Abstract: An associative media architecture and platform that enables communication of media objects between participants using a variety of communication infrastructures and media presentation devices as determined by the users and owners of the media assets. Media assets formatted as media representations (e.g., a file having a playable media format, a media stream, a disk, tape, wire, or carrier wave having analog and/or digital data encoded thereon, and the like) are associated with a globally unique identifier to form a media object. The media object can contain any media representation irrespective of format. The media object is an elemental entity having characteristics that are preferably retained throughout the life of the media object. The media object may be owned by one or more participants. The media object may be associated with owner preferences that can influence the context in which the media object is presented.

Abstract: The present system for uniquely identifying assets and subscribers in a multi-media communication network assigns a unique and substantially self-identifying signature to every asset managed by the multi-media communication network as well as the subscribers who access the multi-media communication network. The signature ID system operates as an overlay on the multi-media communication networks to receive individual subscriber requests for a selected multi-media asset and deliver that asset as desired to the requesting subscriber. This service is facilitated by the use of the signature ID system which is used to assign each subscriber and asset a unique identification, that contains both immutable and dynamically assignable segments. The registration system component functions to authorize the registration of subscribers and/or assets and assign their respective unique identification.