Apparatus, Method and System For Directory Quality Assurance

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system to validate the integrity of a persistent identifier of information that may be located in multiple locations, formats, and accessible in variable fashions based on the context of use ( 135 ). The present disclosure further provides the ability to validate that the information being identified is valid for any given identifier. The present disclosure also teaches the ability to automatically generate tags that allows for the validation of both information and associated information identifiers either through validation and/or through registration. The invention teaches how to test and assure the quality of association between an identifier of information and the actual information. The invention details how to automatically correct poor quality references being used by identifiers, and/or provides notification escalation to aid in maintaining persistent identifier and information association ( 135 ).

1 . A method of using a computer for validating location addresses, comprising: obtaining a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier for a source; obtaining location addresses of the source for resolution with the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier; validating that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location addresses and unique, persistent, and universal name identifier are received from a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: resolving the location addresses of the source for validating the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources, wherein validation that the location addresses are accessible includes comparing the obtained location addresses with location addresses resolved by the public database. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: validating the source at location addresses. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein source validation is based on recognizing a tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: validating that the source at location addresses is accessible. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein security authorization is provided to access the source. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: providing status notification regarding validity. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the location addresses. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the source. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is in E-mail. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is provided to a delegated agent for error administration. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status notification is governed by policies. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the policies specify escalated notifications respective to escalated validity error status. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein validating is achieved by pinging the location addresses. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein pinging includes security authorization to facilitate access to secured sources. 
   
   
       21 . A method of using a computer for tagging a source, comprising: determining a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; tagging a source with the tagging code, wherein the source is resolved to by a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: validating the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: validating that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein source tagging occurs during the registration of a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein source tagging occurs during the creation of the source. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein source tagging occurs within a content authoring tool. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       30 . A method of using a computer to effect registration, comprising: determining a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; tagging a source with the tagging code; generating a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; receiving an address for a location for the source; effecting the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with the address associated to the location of the source in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: validating that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: validating the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       36 . A method of using a computer to effect registration, comprising: determining a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; tagging a source with the tagging code; allocating space in a storage facility for the source; making a location of the allocated space addressable and accessible over a communications network; storing the source to the allocated space; generating a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; effecting the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with an address associated to the location where the source is stored in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: validating the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising: validating that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       42 . (canceled) 
   
   
       43 . (canceled) 
   
   
       44 . A system for using a computer for validating location addresses, comprising: means to obtain a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier for a source; means to obtain location addresses of the source for resolution with the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier; means to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the location addresses and unique, persistent, and universal name identifier are received from a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources. 
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising: means to resolve the location addresses of the source for validating the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources, wherein validation that the location addresses are accessible includes comparing the obtained location addresses with location addresses resolved by the public database. 
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising: means to validate the source at location addresses. 
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein source validation is based on recognizing a tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51  wherein security authorization is provided to access the source. 
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising: means to validate that the source at location addresses is accessible. 
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising: means to provide status notification regarding validity. 
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the location addresses. 
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the source. 
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is in E-mail. 
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is provided to a delegated agent for error administration. 
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the status notification is governed by policies. 
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the policies specify escalated notifications respective to escalated validity error status. 
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein validating is achieved by pinging the location addresses. 
   
   
       63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein pinging includes security authorization to facilitate access to secured sources. 
   
   
       64 . A system for using a computer for tagging a source, comprising: means to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; means to tag a source with the tagging code, wherein the source is resolved to by a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       65 . The system of  claim 64 , further comprising: means to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       67 . The system of  claim 64 , further comprising: means to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       68 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein source tagging occurs during the registration of a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       69 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein source tagging occurs during the creation of the source. 
   
   
       70 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein source tagging occurs within a content authoring tool. 
   
