Method and system for attribute management in a namespace

Abstract

A computer-based method and system for managing attributes of objects in a namespace and for allowing multiple views into the namespace. The namespace system allows the objects identified by the names of the namespace to be hierarchically organized. The namespace system allows for attributes of various objects, including directory objects and data objects, to be dynamically defined after creation of an object. The namespace system also allows for the querying of objects based on their dynamically defined attributes. When the namespace system receives a query specification that includes a newly defined attribute, it identifies the objects that match that query specification that includes a newly defined attribute, it identifies the objects that match that query specification.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memories having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 storing information that implements a namespace having a plurality of objects, wherein the stored information includes data for various ones of the plurality of objects that is indicative of attribute values for one or more of a plurality of attributes of the plurality of objects; 
 receiving an object that is specified as having a particular attribute value for a user-defined attribute, wherein the user-defined attribute is not currently included in the namespace; 
 adding the user-defined attribute to the namespace; 
 adding the received object to the namespace; and 
 transmitting, in response to receiving a query that specifies the particular attribute value, information usable to access one or more objects in the namespace, including the added object. 
   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the user-defined attribute is one of: location, media type, style, individual, genre, director, or artist. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the user-defined attribute is a location attribute and wherein the particular attribute value specifies a particular location. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the user-defined attribute is a media type attribute and wherein the particular attribute value specifies at least one of: photo, audio, or video. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving a second user-defined attribute; and   assigning one or more second attribute values for the second user-defined attribute to one or more objects in the namespace.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 assigning a second attribute value for the user-defined attribute to a second object in the namespace, wherein the second attribute value is a different attribute value than the particular attribute value.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 caching information indicating a set of attributes assigned to the added object;   in response to determining that the query specifies an attribute value for the user-defined attribute, determining, based on the cached information, whether the user-defined attribute is assigned to the added object; and   proceeding to determine whether the added object has the particular attribute value in response to determining that the user-defined attribute is assigned to the added object.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 synchronizing a second namespace at another computing system to include the user-defined attribute, wherein the second namespace was previously copied from the namespace.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the query indicates an organization of query results including a hierarchy of attributes; and   wherein the information usable to access one or more objects in the namespace is organized using the hierarchy of attributes, wherein the user-defined attribute is in a position in the hierarchy of attributes that is indicated by the query.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 storing information that implements a namespace having a plurality of objects, wherein the stored information includes data for various ones of the plurality of objects that is indicative of attribute values for one or more of a plurality of attributes of the plurality of objects;   receiving a user-defined attribute for the namespace and a particular attribute value for the user-defined attribute for an object included in the namespace;   adding the user-defined attribute to the namespace;   assigning the particular attribute value to an object in the namespace; and   in response to receiving a query that specifies the particular attribute value, transmitting information usable to access one or more objects in the namespace, including the object.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the user-defined attribute is an identity attribute and wherein the particular attribute value indicates the identity of an individual represented within content of the object. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a second user-defined attribute for the namespace; and   assigning one or more second attribute values for the second user-defined attribute to one or more objects in the namespace.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning a second attribute value for the user-defined attribute to a second object in the namespace, wherein the second attribute value is a different attribute value than the particular attribute value.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 synchronizing a copy of the namespace to include the user-defined attribute, wherein the copy of the namespace is maintained by another computing system.   
     
     
         19 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more memories having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 storing information that implements a namespace having a plurality of objects, wherein the stored information includes data for various ones of the plurality of objects that is indicative of attribute values for one or more of a plurality of attributes of the plurality of objects; 
 receiving a user-defined attribute for the namespace and a particular attribute value for the user-defined attribute for an object included in the namespace; 
 adding the user-defined attribute to the namespace; 
 assigning the particular attribute value to an object in the namespace; and 
 in response to receiving a query that specifies the particular attribute value, transmitting information usable to access one or more objects in the namespace, including the object. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the user-defined attribute is a media type attribute and wherein the particular attribute value specifies that the object is an audio object. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a second user-defined attribute for the namespace; and   assigning one or more second attribute values for the second user-defined attribute to one or more objects in the namespace.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning a second attribute value for the user-defined attribute to a second object in the namespace, wherein the second attribute value is a different attribute value than the particular attribute value.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 caching information indicating a set of attributes assigned to the object;   in response to determining that the query specifies an attribute value for the user-defined attribute, determining, based on the cached information, whether the user-defined attribute is assigned to the object; and   proceeding to determine whether the object has the particular attribute value in response to determining that the user-defined attribute is assigned to the object.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the user defined
 wherein the query indicates an organization of query results; and   wherein the information usable to access one or more objects in the namespace is organized using a hierarchy of attributes, wherein the user-defined attribute is in a position in the hierarchy of attributes that is indicated by the query.