JP2005301353A - Dispersed information retrieving method, retrieval relaying device, system, program, and computer-readable memory - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine a retrieval request transmission system for decentralized information retrieval while taking the number and load states of retrieving devices into consideration and to enable efficient information transmission increasing the processing throughput of the decentralized information retrieval. <P>SOLUTION: A retrieval request from a retrieval request sending source is received (S7000), the retrieval request transmission system is dynamically selected in accordance with states of the number, loads, etc., of a plurality of retrieving devices under control (S7001), and retrieval request information generated from the retrieval request is distributed to the plurality of retrieving device by the selected retrieval request transmission system (S7002, S7003). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a distributed information search method, a search relay device, a system, a program, and a computer readable memory that search for information stored in a distributed manner among a plurality of computers on a network.

  A search server that operates on a host computer based on a so-called client server model is provided as a search device for searching for data existing on a host computer connected to a network, and data search is performed by issuing a search request to the search server. Search devices are common.

  However, when there are a plurality of host computers to be searched for on the network, the client needs to issue a search request to the plurality of search servers each time, and the calling address and calling procedure on the network. You must know.

On the other hand, in the distributed search system and the search device in the distributed search system, each host computer transfers information on the network to perform distributed information search, and the host computer path information that has passed through in the information transfer processing in the distributed network is obtained. It has been proposed to control so as not to select duplicate transfer destination host computers by embedding in transfer target information (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-11-195048

  However, in the above-described conventional distributed information search system, the exchange of resource information for shared information search and the transmission of search request information are performed by determining the communication partner based on the resource information that each search device has, Since the communication method is determined regardless of the number of search devices having the search service and the load situation, there is a problem that efficient information transmission that increases the processing throughput of the distributed information search cannot be performed depending on the situation. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and adaptively selects a transmission method of a distributed information search request to a plurality of search devices (host computers) distributed in a network according to the network conditions. Enables distributed information search with good transmission efficiency according to the situation, and also has good operability distributed information that does not require complicated setting work by the user and system administrator It is an object to provide a search method, a search relay device, a system, a program, and a computer-readable memory.

In order to achieve the above object, a distributed information retrieval method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is, a receiving process for receiving a search request from a search request source;
A selection step of selecting a search request transmission method according to the status of a plurality of managed search devices, and a distribution step of distributing search request information to the plurality of search devices by the selected search request transmission method.

  In order to achieve the above object, a distributed information retrieval relay device according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is, a management unit that manages the status of a plurality of search devices existing on the network, a reception unit that receives a search request from a search request source, and a search request according to the status of the plurality of search devices that are managed Selection means for selecting a transmission method, and distribution means for distributing search request information to the plurality of search devices by the selected search request transmission method.

  In order to achieve the above object, a distributed information retrieval system according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is, the network includes a plurality of search devices and search relay devices existing on the network, the search relay device managing a status of the plurality of search devices, and according to the status of the plurality of search devices. A search means for selecting a search request transmission method, and a distribution means for distributing search request information to the search device by the selected search request transmission method. Search means for executing a corresponding search, and reply means for returning the search processing result to the search request source.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the transmission method of the distributed information search request to a plurality of search devices (host computers) distributed over the network can be selected adaptively according to the search device and network conditions. Distributed information with high operability that can dynamically search for distributed information with high transmission efficiency according to the situation and does not require complicated setting work by the user and system administrator A search method, search relay device, system, program, and computer-readable memory can be provided.

<Embodiment 1>
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a distributed information retrieval system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a microprocessor (CPU), which performs operations for searching for distributed information, logical determination, etc., and is connected to these buses via an address bus AB, a control bus CB, and a data bus DB. Control each component.

  The address bus AB transfers an address signal indicating a component to be controlled by the CPU 11. The control bus CB transfers and applies a control signal of each component to be controlled by the CPU 11. The data bus DB performs data transfer between the component devices.

  Reference numeral 12 denotes a read-only fixed memory (ROM) that stores control program codes such as processing programs executed in the present embodiment.

