Distributed globally accessible information network implemented with a local information network

• US 8,600,988 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kologik LLC
• Original Assignee: Thinkstream Incorporated
• Inventors: Malone, Michael K., Loucks, Jon David, Terhune, Robert K. III, Cotrill, Cameron W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US13/753,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 707/733, 707/770, 707/805, 707/999.1, 707/999.003, 709/203
• US Class Current: 707/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A distributed information network is constructed for gathering information from sites distributed across a globally accessible computer network, i.e., the Internet. The distributed information network preferably includes a root server that stores a list of multiple distributed sites each represented by metadata. A network browser delivers an information search request to the root server, which in response develops a profiled information search request. The information provider of each of the distributed sites stores metadata corresponding to information content that is retrievable in response to the profiled information search request for search results derivable from the information content to which the metadata correspond. A profiled information communication link between the root server and each of the multiple distribution sites enables formation of a path for delivery of the search results to a destination site, from a site or sites represented by the metadata of the profiled information search request.

Claims

1. A method of gathering information from a local information network that includes multiple community sites distributed across a globally accessible computer network, comprising:

an information subroot server that stores a community site list of multiple distributed community sites, each of which represented by metadata corresponding to directly or indirectly available information content;

a local information network site implemented with a local information provider storing local metadata corresponding to information content that is available at a local server of or a local server associated with the local information provider, the information being retrievable in response to a first local profiled information search request from the information subroot server for search results of a search performed on the information content;

a level one community server implemented with a level one server information provider storing local metadata corresponding to information content that is available at a local server of or a local server associated with the level one server information provider, the information content being retrievable in response to a second local profiled information search request from the information subroot server for search results of a search performed on the information content;

first and second community child servers associated with the level one server information provider, the first and second community child servers implemented with respective first and second information providers storing local metadata corresponding to information content that is available at local servers of the first and second information providers or local servers to which the first and second information providers are associated, the information content being retrievable in response to first child and second child profiled information search requests from the information subroot server for search results of searches performed on the information content;

a profiled information communication link between the information subroot server and each of the local information network site, the level one community server, and the first and second community child servers, the profiled information communication link enabling formation of a path for delivery of the search results of the information content to which the local metadata correspond to a destination site from a site or sites represented by the local metadata of the first and second local and first and second child profiled information search requests; and

an operating system client that delivers to the information subroot server an information search request by a user, the information subroot server assembling a qualified community site list identifying a selected one or more of the multiple distributed community sites qualified to be searched for information content, and receives without passing through the profiled information communication link the search results retrieved from the selected one or more of the qualified multiple distributed community sites in response to the information search request by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, in which one of the first and second community child servers is a private internal network from which the level one community server can access internal proprietary documents.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the other one of the first and second community child servers is a government network of information sources.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the information subroot server is an information private subroot server, and in which the first and second community child servers are, respectively, a private internal network containing proprietary documents and a government network of information sources.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the operating system client comprises one of a network browser, an applet, or an application.