Method and system for operating a rating server based on usage and download patterns within a peer-to-peer network

• US 20020138471A1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Janakiraman, Janani
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and a system is presented for pruning a peer-to-peer network such that a peer-to-peer search within the peer-to-peer network is initiated beginning with those nodes on which relevant content has previously been found for particular search keywords. For each completed search, a peer node gathers client rating results and then forwards the rating information to a rating server; these results reflect the degree to which searches successfully located content for keywords in a search using particular peer nodes. A rating server maintains a database of results received from nodes. Prior to initiating a new search at a peer node, the peer node consults one or more rating databases to retrieve a set of initial nodes to which the node should initiate the new search in order to maximize the speed and success of finding relevant content. The node then performs the new search using the set of initial nodes.

Claims

1. A method for searching for information within a distributed data processing system, the method comprising:

obtaining a list of one or more keywords from a search query entered by a user of a first peer node;

sending a rating request message comprising the list of one more keywords to a server;

receiving a rating response message comprising a list of node identifiers from the server; and

initiating a peer-to-peer search from the first peer node by sending a search query message to a plurality of peer nodes, wherein the search query message comprises the search query, and wherein the plurality of peer nodes includes at least one peer node identified in the list of node identifiers from the server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from a second peer node a search result message for the peer-to-peer search comprising a node identifier for the second peer node; and

retrieving from the second peer node a file identified by the search result message.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

capturing a node identifier for the second peer node from which the file was retrieved; and

storing at the first peer node the node identifier in association with the list of one or more keywords.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

generating client rating information at the first peer node, wherein the client rating information comprises data relating one or more keywords and one or more captured node identifiers; and

sending the client rating information to the server.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the client rating information comprises data relating file usage statistics for the retrieved file and one or more captured node identifiers.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

capturing file usage statistics for the retrieved file; and

storing at the first peer node the file usage statistics in association with the list of one or more keywords.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

registering the first peer node with the server.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a rating module from the server; and

installing the rating module on first peer node.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the rating module is installed as part of a process of registering the first peer node with the server.

10. A method for facilitating a search for information within a distributed data processing system, the method comprising:

receiving at a server a rating request message comprising a list of one more keywords from a peer node;

searching a rating database for matching keywords;

retrieving a list of one or more node identifiers for peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network that are associated with the matching keywords; and

sending to the peer node a rating response message comprising the list of node identifiers.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving client rating information from the peer node; and

indexing the client rating information from the peer node with client rating information from additional peer nodes into the rating database.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

initiating a financial transaction for a user or an owner of the peer node in response to accepting a request to access the rating database.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

registering the peer node at the server.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

downloading a rating module to the peer node.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

identifying the registered peer node as a subscribing peer node, wherein a subscribing peer node receives access to the rating database for a periodic fee.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

identifying the registered peer node as a rating peer node, wherein a rating peer node is allowed to submit client rating information to the server.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for no fee.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for a predetermined fee.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

second receiving means for receiving from a second peer node a search result message for the peer-to-peer search comprising a node identifier for the second peer node; and

retrieving means for retrieving from the second peer node a file identified by the search result message.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising:

first capturing means for capturing a node identifier for the second peer node from which the file was retrieved; and

first storing means for storing at the first peer node the node identifier in association with the list of one or more keywords.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

generating means for generating client rating information at the first peer node, wherein the client rating information comprises data relating one or more keywords and one or more captured node identifiers; and

second sending means for sending the client rating information to the server.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the client rating information comprises data relating file usage statistics for the retrieved file and one or more captured node identifiers.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

second capturing means for capturing file usage statistics for the retrieved file; and

second storing means for storing at the first peer node the file usage statistics in association with the list of one or more keywords.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

registering means for registering the first peer node with the server.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

third receiving means for receiving a rating module from the server; and

installing means for installing the rating module on first peer node.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the rating module is installed as part of a process of registering the first peer node with the server.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

second receiving means for receiving client rating information from the peer node; and

indexing means for indexing the client rating information from the peer node with client rating information from additional peer nodes into the rating database.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

initiating means for initiating a financial transaction for a user or an owner of the peer node in response to accepting a request to access the rating database.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

registering means for registering the peer node at the server.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