  Reference numeral 13 denotes a writable random access memory (RAM), which is used for temporary storage of various data from each component.

  Reference numeral 14 denotes an external memory (DISK), which stores stored information. Further, ROM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, memory card, magneto-optical disk, and the like can be used as a storage medium for storing these data and programs.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes a keyboard (KB), and various function keys such as alphabet keys, hiragana keys, katakana keys, character symbol input keys such as punctuation marks, search keys for instructing search, cursor movement keys for instructing cursor movement, and the like. It has.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a display video memory (VRAM), which stores a pattern of data to be displayed.

  Reference numeral 17 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which plays a role of displaying the contents stored in the display video memory VRAM 16 on the display CRT 18.

  Reference numeral 18 denotes a display device (CRT) such as a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal panel, and the CRT controller 17 controls the display pattern of the dot configuration and the display of the cursor in the display device CRT.

  A network controller (NIC) 19 is connected to a network such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and plays a role of connecting a plurality of host computers described later with reference to FIG.

  In the distributed information retrieval system comprising such components, the system operates in accordance with various inputs from the keyboard KB15 and various inputs via the network supplied from the network controller, and the input from the keyboard KB15 and the network controller. When the input from 19 is supplied, first, an interrupt signal is sent to the microprocessor CPU 11, and the microprocessor CPU 11 reads various control signals stored in the external memory DISK 14, and according to these control signals, Is controlled.

  The present invention can also be achieved by supplying a storage medium storing a program according to the present invention to a system or apparatus, and a computer of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

  Next, the configuration of a network in which a plurality of distributed information retrieval apparatuses of this embodiment are connected will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 shows a network configuration in which a plurality of distributed information retrieval apparatuses according to an embodiment of the present invention are connected.

  In FIG. 2, a small white circle and a small black circle are host computers that serve as network nodes constituting a subnet having a common network address. Each small white circle is a distributed information search device having a detailed configuration in FIG. 1, and transmits a user search request to the distributed search route selection service (provided by the search relay device) and from the distributed search route selection service. A search service having a function of performing a search process in response to a search request and returning a search process result to the distributed search route selection service is held. Each black small circle is a distributed information search relay device having the detailed configuration in FIG. 1, and manages the location of the distributed information search device on the network holding the search service and locates the search request from the search service. A relay service, such as distributed search route selection, that transmits to a managed search service, collects search results returned from the search service, and returns the search request to the search service that originated the search request. Furthermore, the distributed information search device represented by small black circles can hold a search service as well as a relay service such as distributed search route selection.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of management information of a shared information search apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a host) to which a shared information search request is transmitted in the shared information search apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is assumed that the host management information is stored in the RAM 13 or DISK 14 in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, 301 is a host identification name, and the name of each host is stored as an ASCII character string. As a host identification name, a corresponding host address (IP address) can be obtained by a known DNS (Domain Name System).

  A host address 302 stores a 32-bit IP address that makes each host unique in the embodiment of the present invention.

  A host group 303 groups hosts belonging to the same subnet having a common network address, and stores an identifier for identifying the group.

  Reference numeral 304 denotes the number of stored information, which stores the total number of information that can be searched by each host. In the embodiment of the present invention, the number of information is the number of files on the file system to be searched.

  The host management information illustrated in FIG. 3 is information that is held by information exchange being performed through an autonomous connection establishment process between hosts before the distributed information search is executed. Alternatively, it is assumed that the information is explicitly given by the system administrator for each host.

  Reference numeral 305 denotes a connection line type to the network of the host, and stores line speed and line type information.

  4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of search request information transmitted to each host in the distributed information search network according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 4, “192. The message shows that the search request information received by the host having 168.10.127 "is transmitted to" Host125 "having the host address" 192.168.10.125 ".

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the distributed information retrieval request message (retrieval request information) is described in a text format marked up with tags, and a portion surrounded by </> is started with parentheses <> in FIG. A well-formed XML document that is an element constituting the request information is used.

