We examine a class of ergodic transformations on a probability measure space $(X,{\it\mu})$ and show that they extend to representations of ${\mathcal{B}}(L^{2}(X,{\it\mu}))$ that are both implemented by a Cuntz family and ergodic. This class contains several known examples, which are unified in our work. During the analysis of the existence and uniqueness of this Cuntz family, we find several results of independent interest. Most notably, we prove a decomposition of $X$ for $N$-to-one local homeomorphisms that is connected to the orthonormal bases of certain Hilbert modules.

For a countable discrete space $V$, every nondegenerate separable ${C}^{\ast } $-correspondence over ${c}_{0} (V)$ is isomorphic to one coming from a directed graph with vertex set $V$. In this paper we demonstrate why the analogous characterizations fail to hold for higher-rank graphs (where one considers product systems of ${C}^{\ast } $-correspondences) and for topological graphs (where $V$ is locally compact Hausdorff), and we discuss the obstructions that arise.

We introduce and investigate using Hilbert modules the properties of the Fourier algebra$A(G)$ for a locally compact groupoid $G$. We establish a duality theorem for such groupoids in terms of multiplicative module maps. This includes as a special case the classical duality theorem for locally compact groups proved by P. Eymard.

The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed study of the basic theory of C*-categories. The study includes some examples of C*-categories that occur naturally in geometric applications, such as groupoid C*-categories, and C*-categories associated to structures in coarse geometry. We conclude the paper with a brief survey of Hilbert modules over C*-categories.

2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: 18D99, 46L05, 46L08.