Patent ID: 7356778

Claim:
A computer readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed implement a system for retrieval of digital assets having metadata associated therewith, the medium comprising: instructions for an interface (i) for generating a plurality of metadata constraints, wherein each metadata constraint sets at least one value for a metadata property, (ii) for modifying property values associated with the generated metadata constraints, (iii) for selectively activating or de-activating the generated metadata constraints by means of activation controls, wherein each metadata constraint can be independently activated or de-activated without affecting the activation status and settings of the other metadata constraints and (iv) for selectively locking or unlocking the generated metadata constraints by means of lock controls, wherein each constraint can be independently locked or unlocked without affecting the lock status and settings of other metadata constraints; instructions for a query processor for applying the activated metadata constraints in accordance with their respective property values; instructions for a display interface for viewing a result of said query processor; instructions for an activation processor (v) for activating a metadata constraint when a property value associated within the metadata constraint is modified, and (vi) for re-applying the activated metadata constraints within the query processor whenever the interface changes an activation status of a metadata constraint and whenever the interface changes the property value of a metadata constraint; and instructions for a constraint lock processor (vii) for causing unlocked and activated metadata constraints to become de-activated when other metadata constraints are activated, or when other metadata constraint property values are modified, and (viii) for causing locked and activated metadata constraints to remain activated when other metadata constraints are activated, or when other metadata constraint property values are modified.