   
       71 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       72 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       73 . A system for using a computer to effect registration, comprising: means to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; means to tag a source with the tagging code; means to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; means to receive an address for a location for the source; means to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with the address associated to the location of the source in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       74 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       75 . The system of  claim 73 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       76 . The system of  claim 73 , further comprising: means to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       77 . The system of  claim 76 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       78 . The system of  claim 73 , further comprising: means to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       79 . A system for using a computer to effect registration, comprising: means to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; means to tag a source with the tagging code; means to allocate space in a storage facility for the source; means to make a location of the allocated space addressable and accessible over a communications network; means to store the source to the allocated space; means to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; means to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with an address associated to the location where the source is stored in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       80 . The system of  claim 79 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       81 . The system of  claim 79 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       82 . The system of  claim 79 , further comprising: means to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       83 . The system of  claim 82 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       84 . The system of  claim 79 , further comprising: means to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       85 . (canceled) 
   
   
       86 . (canceled) 
   
   
       87 . A program stored on a medium readable by a processor, the program for validating location addresses, comprising:
 a module to obtain a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier for a source;   a module to obtain location addresses of the source for resolution with the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier;   a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible.   
   
   
       88 . The medium of  claim 87 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       89 . The medium of  claim 87 , wherein the location addresses and unique, persistent, and universal name identifier are received from a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources. 
   
   
       90 . The medium of  claim 87 , further comprising: a module to resolve the location addresses of the source for validating the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources, wherein validation that the location addresses are accessible includes comparing the obtained location addresses with location addresses resolved by the public database. 
   
   
       91 . The medium of  claim 87 , further comprising: a module to validate the source at location addresses. 
   
   
       92 . The medium of  claim 91 , wherein source validation is based on recognizing a tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       93 . The medium of  claim 92 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       94 . The medium of  claim 92 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       95 . The medium of  claim 94  wherein security authorization is provided to access the source. 
   
   
       96 . The medium of  claim 87 , further comprising: a module to validate that the source at location addresses is accessible. 
   
   
       97 . The medium of  claim 87 , further comprising: a module to provide status notification regarding validity. 
   
   
       98 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       99 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the location addresses. 
   
   
       100 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the source. 
   
   
       101 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is in E-mail. 
   
   
       102 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is provided to a delegated agent for error administration. 
   
   
       103 . The medium of  claim 97 , wherein the status notification is governed by policies. 
   
   
       104 . The medium of  claim 103 , wherein the policies specify escalated notifications respective to escalated validity error status. 
   
   
       105 . The medium of  claim 87 , wherein validating is achieved by pinging the location addresses. 
   
   
       106 . The medium of  claim 105 , wherein pinging includes security authorization to facilitate access to secured sources. 
   
   
       107 . A program stored on a medium readable by a processor, the program for tagging a source, comprising: a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code, wherein the source is resolved to by a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       108 . The medium of  claim 107 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       109 . The medium of  claim 108 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       110 . The medium of  claim 107 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       111 . The medium of  claim 107 , wherein source tagging occurs during the registration of a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       112 . The medium of  claim 107 , wherein source tagging occurs during the creation of the source. 
   
   
       113 . The medium of  claim 107 , wherein source tagging occurs within a content authoring tool. 
   
   
       114 . The medium of  claim 107 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       115 . The medium of  claim 107 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       116 . A program stored on a medium readable by a processor, the program to effect registration, comprising: a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code; a module to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; a module to receive an address for a location for the source; a module to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with the address associated to the location of the source in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       117 . The medium of  claim 116 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       118 . The medium of  claim 116 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       119 . The medium of  claim 116 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       120 . The medium of  claim 119 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       121 . The medium of  claim 116 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       122 . A program stored on a medium readable by a processor, the program to effect registration, comprising: a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code; a module to allocate space in a storage facility for the source; a module to make a location of the allocated space addressable and accessible over a communications network; a module to store the source to the allocated space; a module to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; a module to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with an address associated to the location where the source is stored in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       123 . The medium of  claim 122 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       124 . The medium of  claim 122 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       125 . The medium of  claim 122 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       126 . The medium of  claim 125 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       127 . The medium of  claim 122 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       128 . (canceled) 
   
   
       129 . (canceled) 
   
   
       130 . An apparatus for validating location addresses, comprising: a processor; a memory, communicatively connected to the processor; a program, stored in the memory, including, a module to obtain a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier for a source; a module to obtain location addresses of the source for resolution with the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier; a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       131 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       132 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , wherein the location addresses and unique, persistent, and universal name identifier are received from a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources. 
   
