry descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier; and to update a list descriptor containing the parent entry descriptor.  
   
   
       86 . The computer system of  claim 83 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to delete all child list descriptors referenced by parent entry descriptors within a list descriptor identified by the descriptor specifier.  
   
   
       87 . The computer system of  claim 83 , wherein the processor further causes the processor to propagate deletion of a descriptor down the hierarchy.  
   
   
       88 . The computer system of  claim 86 , wherein the deletion skips list descriptors that are open for writing.