Searching documentation across interconnected nodes in a distributed network

• US 9,092,491 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chi, Lucas Yi, Parker, Bryan, Xu, Xi Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Miranda
• Application Number:
  US13/179,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722, 707/999.001
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Documentation from a network including a plurality of computing nodes is achieved by processing a query for documentation at one or more of the computing nodes within the network in accordance with a priority of each of the computing nodes to obtain search results pertaining to the documentation, where the priority for each computing node is based on a quantity of incoming connections for each computing node. The search results are prioritized in accordance with the priority of the corresponding one or more computing nodes providing the search results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of retrieving documentation from a network including a plurality of computing nodes and a discovery register, the method comprising:

registering each computing node within the network with the discovery register, wherein the discovery register establishes recognized connections between registered computing nodes to determine a priority for each computing node;

processing a query by a querying node so as to obtain search results comprising documentation provided from one or more of the computing nodes within the network in accordance with the priority of each of the computing nodes, wherein the priority for each computing node is based on a trust level comprising a quantity of recognized connections between each computing node and other computing nodes within the network such that a first computing node having more recognized connections than a second computing node also has a higher trust level in relation to the second computing node; and

arranging the search results in accordance with the priority of the corresponding one or more computing nodes providing the search results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery register is provided within at least one of the computing nodes of the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery register is provided within a discovery server that communicates with each computing node within the network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning one or more computing nodes to initially process the query based upon the priority determined for each computing node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two nodes share information relating to documentation of the query during processing of the query.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is processed at a plurality of computing nodes, and search results are provided by the plurality of computing nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the trust level of each computing node is independent of any recognized connection between the computing node and the querying node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the priority of each computing node is further based on a relevance of information to be provided by each node in relation to the query.

9. A system for retrieving documentation from a distributed network, the system comprising:

a plurality of computing nodes, wherein each computing node is configured with logic to process a query by a querying node so as to obtain search results pertaining to the documentation; and

a discovery register configured to register each computing node within the network, wherein the discovery register is configured with logic to establish recognized connections between registered computing nodes to determine a priority for each computing node;

wherein the system is configured with logic to;

prioritize each of the computing nodes that has obtained search results pertaining to the documentation, wherein the priority for each computing node is based on a trust level comprising a quantity of recognized connections between each computing node and other computing nodes within the network such that a first computing node having more recognized connections than a second computing node also has a higher trust level in relation to the second computing node; and

arrange the search results in accordance with the priority of the corresponding one or more computing nodes providing the search results.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the discovery register is provided within at least one of the computing nodes of the network.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a discovery server that includes the discovery register and that further communicates with each computing node within the network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the discovery register is further configured to assign one or more computing nodes to initially process the query based upon the priority determined for each computing node.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein at least two nodes are configured to share information relating to documentation of the query during processing of the query.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of nodes provide the search results.

15. A computer program product for retrieving documentation from a network including a plurality of computing nodes, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage memory having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to;

register each computing node within the network within a discovery register, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to establish recognized connections between registered computing nodes to determine a priority for each computing node;

process a query by a querying node so as to obtain search results comprising documentation provided from one or more of the computing nodes within the network in accordance with the priority of each of the computing nodes, wherein the priority for each computing node is based on a trust level comprising a recognized quantity of connections between each computing node and other computing nodes within the network such that a first computing node having more recognized connections than a second computing node also has a higher trust level in relation to the second computing node; and

arrange the search results in accordance with the priority of the corresponding one or more computing nodes providing the search results.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to assign one or more computing nodes to initially process the query based upon the priority determined for each computing node.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the query is processed at a plurality of computing nodes, and search results are provided by the plurality of computing nodes.