초록 ▼

The present invention discloses an improved method and system for indexing and searching content in a distributed computing network. The present invention also enables users to search for content on a distributed computing network, as well as on the web, via a unified interface. In one embodiment, t

The present invention discloses an improved method and system for indexing and searching content in a distributed computing network. The present invention also enables users to search for content on a distributed computing network, as well as on the web, via a unified interface. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed toward a method for searching content on a distributed computing network having an index of available data. The method comprises scanning cached network files in a computer that is in data communication with a network wherein said network files are generated in the course of a user's access of public or private communication networks, indexing the cached network files to generate index data, and supplying index data to the index of available data on the distributed computing network.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A computer-implemented method, in a distributed computing network comprising a plurality of computing devices in data communication with each other, wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is operable to access said distributed computing network, and wherein each of said plurality of

1. A computer-implemented method, in a distributed computing network comprising a plurality of computing devices in data communication with each other, wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is operable to access said distributed computing network, and wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is also operable to access at least one other computing network distinct from said distributed computing network, and wherein at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintains a global index of information about: (a) at least some data present in said distributed computing network, and(b) at least some data present on said at least one other computing network, andwherein each particular computing device of said plurality of computing devices has a browsing application associated therewith for accessing data on said at least one other computing network, said browsing application having a browsing application cache associated therewith in which said particular computing device automatically saves data generated during said particular computing device's access of said at least one other computing network using said browsing application,said computer-implemented method comprising: (A) automatically and periodically scanning, using hardware in combination with software, said browsing application cache of a specific computing device of said plurality of computing devices to find certain data in said browsing application cache of said specific computing device having address information of said other network associated therewith, said address information comprising link information to a source of data in said other network, said data having been saved in said browsing application cache of said specific computing device during said specific computing device's access of said other network, said other network being distinct from said distributed computing network;(B) indexing said certain data to generate index data from said certain data, said index data omitting data personal identification information of a user present in said certain data, wherein said index data includes identification information indicative of a location of said certain data; and(C) automatically and periodically supplying said index data to said at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintaining said global index. 2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 wherein said distributed computing network is a peer-to-peer network. 3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 wherein said certain data are located on a server hosting at least one web site. 4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising: deleting at least some personal identification information present in said certain data. 5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising grouping said index data according to source. 6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one other network comprises the Internet. 7. A computer-implemented method, implemented at least in part by hardware in combination with software, operable in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network comprising a plurality of computing devices, wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is operable to access other computing devices in said P2P network, andwherein each of said plurality of computing devices is also operable to access the Internet, andwherein at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintains a global index of information about: (a) at least some of the data present on at least some of said computing devices in said P2P network, and(b) at least some data present on the Internet, andwherein each particular computing device of said plurality of computing devices has an Internet browsing application associated therewith, said Internet browsing application having an Internet cache associated therewith in which said particular computing device saves data generated during said particular computing device's access of the Internet using said Internet browsing application,the computer-implemented method comprising: (A) automatically and periodically scanning, by said hardware in combination with software, said Internet cache of said computing device to generate index data corresponding to said data in said Internet cache having Internet address information associated therewith, said Internet address information comprising link information to a source of said data in the Internet, while omitting from said indexing data at least some personal identification information present in said data in said Internet cache; and(B) automatically and periodically supplying, by said hardware in combination with software, said index data to said global index, wherein said index data includes identification information indicative of a location of said data in said Internet cache. 8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7 wherein the information about at least some data present on the Internet comprises Universal Resource Locators (URLs). 9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6 wherein said link information to a source of said data comprises Universal Resource Locators (URLs). 10. A computer-implemented method, implemented at least in part by hardware comprising one or more processors, operable in a distributed computing network comprising a plurality of computing devices in data communication with each other, wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is operable to access said distributed computing network, and wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is also operable to access at least one other computing network distinct from said distributed computing network, and wherein at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintains a global index of information about: (a) at least some data present in said distributed computing network, and(b) at least some data present on said at least one other computing network,the computer-implemented method comprising, on a particular computing device of said plurality of computing devices, where said particular computing device has a browsing application cache associated with a browsing application of said particular computing device, in which browsing application cache said browsing application automatically saves data generated during said particular computing device's access of said at least one other computing network using said browsing application,(A) generating, by said hardware in combination with software, index data corresponding to certain data in a wherein said certain data consists of data in said cache having address information associated with said other network associated therewith, said address information comprising link information to a source of said first data in said other network, and wherein said index data omits personal identification information of a user present in said certain data in said cache, wherein said index data includes identification information indicative of a location of said certain data; and(B) supplying, by said hardware in combination with software, said index data to said at least one of said plurality of computing devices having said global index.