Method and apparatus for managing location information in a network separate from the data to which the location information pertains
DCFirst Claim
1. A system having a plurality of location servers for managing location information and providing location information to location queries, the system comprising:
- a first location server containing a first set of location information corresponding to at least one entity, the location information comprising an identifier and at least one location string associated with the identifier, wherein the identifier identifies an entity and the location string specifies a location of data pertaining to the entitya second location server comprising a second set of location information, wherein at least a portion of the second set of location information differs from the first set of location information; and
programming logic stored on each of the location servers responsive to a location query identifying a desired entity to return a location message, the location message comprising at least one location of data pertaining to the desired entity, if the location server receiving the location query contains location information for the desired entity.
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Abstract
A system and method for storing and retrieving location information across a network is disclosed. The system and method utilize a transfer protocol configured to transport an identifier/location relationship to allow one or more locations to be associated with an identifier in the location store of a location server, where the identifier represents a unique entity and the location represents a location of data pertaining to the identifier. The location server contains programming logic operative to provide responses to location queries and capable of scaling a plurality of location servers according to system performance and logistical requirements.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system having a plurality of location servers for managing location information and providing location information to location queries, the system comprising:
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a first location server containing a first set of location information corresponding to at least one entity, the location information comprising an identifier and at least one location string associated with the identifier, wherein the identifier identifies an entity and the location string specifies a location of data pertaining to the entity a second location server comprising a second set of location information, wherein at least a portion of the second set of location information differs from the first set of location information; and programming logic stored on each of the location servers responsive to a location query identifying a desired entity to return a location message, the location message comprising at least one location of data pertaining to the desired entity, if the location server receiving the location query contains location information for the desired entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system having a plurality of location servers for managing location information and providing location information to location queries, the system comprising:
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a plurality of location servers containing location information corresponding to a plurality of entities, the location information formatted according to a transfer protocol configured for manipulating location information, and comprising at least one application server address, wherein the plurality of location servers are arranged in a cluster topology such that each location server contains a unique set of location information of an aggregate set of the location information; and programming logic stored on each of the plurality of location servers responsive to a location query for a desired identifier to return one of a location message, wherein a queried location server returns a location message if the queried location server contains location information for the desired identifier, and a redirect message if the queried location server does not contain location information relevant to the desired identifier, wherein the redirect message comprises information for finding a location server having location information related to the desired identifier. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of handling location queries in a network, the network comprising a plurality of location servers, each location server containing a unique set of location information of an aggregate set of location information correlating each of a plurality of identifiers with at least one location, the method comprising:
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receiving a location query from a client at one of the plurality of location servers, the location query requesting an entity'"'"'s location; sending a location response message to the client if the queried location server contains location information relevant to an entity identified in the query, the location response message comprising location information identifying at least one application server containing information relevant to the entity identified in the query; and sending a redirect message to the client if the queried location server does not contain data location information relevant to the entity identified in the query, the redirect message comprising information for finding a location server storing the entity identified in the query. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of scaling at least one of capacity and transaction rate capability in a location server in a system having a plurality of location servers for storing and retrieving location information, wherein each of the plurality of location servers stores unique set of location information of an aggregate set of location information, the method comprising:
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providing a transfer protocol configured to transport identifier and location information, the location information specifying the location of information related to the identifier; storing location information formatted according to the transfer protocol at a first location server; receiving an identifier and a location relevant to the identifier at the first location server; storing the received location in a location store at the first data location server, the location store comprising a plurality of identifiers, each identifier associated with at least one location, wherein the received location is associated with the received identifier in the location store; and transferring a portion of the identifiers and associated locations to a second data location server when a performance criterion of the first location server reaches a predetermined performance limit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for managing location information and providing location information to location queries, the system comprising:
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a location server operating in accordance with a transfer protocol, the transfer protocol comprising instructions for manipulating an identifier and at least one location associated with the identifier, wherein the identifier uniquely specifies an entity and wherein each location specifies a location of data in a network pertaining to the entity, the location server containing location information corresponding to at least one entity and formatted according to the transfer protocol, and wherein the location of data for the location comprises an application server in communication with the network; and programming logic stored on the location server responsive to a location query identifying a desired entity to return a location message, the location message comprising locations associated with the desired entity, wherein the location server returns the location message if the location server contains location information for the desired entity.
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Specification