downloading means for downloading a rating module to the peer node.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

first identifying means for identifying the registered peer node as a subscribing peer node, wherein a subscribing peer node receives access to the rating database for a periodic fee.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising:

second identifying means for identifying the registered peer node as a rating peer node, wherein a rating peer node is allowed to submit client rating information to the server.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising:

first providing means for providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for no fee.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 further comprising:

second providing means for providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for a predetermined fee.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

instructions for receiving from a second peer node a search result message for the peer-to-peer search comprising a node identifier for the second peer node; and

instructions for retrieving from the second peer node a file identified by the search result message.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising:

instructions for capturing a node identifier for the second peer node from which the file was retrieved; and

instructions for storing at the first peer node the node identifier in association with the list of one or more keywords.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising:

instructions for generating client rating information at the first peer node, wherein the client rating information comprises data relating one or more keywords and one or more captured node identifiers; and

instructions for sending the client rating information to the server.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein the client rating information comprises data relating file usage statistics for the retrieved file and one or more captured node identifiers.

42. The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising:

instructions for capturing file usage statistics for the retrieved file; and

instructions for storing at the first peer node the file usage statistics in association with the list of one or more keywords.

43. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

instructions for registering the first peer node with the server.

44. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

instructions for receiving a rating module from the server; and

instructions for installing the rating module on first peer node.

45. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein the rating module is installed as part of a process of registering the first peer node with the server.

47. The computer program product of claim 46 further comprising:

instructions for receiving client rating information from the peer node; and

instructions for indexing the client rating information from the peer node with client rating information from additional peer nodes into the rating database.

48. The computer program product of claim 46 further comprising:

instructions for initiating a financial transaction for a user or an owner of the peer node in response to accepting a request to access the rating database.

49. The computer program product of claim 46 further comprising:

instructions for registering the peer node at the server.

50. The computer program product of claim 49 further comprising:

instructions for downloading a rating module to the peer node.

51. The computer program product of claim 49 further comprising:

instructions for identifying the registered peer node as a subscribing peer node, wherein a subscribing peer node receives access to the rating database for a periodic fee.

52. The computer program product of claim 49 further comprising:

instructions for identifying the registered peer node as a rating peer node, wherein a rating peer node is allowed to submit client rating information to the server.

53. The computer program product of claim 52 further comprising:

instructions for providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for no fee.

54. The computer program product of claim 52 further comprising:

instructions for providing the rating peer node with access to the rating database for a predetermined fee.

19. An apparatus for searching for information within a distributed data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a list of one or more keywords from a search query entered by a user of a first peer node;

first sending means for sending a rating request message comprising the list of one more keywords to a server;

first receiving means for receiving a rating response message comprising a list of node identifiers from the server; and

initiating means for initiating a peer-to-peer search from the first peer node by sending a search query message to a plurality of peer nodes, wherein the search query message comprises the search query, and wherein the plurality of peer nodes includes at least one peer node identified in the list of node identifiers from the server.

28. An apparatus for facilitating a search for information within a distributed data processing system, the apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving at a server a rating request message comprising a list of one more keywords from a peer node;

searching means for searching a rating database for matching keywords;

retrieving means for retrieving a list of one or more node identifiers for peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network that are associated with the matching keywords; and

sending means for sending to the peer node a rating response message comprising the list of node identifiers.

37. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use within a distributed data processing system for searching for information, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for obtaining a list of one or more keywords from a search query entered by a user of a first peer node;

instructions for sending a rating request message comprising the list of one more keywords to a server;

instructions for receiving a rating response message comprising a list of node identifiers from the server; and

instructions for initiating a peer-to-peer search from the first peer node by sending a search query message to a plurality of peer nodes, wherein the search query message comprises the search query, and wherein the plurality of peer nodes includes at least one peer node identified in the list of node identifiers from the server.

46. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use within a distributed data processing system for facilitating a search for information, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving at a server a rating request message comprising a list of one more keywords from a peer node;

instructions for searching a rating database for matching keywords;

instructions for retrieving a list of one or more node identifiers for peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network that are associated with the matching keywords; and

instructions for sending to the peer node a rating response message comprising the list of node identifiers.