Method and apparatus for searching and resource discovery in a distributed enterprise system

Abstract

In a distributed enterprise computing system, personal data repositories are created by individual users who generate classifiers that index the information for those repositories. Each generated classifier also specifies a target repository into which a copy of a resource that matches that classifier is placed. Users can submit classifiers that they created to other repositories. Later, when a user adds a resource to his personal repository, it is checked against all classifiers that have been created by the user and submitted to the repository by other users. If the new resource matches any classifier, a copy of the resource is sent to the repository specified in the classifier, where the resource is archived and indexed.

1 . A method for searching and resource discovery in a distributed enterprise in which users create personal data repositories and generate classifiers that classify the information for those repositories, the method comprising:
 (a) associating with each generated classifier a target repository into which a resource that matches that classifier is added;   (b) submitting a classifier that was created in one repository to at least one other repository;   (c) when a resource is added to a repository, checking the added resource against all classifiers that have been generated for that repository and against all classifiers submitted to that repository by other repositories; and   (d) when the added resource matches any classifier, adding the resource to a repository associated with the matching classifier.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (e) when a copy of a resource is received at a repository, indexing that resource copy.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (d) further comprises notifying a repository associated with the matching classifier that a resource has been added to that repository. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (d) further comprises posting a notification to a public distribution area when a resource has been added to the repository associated with the matching classifier so that repository can poll the public distribution area to determine when resources have been added to that repository. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (a) comprises generating a target repository identifier for a classifier and inserting the target repository identifier into that classifier. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein each repository is assigned a uniform resource identifier (URI) and the target repository identifier for a repository is the URI assigned to that repository. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each repository publishes a web server that receives classifiers submitted by other repositories and wherein step (b) comprises submitting a classifier that was created in one repository to a web server published by at least one other repository. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (c) comprises generating a classifier tree for a repository from all classifiers that have been generated for that repository and for all classifiers submitted to that repository by other repositories and comparing the added resource to the classifier tree. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in step (d) when the added resource matches any classifier, notifying the repository associated with the matching classifier instead of adding the resource to a repository associated with the matching classifier. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 (e) associating with at least one generated classifier a target repository into which a copy of a resource that matches that classifier is placed wherein the target repository is a repository other than the repository that generated the classifier.   
   
   
       11 . Apparatus for searching and resource discovery in a distributed enterprise in which users create personal data repositories and generate classifiers that classify the information for those repositories, the apparatus comprising:
 a mechanism that associates with each generated classifier a target repository into which a resource that matches that classifier is added;   a mechanism that submits a classifier that was created in one repository to at least one other repository;   a mechanism operable when a resource is added to a repository, that checks the added resource against all classifiers that have been generated for that repository and against all classifiers submitted to that repository by other repositories; and   a mechanism operable when the added resource matches any classifier, that adds the resource to a repository associated with the matching classifier.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a mechanism operable when a copy of a resource is received at a repository, that indexes that resource copy. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism that adds the resource to a repository further comprises a mechanism that notifies a repository associated with the matching classifier that a resource has been added to that repository. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism that adds the resource to a repository further comprises a mechanism that posts a notification to a public distribution area when a resource has been added to the repository associated with the matching classifier so that repository can poll the public distribution area to determine when resources have been added to that repository. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism that adds the resource to a repository comprises a mechanism that generates a target repository identifier for a classifier and inserts the target repository identifier into that classifier. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein each repository is assigned a uniform resource identifier (URI) and the target repository identifier for a repository is the URI assigned to that repository. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each repository publishes a web server that receives classifiers submitted by other repositories and wherein the mechanism that submits a classifier that was created in one repository to at least one other repository comprises a mechanism that submits a classifier that was created in one repository to a web server published by at least one other repository. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism that checks the added resource against all classifiers that have been generated for that repository comprises a mechanism that generates a classifier tree for a repository from all classifiers that have been generated for that repository and for all classifiers submitted to that repository by other repositories and compares the added resource to the classifier tree. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the mechanism that adds the resource to a repository comprises a mechanism operable when the added resource matches any classifier, that notifies the repository associated with the matching classifier instead of adding the resource to a repository associated with the matching classifier. 
   
   
       20 . Apparatus for searching and resource discovery in a distributed enterprise in which users create personal data repositories and generate classifiers that classify the information for those repositories, the apparatus comprising:
 means for associating with each generated classifier a target repository into which a resource that matches that classifier is added;   means for submitting a classifier that was created in one repository to at least one other repository;   means, operable when a resource is added to a repository, for checking the added resource against all classifiers that have been generated for that repository and against all classifiers submitted to that repository by other repositories; and   means, operable when the added resource matches any classifier, for adding the resource to a repository associated with the matching classifier.