   
       133 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , further comprising: a module to resolve the location addresses of the source for validating the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers with location addresses of associated sources, wherein validation that the location addresses are accessible includes comparing the obtained location addresses with location addresses resolved by the public database. 
   
   
       134 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , further comprising: a module to validate the source at location addresses. 
   
   
       135 . The apparatus of  claim 134 , wherein source validation is based on recognizing a tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       136 . The apparatus of  claim 135 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       137 . The apparatus of  claim 135 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       138 . The apparatus of  claim 137 , wherein security authorization is provided to access the source. 
   
   
       139 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , further comprising: a module to validate that the source at location addresses is accessible. 
   
   
       140 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , further comprising: a module to provide status notification regarding validity. 
   
   
       141 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       142 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the location addresses. 
   
   
       143 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is regarding the validity of the source. 
   
   
       144 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is in E-mail. 
   
   
       145 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is provided to a delegated agent for error administration. 
   
   
       146 . The apparatus of  claim 140 , wherein the status notification is governed by policies. 
   
   
       147 . The apparatus of  claim 146 , wherein the policies specify escalated notifications respective to escalated validity error status. 
   
   
       148 . The apparatus of  claim 130 , wherein validating is achieved by pinging the location addresses. 
   
   
       149 . The apparatus of  claim 148 , wherein pinging includes security authorization to facilitate access to secured sources. 
   
   
       150 . An apparatus for tagging a source, comprising: a processor; a memory, communicatively connected to the processor; a program, stored in the memory, including, a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code, wherein the source is resolved to by a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       151 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       152 . The apparatus of  claim 151 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       153 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       154 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , wherein source tagging occurs during the registration of a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       155 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , wherein source tagging occurs during the creation of the source. 
   
   
       156 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , wherein source tagging occurs within a content authoring tool. 
   
   
       157 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       158 . The apparatus of  claim 150 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       159 . An apparatus to effect registration, comprising: a processor; a memory, communicatively connected to the processor; a program, stored in the memory, including, a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code; a module to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; a module to receive an address for a location for the source; a module to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with the address associated to the location of the source in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       160 . The apparatus of  claim 159 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       161 . The apparatus of  claim 159 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       162 . The apparatus of  claim 159 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       163 . The apparatus of  claim 162 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       164 . The apparatus of  claim 159 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       165 . An apparatus to effect registration, comprising: a processor; a memory, communicatively connected to the processor; a program, stored in the memory, including, a module to determine a tagging code, wherein the tagging code, once recognized, establishes the validity of a source; a module to tag a source with the tagging code; a module to allocate space in a storage facility for the source; a module to make a location of the allocated space addressable and accessible over a communications network; a module to store the source to the allocated space; a module to generate a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier associated with the source; a module to effect the registration of the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier with an address associated to the location where the source is stored in a database for resolving unique, persistent, and universal name identifiers and locations of associated sources, wherein the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier is unique in the database. 
   
   
       166 . The apparatus of  claim 165 , wherein the tagging code is the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier. 
   
   
       167 . The apparatus of  claim 165 , wherein the tagging code is a security authorization mechanism. 
   
   
       168 . The apparatus of  claim 165 , further comprising: a module to validate the source by recognizing the tagging code embedded in the source. 
   
   
       169 . The apparatus of  claim 168 , wherein a triggering event causes validation. 
   
   
       170 . The apparatus of  claim 165 , further comprising: a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible. 
   
   
       171 . (canceled) 
   
   
       172 . (canceled) 
   
   
       173 . An apparatuses for validating location addresses, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;   a program, stored in the memory including,
 a module to obtain a unique, persistent, and universal name identifier for a source; 
 a module to obtain location addresses of the source for resolution with the unique, persistent, and universal name identifier; 
 a module to validate that the location addresses are accessible, and if not, to take corrective action.