Patent ID: 6915433
Filing Date: 2005-07-05
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of updating meta-data associated with a component, wherein the meta-data includes a plurality of meta-data elements, the method comprising: verifying signatures associated with the component meta-data; accepting a first meta-data supplement comprising a plurality of meta-data elements; verifying signatures associated with the first meta-data supplement; authenticating the first meta-data supplement; and updating the meta-data elements associated with the component with values of the plurality of meta-data elements associated with the first meta-data supplement; accepting a second meta-data supplement comprising a second plurality of meta-data elements; verifying signatures associated with the second meta-data supplement; authenticating the second meta-data supplement; sorting the first and second meta-data supplements to provide a sorted plurality of meta-data supplements, each meta-data supplement including a time stamp and sorting the first and second meta-data supplements comprising sorting the meta-data supplements according to the time stamps; updating the meta-data associated with the component with values of corresponding meta-data elements from the sorted meta-data supplements; and verifying, by a computer, compatibility between meta-data associated with a component and a meta-data supplement by determining that like-named meta-data elements associated with the component and the meta-data supplement have compatible types and compatible mutability attributes.