Patent ID: 8090680

Claim:
A method for locating data in a distributed data environment, wherein at least two users in the environment collaborate synchronously in a real time session to search for the same target information in order to satisfy a common information need, the at least two users each synchronously submitting a data locating query, the at least two users each synchronously receiving a query result, the method comprising the steps of: (a) if, for each user, a newly received query result does not satisfy the common information need, the at least two users each synchronously inputting relevance feedback data in response to the newly received query result; (b) combining, by a processor connected to the distributed data environment, the respective relevance feedback data in real time such that parameters corresponding to terms used in the respective data locating queries are calculated based on the respective relevance feedback data; (c) the at least two users synchronously reformulating their respective data locating queries and submitting the respective reformulated data locating queries; (d) processing, in real time, the reformulated data locating queries based on the newly calculated parameters such that the at least two users each synchronously receive a new query result; and (e) repeating, if necessary, steps (a) through (d) until, for at least one user, the newly received query result satisfies the information need.