  In FIG. 4, <Query> is an element tag serving as the root of the distributed information search request message, and one search request information has at most one <Query> element.

  <QueryID> is an element tag that represents identification information that makes search request information unique. The identification information of the shared information search request is generated by a combination of the MAC address unique to the host that created the shared information search request message and the time information at which the shared information search request message was created at the host.

  <QueryPath> is an element tag that specifies the host to which the search request information is to be transmitted and also specifies the order in which the distributed information search request message is to be transmitted. The host address is specified by the <Host> element and is transmitted. According to the order to be performed, the host transmitted earlier is arranged higher. Also, the value at the end of the <QueryPath> element stores the host address of the host that created the shared information search request message. In FIG. 4, a message is transmitted from the host with the host address “192.168.10.127” to the host with the host address “192.168.10.125” first, and the host address “192.168.168” is second. .0.15 "host, and finally to its own host" 192.168.10.127 ".

  If <QueryPath> is an empty element, it means that the transmission target is not specified, and the distributed information search request message is not transmitted to other hosts.

  <TransmissionFailure> is a process of storing the information of the host that could not be transmitted by the host address when the message could not be transmitted to the target host due to a transmission error in the process of transmitting the distributed information search request message. It is an element tag that stores impossible information. In FIG. 4, there is no undeliverable host, so it is empty.

  <QueryInfo> is an element tag that describes a search request for shared information search request information, and has <Keyword>, <BooleanCondition>, and <MediaType> as elements.

  <Keyword> specifies the search request keyword of the shared information search request information. A plurality of <Keyword> elements can be written together. In FIG. 4, two keywords “Computer” and “Virus” are designated. <BooleanCondition> specifies the keyword search condition specified by the <Keyword> element, and "AND" that specifies the logical product between keywords and "OR" that specifies the keyword logical sum can be specified. . <MediaType> specifies the media type of the information to be searched, “Text” for specifying a text file, “Image” for specifying an image file such as a bitmap image or compressed image, “Movie” for specifying a video file, and media type “None” can be specified without specifying.

  <ReturnAddress> specifies destination host information to which a result of information search for the search request information is returned. In FIG. 4, the host “192.168.10.127” that is the source of the distributed search request is designated as a reply destination, and the information search result at each host is sent to “192.168.10.127”. The

  FIG. 5 shows that the distributed information search request message of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 4 is received by “Host 125” having the host address “192.168.10.125” and the distributed information search request is sent to the host address ”. The message to be transmitted to “Host 15” having “192.168.10.15” is shown.

  In FIG. 5, Host 125 deletes <Host> 192.168.10.125 ”</ Host> related to its own host from the <QueryPath> information, and <Host> 192.168.10.15 < The distributed information search request message is updated so that / Host> comes first, and is transmitted to the next host.

  6 shows that the distributed information search request message of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 4 is received by “SV001” having the host address “192.168.20.127”, and the distributed information search request message is sent to the host address. When trying to send to "CL003" with "192.168.20.40", but when a transmission error is detected and cannot be sent to host "CL003", when sending to the next host "CL001" Indicates a message.

  In FIG. 6, the host “SV001” deletes <Host> 192.168.20.127 ”</ Host> related to its own host from the <QueryPath> information, and is the next host that could not be transmitted <Host>. 192.168.20.40 </ Host> is deleted, and the distributed information search request message is updated so that the next host information <Host> 192.168.20.20 </ Host> comes first. At the same time, the host information <Host> 192.168.20.40 </ Host> that could not be transmitted is set as the value of the <TransmissionFailure> element and transmitted to the next host.

  Next, the distributed information search process executed in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the search request transmission control service for shared information search executed in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S7000, a shared information search request reception process is performed. The distributed information search request reception is a well-known technique widely used in the same type of search device in which search requests such as search keywords and search conditions designated by the user in FIG. 2 are made according to a predetermined communication protocol.

