| US 7,430,587 B2 | ||
| Distributed globally accessible information network | ||
| Michael K. Malone, Tigard, Oreg. (US); Jon David Loucks, Tualatin, Oreg. (US); Robert K. Terhune, III, Portland, Oreg. (US); and Cameron W. Cotrill, Beaverton, Oreg. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Thinkstream, Inc., Baton Rouge, La. (US) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 17, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/920,894. | ||
| Application 10/920894 is a continuation of application No. 09/760148, filed on Jan. 12, 2001, abandoned. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/176329, filed on Jan. 14, 2000. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0172010 A1, Aug. 04, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 15/16 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 709—217 [709/203; 709/212; 709/246; 707/3; 707/10] | 19 Claims |
| 1. A distributed information network constructed for gathering information from sites distributed across a globally accessible
computer network, comprising:
a root server that stores a list of multiple distributed sites each of which represented by metadata corresponding to directly
or indirectly available live information content;
multiple distributed sites each of which implemented with an information provider that is remotely located from the root server,
the information provider of each of the distributed sites storing metadata corresponding to information content that is retrievable
from the site of or a site associated with the information provider, the information content being retrievable in response
to a profiled information search request for search results derivable from the information content to which the metadata correspond
by a search performed on live information content available at the site or sites associated with the information provider;
a profiled information communication link between the root server and each of the multiple distributed sites, the profiled
information communication link enabling formation of a path for delivery of the search results of directly or indirectly available
live information content to which the metadata correspond to a destination site from a site or sites represented by the metadata
of the profiled information search request, the search results of directly or indirectly available live information content
organized for content-specific presentation;
an administration interface associated with the root server; and
a metadata update communication link between the administration interface and the multiple distributed sites to provide to
the administration interface updated metadatabase information and thereby enable the root server to host updated metadatabases
of types of information stored on the distributed information network.
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