Patent ID: 8914426

Claim:
A client node, comprising: a database comprising a plurality of media content data files; a database comprising local identification data and metadata associated with the plurality of media content data files; and processing logic for performing media content identity management operations using relational queries, the processing logic used by the client node to reconcile the identity of individual media content data files of the plurality of media content data files, the processing logic configured to perform: selecting a content media data file stored in a media content data source; receiving a first set of metadata associated with the selected media content data file from the media content data source; providing the first set of metadata to a server node; receiving from a server node a first master identifier based on the first set of metadata, where the first master identifier is assigned to the content media data file and at least one copy of the content media data file, where the content media data file and the at least one copy of the content media data file are provided by different media content data sources, and where at least a subset of identification data and metadata associated with the content media data file and at least a subset of identification data and metadata associated with the at least one copy of the content media data file are different, the first master identifier being indexed to the identification data and metadata of each of the content media data file and the at least one copy of the content media data file; processing the first master identifier to identify a second master identifier stored in the database of local identification data and metadata based upon a confidence derived from the relational queries by the processing logic; and acquiring the selected media content data file in response to the first and second master identifiers being different.