  In step S7001, it is determined whether or not the number of hosts stored in the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 is less than a predetermined value (for example, 128). If it is less than the predetermined value, a search request is determined in step S7002. Search request transmission processing by transmission method 1 is performed, and if it is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, search request transmission processing by transmission method 2 of the search request is performed in step S7003. This conditional branching may determine the distribution load of the search relay device in addition to the number of hosts.

  Step S7002 is search request transmission processing according to search request transmission method 1, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  Step S7003 is search request transmission processing according to search request transmission method 2, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the search request transmission control service for distributed information search executed in another embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S9000, a shared information search request reception process is performed. The shared information search request reception is a well-known technique widely used in the same type of search device that makes a search request such as a search keyword and search condition designated by the user in FIG. 2 according to a predetermined communication protocol.

  In step S9001, it is determined whether or not the connection line speed type 305 stored in the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 is less than a predetermined value (for example, 100 Mbps). The search request transmission process by the search request transmission method 1 is performed, and if it is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the search request transmission process by the search request transmission method 2 is performed in step S9002.

  Step S9002 is search request transmission processing according to search request transmission method 1, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  Step S9003 is search request transmission processing according to search request transmission method 2, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing by the transmission method 1 performed by the search request transmission control service for shared information search executed in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S1002, a host that is to process the search request received in step S7000 is selected, and a route for transmitting the search request message is determined. Details of the search request transmission path determination process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, in step S1003, a <QueryInfo> element is created from the search request received in step S7000, and a <QueryPath> element is created from the search request transmission path determined in step S1002. Further, the MAC address provided by the NIC 19 and the creation time are acquired, data of a <QueryID> element is generated, and a <TransmissionFailure> element is added. Then, the host address of the own host is set in the <ReturnAddress> element, and a distributed information search request message is created.

  In step S1004, the shared information search request message is transmitted to the host at the head of the path according to the search request transmission path determined in step S1002. Details of the search request transmission process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step S1005, a response of the search processing result from each host is received. Details of the search response reception process will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, in step S1006, the search results from the hosts received in step S1004 are integrated and combined into one. It is assumed that the URI is unique as the location information of the information included in the search result returned from each host, the duplicate URIs are collected so as not to be included in the search result, and sorted in descending order of the search score.

  Next, in step S1007, the search results collected in step S1006 are transmitted to the host that issued the search request received in step S7000, and the distributed information search process ends.

  Next, details of the search request transmission path determination process in step S1002 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing details of search request transmission path determination processing according to the transmission method 1 of the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S2001, the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 is searched, and host information belonging to the same host group as the host group 303 is acquired.

  Next, in step S2002, the host information acquired in step S2001 is rearranged in descending order of the number of retained information 304, the distribution order within the same host group is determined, and added to the search request transmission path.

  Next, in step S2004, it is checked whether or not processing has been completed for all host information in the host management information. If all processing has been completed, processing is terminated. If there is unprocessed host information, step S2001 is performed. Loop to make a delivery decision for the next host group.

  Next, in step S2005, untransferable host information is read from a transfer failure host information storage memory (not shown), and if there is host information stored as a nontransferable host, it is deleted from the search request transmission path.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of search request transmission processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S3001, the shared information search request message is transmitted to the host indicated by the first <Host> element shown in the <QueryPath> element of the shared information search request message. It is assumed that message transmission / reception is performed by the widely used TCP / IP protocol.

  Next, in step S3002, it is checked whether transmission to the host is successful. If transmission is successful, the process branches to step S3005. If transmission is unsuccessful, the process proceeds to step S3003. Whether or not the transmission is successful is determined by receiving an ACKNOWLEDGE message sent to the transmission host when the transmission is successful in the distributed search request message reception process described later with reference to FIG.

  If the transmission fails in step S3002, the host information that failed to be transmitted is added to the <TransmissionFailure> element of the shared information search request message in step S3003. In step S3004, the value of the <QueryPath> element of the shared information search request message Delete the host information that failed to send.

