Patent ID: 8095500

Claim:
A computer-implemented method, in a distributed computing network comprising a plurality of computing devices in data communication with each other, wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is operable to access said distributed computing network, and wherein each of said plurality of computing devices is also operable to access at least one other computing network distinct from said distributed computing network, and wherein at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintains a global index of information about: (a) at least some data present in said distributed computing network, and (b) at least some data present on said at least one other computing network, and wherein each particular computing device of said plurality of computing devices has a browsing application associated therewith for accessing data on said at least one other computing network, said browsing application having a browsing application cache associated therewith in which said particular computing device automatically saves data generated during said particular computing device's access of said at least one other computing network using said browsing application, said computer-implemented method comprising: (A) automatically and periodically scanning, using hardware in combination with software, said browsing application cache of a specific computing device of said plurality of computing devices to find certain data in said browsing application cache of said specific computing device having address information of said other network associated therewith, said address information comprising link information to a source of data in said other network, said data having been saved in said browsing application cache of said specific computing device during said specific computing device's access of said other network, said other network being distinct from said distributed computing network; (B) indexing said certain data to generate index data from said certain data, said index data omitting data personal identification information of a user present in said certain data, wherein said index data includes identification information indicative of a location of said certain data; and (C) automatically and periodically supplying said index data to said at least one of said plurality of computing devices maintaining said global index.