Distributed information discovery through searching selected registered information providers

• US 7,171,415 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Waterhouse, Steve, Faybishenko, Yaroslav, Cutting, Douglass R., Doolin, David M., Kan, Gene H., Camarda, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules; Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US09/872,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A distributed network search mechanism may be provided for consumers coupled to a network to search information providers coupled to the network. Consumers may make search requests according to a query routing protocol. A network hub may be configured to receive search requests from consumers. The hub may also receive registration requests from information providers according to the query routing protocol. Information providers register with the hub to indicate search queries in which they are interested in receiving. When a query request is received, the hub resolves the query request with a provider registration index. The hub matches search query information from the query request with provider registrations to determine which providers have registered to receive search queries like the current search query. The hub then routes the search query to matching providers according to the query routing protocol.

Claims

1. A distributed network search method, comprising:

receiving a query request from a consumer, wherein the query request includes a search query, wherein the query request is formatted according to a query routing protocol;

resolving the search query with an index of provider registrations to select one or more provider registrations;

routing the search query to at least one provider specified by the one or more selected provider registrations, wherein the search query is routed to the at least one provider according to the query routing protocol;

receiving a query response from said at least one provider, wherein the query response includes search results;

routing the search results to the consumer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the query response is formatted according to the query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a mark-up language format for communicating query requests and query responses.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said search query comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria; and

search criteria structured according to the indicated query-space.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein each provider registration comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria;

a predicate statement structured according to the indicated query-space, wherein the predicate statement defines matching search criteria; and

a query server address to which matching search queries are to be directed.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said resolving comprises:

applying the search criteria from the search query to the provider registrations indicating the same query-space as the search query; and

selecting the provider registrations that have both the same query-space as said search query and a predicate statement matching the search criteria from the search query.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said routing the search query to at least one provider specified by the one or more selected provider registrations comprises routing the search query to the query server addresses specified by the one or more of the provider registrations selected by said resolving.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving a query response from at least one provider comprises collating search results received from a plurality of providers, and wherein said routing the search results comprises routing the collated search results to the consumer.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving registration requests from a plurality of providers, wherein each registration request comprises a registration file, wherein the registration file comprises an address and a definition of search queries to be sent to the address; and

storing the registration files in the index of provider registrations.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the registration requests, the query request and the query response are all formatted according to the query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a mark-up language format for communicating query requests, query responses and registration requests.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving a query request from a consumer, said resolving the search query with an index of provider registrations, said routing the search query to at least one provider, said receiving a query response from said at least one provider, and said routing the search results to the consumer implement deep search of said at least one provider on the distributed network.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving a query request from a consumer, said resolving the search query with an index of provider registrations, said routing the search query to at least one provider, said receiving a query response from said at least one provider, and said routing the search results to the consumer implement wide search of the distributed network.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results include information in text format.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results include information in audio format.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results include information in video format.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results include information in image format.

18. A network hub coupled to a network, comprising:

a router configured to receive query requests from consumers coupled to the network, wherein each query request includes a search query;

a resolver coupled to said router, wherein said resolver is configured to receive the search queries from said router, and wherein said resolver is further configured to access a provider registration index and resolve each search query with the provider registration index to select one or more provider registrations for each search query;

wherein at least one of the one or more provider registrations is for a second network hub coupled to the network, wherein the second network hub is configured to route search Queries to one or more providers indicated by the at least one of the one or more provider registrations; and

wherein said router is further configured to receive from said resolver an indication of one or more providers selected for each search query and route each search query to the one or more selected providers for that search query.

19. The network hub as recited in claim 18, wherein said router is further configured to receive query responses from providers coupled to the network, wherein each query response includes a search query ID and search results.

20. The network hub as recited in claim 19, wherein for each query request said router is further configured to collate the search results received from providers and route the collated search results to the consumer that sent the query request.

21. The network hub as recited in claim 19, wherein the search results include one or more of text, audio, video and image information.

22. The network hub as recited in claim 19, wherein the router is further configured to receive the query requests and query responses according to a query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests and query responses.

23. The network hub as recited in claim 22, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

24. The network hub as recited in claim 18, wherein each search query comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria; and

search criteria structured according to the indicated query-space.

25. The network hub as recited in claim 24, wherein each provider registration comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria;

a predicate statement structured according to the indicated query-space, wherein the predicate statement defines matching search criteria; and

a query server address to which matching search queries are to be directed.

26. The network hub as recited in claim 25, wherein for each search query said resolver is further configured to:

apply the search criteria from the search query to the provider registrations indicating the same query-space as the search query; and

select the provider registrations that have both the same query-space as said search query and a predicate statement matching the search criteria from the search query.