  In step S3005, the local host information search process is performed in accordance with the information indicated in the <QueryInfo> element of the distributed information search request message. The information retrieval process of the own host is a well-known technique that is widely implemented, and details thereof are omitted.

  In step S3006, the local host search processing result in step S3005 is transmitted to the host address indicated in the <ReturnAddress> element of the distributed information search request message. It is assumed that the search result is also transmitted by storing the search result data in a TCP packet by the TCP / IP protocol.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing details of search response reception processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S4001, a reception thread for receiving a search result response from each host is generated, and the search result transmitted is received in the reception thread. In step S4002, a distributed search request message having a value set in the <QueryID> element of the distributed information search request information created in step S1003 of FIG. 7 is received.

  After receiving the distributed search request message in step S4002, in step S4003, the host information excluding the host information stored in the <TransmissionFailure> element of the received search request message among the search hosts determined in step S1002 is displayed in step S4001. Deliver to the receiving thread.

  The distributed search processing result reception thread receives and waits until the search results from all the hosts delivered in step S4003 are received. If the search results from all the hosts are received, the distributed information search results are displayed in step S4004. Delivered to the main process for receiving search responses.

  The search response reception main process discards the reception thread after receiving the distributed information search result from the reception thread.

  In step S4006, the transfer failure host information indicated in the <TransmissionFailure> element of the distributed information search request message is stored in a transfer failure host information storage memory (not shown).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing details of the distributed search request message reception process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S5001, reception of a shared information search request message from another host is waited for and a search request message is received.

  In step S5002, the host information at the head of the host information list of the <QueryPath> element of the search request message is deleted from the <QueryPath> element.

  In step S5003, the search request message is transmitted to the host at the head of the <QueryPath> element of the search request message. The details of this search request transmission process are the same as those described in detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing processing by transmission method 2 performed by the search request transmission control service for shared information search executed in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S8001, one piece of host information registered in the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 is acquired.

  Next, in step S8002, a <QueryInfo> element is created from the search request received in step S7000, the <QueryPath> element is an empty element, and the MAC address provided by the NIC 19 and the creation time are acquired, and < Create data for the QueryID> element and add a <TransmissionFailure> element. Then, the host address of the own host is set in the <ReturnAddress> element, and a distributed information search request message is created.

  In step S8003, the host information acquired in step S8001 of the shared information search request message created in step S8002 is transmitted as the transmission destination.

  In step S8004, it is determined whether all host information registered in the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 has been processed. If there is an unprocessed host, the process loops to step S8001, and all hosts are processed. If the shared information search request message has been transmitted to step S8005, the process branches to step S8005.

  Next, in step S8005, the response of the search processing result from each host transmitted in step S8003 is received. Details of the search response reception process will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  Next, in step S8006, the search results received from the hosts received in step S8005 are integrated and combined into one. It is assumed that the URI is unique as the location information of the information included in the search result returned from each host, the duplicate URIs are collected so as not to be included in the search result, and sorted in descending order of the search score.

  Next, in step S8007, the search results collected in step S8006 are transmitted to the host that issued the search request received in step S7000, and the distributed information search process ends.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a distributed search service start process for distributed information search executed in the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the search service of the distributed information search apparatus on the network is activated, a search for the distributed search route selection service is performed in step S6001. In order to search for the distributed search route selection service, the search service broadcasts an inquiry message to all hosts on the network. When the distributed search route selection service receives the inquiry message, the distributed search route selection service transmits a response message to the host holding the calling source search service.

  In step S6002, it is determined whether a response message from the distributed search route selection service for the inquiry message broadcasted in step S6001 has been received. If the response message cannot be received within a predetermined time, it is determined that the distributed search route selection service does not exist, and the process branches to step S6003. If the response message from the distributed search route selection service is received, step The process branches to S6004.

  In step S6003, if the distributed search route selection service does not exist in step S6002, the distributed search route selection service is started on the host holding the search service, and the distributed search route selection service is started for other hosts. To do.

