Method for obtaining information objects in a communication system

• US 20080016240A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Balandin, Sergey
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1837 Management specially adapted to peer-to-peer storage networks topology management mechanisms of peer-to-peer networks H04L67/1042
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for obtaining content objects in a communication system. In the method is obtained at least one search criterion at a first node. At least one entity entry is determined from an entity contact information list. An identity of a second network node is determined from the entity entry. An address is determined for the second network node using the identity. A search is submitted to the second network node. The search criteria are matched to a number of metadata objects to obtain result metadata objects, from which is provided at least a content object identifier to the first network node. The first network node obtaining a content object using said content object identifier from a third network node to the first network node.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining at least one search criterion in a first network node in a communication system;

determining at least one entity entry from an entity contact information list;

determining an identity of a second network node in the communication system from said entity entry;

determining an address for said second network node using said identity;

submitting said at least one search criterion to said second network node;

matching said at least one search criterion to at least one metadata object to obtain at least one result metadata object in said second network node;

providing at least a content object identifier from said at least one result metadata object to said first network node; and

obtaining or accessing a content object using said content object identifier to said first network node.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising obtaining said content object to said first network node from a third network node.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein matching the at least one search criterion further comprises traversing a tree structure comprising said at least one metadata object.

4. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

checking a predefined entity specific trust level before submitting said at least one search criterion to said second network node; and

selecting a second entity entry from said entity contact information list if said trust level is below a predefined threshold value.

5. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing said at least one result metadata object and at least one metadata object on the path towards said at least one result metadata object to said first network node.

6. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining at least one direct reference associated with a metadata object, said direct reference identifying a fourth node;

submitting said at least one search criterion to said fourth node;

matching said at least one search criterion to at least one metadata object to obtain at least one result metadata object in said fourth network node; and

providing at least a content object identifier from said at least one result metadata object to said first network node.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said entity is at least one of a natural person and a legal person.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said metadata object is a structured document.

9. A method, comprising:

obtaining a content object and a metadata object pertaining to said content object in a mobile node of a communication system;

determining at least one associated metadata object for said metadata object;

uploading said content object from said mobile node to a second network node of the communication system;

uploading said metadata object from said mobile node to said second network node;

receiving a query from a first network node of the communication system;

determining said metadata object as a result metadata object for said query in said second network node;

providing at least a content object identifier for said content object from said metadata object to said first network node; and

downloading or accessing said content object using said content object identifier to said first network node.

10. The method according to claim 9, the method further comprising:

determining at least one sharing node for said content object;

loading at least a second part of said content object to said at least one sharing node;

downloading at least a first part of said content object to said first network node from said second network node; and

downloading at least a second part of said content object to said first network node from said at least one sharing node.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said downloading comprises using a peer-to-peer protocol.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a first network node configured to obtain at least one search criterion, to determine at least one entity entry from an entity contact information list, to obtain an identity of a second network node from said entity entry, to obtain an address for said second network node using said identity, to submit said at least one search criterion to said second network node, to obtain at least a content object identifier and to obtain or access a content object with said content object identifier; and

said second network node configured to match said at least one search criterion to at least one metadata object to obtain at least one result metadata object and to provide at least the content object identifier from said at least one result metadata object to said first network node.

13. The system according to claim 12, the system further comprising:

a third network node configured to provide said content object, wherein

said first network node is configured to obtain said content object with said content object identifier from said third network node.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second network node configured to traverse a tree structure comprising said at least one metadata object.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said first network node is configured to check a predefined entity specific trust level and to select a second entity entry from said entity contact information list if said trust level is below a predefined threshold value.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second network node is configured to provide said at least one result metadata object and at least one metadata object on a path towards said at least one result metadata object to said first network node.

17. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein said second network node is configured to determine at least one direct reference associated with a metadata object, said direct reference identifying a fourth node, to submit said at least one search criterion to said fourth node;

and

said fourth network node configured to match said at least one search criterion to at least one metadata object to obtain at least one second result metadata object and to provide at least a second content object identifier from said at least one result metadata object.

18. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein said entity is at least one of a natural person and a legal person.

19. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein said metadata object is a structured document.

20. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile node configured to obtain a content object and a metadata object pertaining to said content object, to determine at least one associated metadata object for said metadata object, to upload said content object to a second network node, to upload said metadata object to said second network node;

said second network node configured to receive a query from a first network node, to determine said metadata object as a result metadata object for said query, to provide at least a content object identifier for said content object from said metadata object to said first network node; and

said first network node configured to download or access said content object using said content object identifier.

21. The communication system according to claim 20, wherein said first network node is configured to determine at least one sharing node for said content object, to download at least a first part of said content object from said second network node and to download at least a second part of said content object from said at least one sharing node, and

said second network node is configured to provide at least a second part of said content object to said at least one sharing node,

the communication system further comprising said at least one sharing node.

22. The communication system according to claim 20, wherein said first network node and said second network node are configured to apply a peer-to-peer protocol.

23. A network node, comprising:

a database entity configured to obtain at least one search criterion, to determine at least one entity entry from an entity contact information list, to obtain an identity of a second network node from said entity entry; and

a communication entity configured to obtain an address for said second network node using said identity, to transmit said at least one search criterion to said second network node, to obtain at least a content object identifier and to obtain or access a content object with said content object identifier from a remote network node.

24. A network node comprising:

means for obtaining at least one search criterion, to determining at least one entity entry from an entity contact information list, obtaining an identity of a second network node from said entity entry; and

means for obtaining an address for said second network node using said identity, transmitting said at least one search criterion to a said second network node, obtaining at least a content object identifier and obtaining or accessing a content object with said content object identifier from a remote network node.

25. A network node, comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one metadata object and at least one content object; and

a processor configured to process a query from a remote network node, to determine a first metadata object among said at least one metadata object as a result metadata object for said query, to provide at least a content object identifier for a first content object among said at least one content object from said first metadata object to said first network node.

26. A network node, comprising:

means for storing at least one metadata object and at least one content object; and

means for processing a query from a remote network node, determining a first metadata object among said at least one metadata object as a result metadata object for said query, providing at least a content object identifier for a first content object among said at least one content object from said first metadata object to said remote network node.

27. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, when executed on a data-processing system, the computer program being configured to control a data-processing device to perform:

obtaining at least one search criterion;

determining at least one entity entry from an entity contact information list;

obtaining an identity of a network node from said entity entry;

obtaining an address for said network node using said identity;

transmitting said at least one search criterion to a said network node;

obtaining at least a content object identifier from said network node; and

obtaining or accessing a content object with said content object identifier.

28. The computer program according to claim 27, wherein said computer readable medium is a removable memory card.

29. The computer program according to claim 27, wherein said computer readable medium is a magnetic or an optical disk or a holographic memory.

30. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, when executed on a data-processing system, the computer program being configured to perform:

storing at least one metadata object and at least one content object;

processing a query from a remote network node;

determining a first metadata object among said at least one metadata object as a result metadata object for said query; and

providing at least a content object identifier for a first content object among said at least one content object from said first metadata object to said remote network node.

31. The computer program according to claim 30, wherein said computer readable medium is a removable memory card.

32. The computer program according to claim 30, wherein said computer readable medium is a magnetic or an optical disk or a holographic memory.