Patent ID: 8645327
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for accessing distributed data, said method comprising: associating a plurality of different computing devices to a particular user; forming a distributed personal data bank using data storage of the different computing devices; maintaining an index of electronic data available in the distributed personal data bank, the index being available and maintained on the different computing devices via one or more wired or wireless networks, the index including one or more characteristics for the electronic data stored therein; and accessing electronic data in the distributed personal data bank using the index, the data in the distributed personal data bank being accessible from the data storage of the different computing devices via the one or more wired or wireless networks, the accessing of the electronic data being based at least in part on the one or more characteristics associated with the electronic data, wherein the index allows searching for data in the distributed personal data bank from any of the different computing devices without regard to where the data is stored within the distributed personal data bank, and wherein said accessing comprises: receiving a request for a specific electronic file from the distributed personal data bank; determining whether the distributed personal data bank stores the specific electronic file on two or more different ones of the different computing devices; selecting one of the two or more different ones of the different computing devices from which to retrieve the specific electronic file, the selecting being based at least in part on the one or more characteristics associated with the specific electronic file stored on the two or more different ones of the different computing device; and retrieving the specific electronic file from the selected one of the two or more different ones of the different computing devices.