Patent ID: 6925461

Claim:
A machine readable medium containing configuration instructions for performing a method for retrieving data accessible by posing a plurality of queries over a network to at least one target server, wherein the plurality of queries are posed through a restricted interface that returns the k data points closest to a query point, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a plurality of proxy server services; transmitting a first one of the plurality of queries to a first one of the plurality of proxy sever services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers; transmitting a second one of the plurality of queries to a second one of the plurality of oxy server services for transmission to one of the at least one target servers; for each one of the plurality of queries, receiving from its corresponding proxy server service a reply from its corresponding target server; calculating a maximum radius from a previous query point to a data point returned by e corresponding query; determining a region with R covered by the previous query based on the corresponding maximum radius; computing quadtrees of progressively greater levels until a computed quadtree has an uncovered node entirely outside the covered region; and constructing a subsequent query to contain a query point that is a center of the uncovered quadtree node.