Patent ID: 8560630
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for sharing data, comprising: creating a first data record to be shared with multiple layers of contacts, wherein the multiple layers of contacts comprises: a first layer of contacts comprising a first group of contacts known to and having a defined trust relationship with a user creating the first data record, a second layer of contacts comprising a second group of contacts known to and having a defined trust relationship with one or more contacts of the first group of contacts, and a third layer of contacts comprising a third group of contacts known to and having a defined trust relationship with one or more contacts of the second group of contacts, wherein the user defines in the data record a count value defining the number of layers of contacts to which the first data record may be disseminated; determining a first relevance value for the first data record, the first relevance value defining a degree of importance associated with the data included in the first data record, each contact in each layer of contacts that receives the first data record capable of altering the first relevance value based on the degree of importance associated with the data record by the receiving contact; inserting the first relevance value into the first data record; automatically sharing the first data record and the first relevance value to each contact in the number of layers of the multiple layers of contacts defined in the count value, the first data record being automatically shared with each contact in defined number of layers through a network-based peer-to-peer communication service to avoid centralized storage of the first data record, wherein the first data record is stored in a local data store of each contact receiving the first data record; and storing a weight value for each contact associated with the first user, the weight value stored in local memory; automatically updating the first relevance value in the first data record each time the first data record is shared with a contact in the multiple layers of contacts receiving the first data record, automatically updating the first relevance value in the first data record each time the first data record is shared including: retrieving the first relevance value from the first data record; updating the first relevance value retrieved from the first data record based on the first relevance value retrieved from the first data record and a weight value associated with a source from which the first data record is received, updating the first relevance value based on the first relevance value retrieved from the first data record and a weight value associated with a source from which the first data record is received including calculating a product of the retrieved first relevance value and the weight value associated with the source from which the first data record is received; inserting the updated first relevance value into the first data record, thereby updating the first relevance value in the first data record; and ranking search results performed by a contact of the one of the first, second, and third groups of contacts, wherein the search results includes the first data record and the ranking is based at least in part on the first relevance value.