  Next, in step S6004, the host that holds the distributed search route selection service that returned the response message in step S6002 or the distributed search route selection service started in step S6003 is held as a search request destination in the search service. The own host to be stored is stored in a storage area (not shown) held by the search service.

  Next, in step S6005, the local host holding the search service is registered in the host management information detailed in FIG. 3 held by the distributed search route selection service started in step S6003. If an inquiry message from another host on the network is received after starting the distributed search route selection service in step S6003, a response message is sent in response to the inquiry message, and the host information that has sent the inquiry message Is registered in the host management information.

<Embodiment 2>
In the above embodiment, the distributed information search request message is an XML document described in a text format marked up by a tag. However, binary format information that can identify each component is used as transport layer data. It can also be configured to be stored in a packet.

  In the above embodiment, the search service is processed so as to broadcast the inquiry message to search for the distributed search route selection service. However, a service directory for managing the service location is provided, and each service is registered in the service directory. The service location information can be obtained from the directory.

  In the above embodiment, the distributed information search request message transmission method in the distributed search route selection service is determined in accordance with the number of host information registrations on the network. However, the network line speed, host calculation processing capacity, and processing It can also be configured to be determined by factors other than the number of registered host information, such as the load.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  Examples of the storage medium for supplying the program code include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a CD-RW, a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, and a DVD-RW. DVD + RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, and the like can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The distributed information search method, search relay device, system, program, and computer readable memory of the present invention have been described in detail above, but it goes without saying that modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  The present invention relates to a distributed information search method, a search relay device, a system, a program, and a computer readable memory that search for information distributed and stored in a plurality of host computers connected to a network.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the distributed information search device of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the network by the distributed information search device of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the host information management table of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the distributed information search request message of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the distributed information search request message of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the distributed information search request message of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the shared information search process by the 1st transmission system performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search request transmission path determination process by the 1st transmission system performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search request transmission process by the 1st transmission system performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search response reception process performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search request reception process by the 2nd transmission system performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the distributed search service starting process performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the distributed search request transmission system determination process performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the search request reception process by the 2nd transmission system performed in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the distributed search request transmission system determination process performed in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
14 DISK
15 KB
16 VRAM
17 CRTC
18 CRT
19 NIC

Claims (9)

A receiving process for receiving a search request from a search request source;
A selection process for selecting a search request transmission method according to the status of a plurality of search devices managed,
A distributed information search method comprising: a distribution step of distributing search request information created from the search request to the plurality of search devices by the selected search request transmission method.   The distributed information search method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution step selects a search request transmission method according to the number of the plurality of search devices managed.   The distributed information search method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution step selects a search request transmission method according to the distribution load.   The distributed information search method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution step selects a search request transmission method according to processing loads of the plurality of search devices managed.   The distributed information search method according to claim 1, wherein the distribution step selects a search request transmission method according to a connection line speed between connected search devices. Management means for managing the status of a plurality of search devices existing on the network;
Receiving means for receiving a search request from a search request source;
A selection means for selecting a search request transmission method according to the status of the plurality of search devices managed,
A distributed information search relay device comprising: distribution means for distributing search request information created from the search request to the plurality of search devices by the selected search request transmission method. A plurality of search devices existing on the network, and a search relay device;
The search relay device is
Management means for managing the status of the plurality of search devices;
Receiving means for receiving a search request from a search request source;
Selection means for selecting a search request transmission method according to the situation of the plurality of search devices;
A delivery means for delivering search request information created from the search request to the search device by the selected search request transmission method;
Each of the plurality of search devices
A search means for executing a search according to the search request;
A distributed information search system comprising: reply means for returning a search processing result to the search request source. A receiving procedure for receiving a search request from a search request source;
A selection procedure for selecting a search request transmission method according to the situation of a plurality of search devices managed,
A program for causing a computer to execute a distribution procedure for distributing search request information created from the search request to the plurality of search devices by the selected search request transmission method.   A computer readable memory storing the program according to claim 8.

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