27. The network hub as recited in claim 26, wherein said router is configured to route each search query to the query server addresses specified by one or more of the provider registrations selected by said resolver.

28. The network hub as recited in claim 18, wherein said router is further configured to:

receive registration requests from a plurality of providers, wherein each registration request comprises a registration file, wherein the registration file comprises an address and a definition of search queries to be sent to the address; and

store the registration files in the index of provider registrations.

29. The network hub as recited in claim 18, wherein the router is configured to receive the registration requests according to a query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests, query responses and registration requests.

30. The network hub as recited in claim 29, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

31. A tangible, computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

receiving a query request from a consumer, wherein the query request includes a search query, wherein the query request is formatted according to a query routing protocol;

resolving the search query with an index of provider registrations to select one or more provider registrations;

routing the search query to at least one provider specified by the one or more selected provider registrations, wherein the search query is routed to the at least one provider according to the query routing protocol;

receiving a query response from said at least one provider, wherein the query response includes search results; and

routing the search results to the consumer.

32. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 31, wherein the query response is formatted according to the query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests and query responses.

33. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 32, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

34. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 31, wherein said search query comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria; and

search criteria structured according to the indicated query-space.

35. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 34, wherein each provider registration further comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria, and wherein the predicate statement is structured according to the indicated query-space; and

a query server address to which matching search queries are to be directed.

36. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 35, wherein said resolving comprises:

applying the search criteria from the search query to the provider registrations indicating the same query-space as the search query; and

selecting the provider registrations that have both the same query-space as said search query and a predicate statement matching the search criteria from the search query.

37. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 36, wherein said routing the search query to at least one provider specified by the one or more selected provider registrations comprises routing the search query to the query server addresses specified by the one or more of the provider registrations selected by said resolving.

38. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 31, wherein said receiving a query response from at least one provider comprises collating search results received from a plurality of providers, and wherein said routing the search results comprises routing the collated search results to the consumer.

39. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 31, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

receiving registration requests from a plurality of providers, wherein each registration request comprises a registration file, wherein the registration file comprises an address and a definition of search queries to be sent to the address; and

storing the registration files in the index of provider registrations.

40. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 39, wherein the registration requests, the query request and the query response are all formatted according to a query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests, query responses and registration requests.

41. The tangible, computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 40, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

42. A network hub coupled to a network, comprising:

means for routing query requests received from consumers coupled to the network, wherein each query request includes a search query;

means for resolving the search queries, wherein said means for resolving are configured to;

receive the search queries from said means for routing;

access a provider registration index; and

resolve each search query with the provider registration index to select one or more provider registrations for each search query, wherein at least one of the one or more of the provider registrations is for a second network hub coupled to the network, wherein the second network hub comprises means to route search queries to one or more providers indicated by the at least one of the one or more provider registrations;

wherein said means for routing are further configured to;

receive from said means for resolving an indication of one or more providers selected for each search query; and

route each search query to the one or more selected providers for that search query.

43. The network hub as recited in claim 42, wherein said means for routing are further configured to receive query responses from providers coupled to the network, wherein each query response includes a search query identifier and search results.

44. The network hub as recited in claim 43, wherein the search results include one or more of text, audio, video and image information.

45. The network hub as recited in claim 43, wherein said means for routing are further configured to receive the query requests and query responses according to a query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests and query responses.

46. The network hub as recited in claim 45, wherein the markup language is eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

47. The network hub as recited in claim 42, wherein each search query comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria; and

search criteria structured according to the indicated query-space.

48. The network hub as recited in claim 47, wherein each provider registration comprises:

an indication of a query-space, wherein the query-space defines a structure for indicating and matching search criteria;

a predicate statement structured according to the indicated query-space, wherein the predicate statement defines matching search criteria; and

a query server address to which matching search queries are to be directed.

49. The network hub as recited in claim 48, wherein for each search query said means for resolving are further configured to:

apply the search criteria from the search query to the provider registrations indicating the same query-space as the search query; and

select the provider registrations that have both the same query-space as said search query and a predicate statement matching the search criteria from the search query.

50. The network hub as recited in claim 49, wherein said means for routing are further configured to route each search query to the query server addresses specified by one or more of the provider registrations selected by said means for resolving.

51. The network hub as recited in claim 42, wherein said means for routing are further configured to:

receive registration requests from a plurality of providers, wherein each registration request comprises a registration file, wherein the registration file comprises an address and a definition of search queries to be sent to the address; and

store the registration files in the index of provider registrations.

52. The network hub as recited in claim 42, wherein said means for routing are further configured to receive the registration requests according to a query routing protocol, wherein the query routing protocol specifies a markup language format for communicating query requests, query responses and registration requests.