Patent ID: 8037050

Claim:
A method for use with first and second databases, said first database housed within a first computing system, said second database housed within a second computing system, said first and second databases geographically removed from each other, each said database having respective direct users, each said database also made available on a limited basis to users of the other of said first and second databases, each said database containing records not present in the other of said first and second databases, and with a computer-based user interface, the method comprising the steps of: carrying out a search in each of said first and second databases, whereby each search gives rise to respective first and second search results, whereby each of said search results has a respective primary key, whereby each of said search results comprises information sharable on said limited basis with users of the other of said first and second databases, and whereby each of said search results comprises information not sharable on said limited basis with users of the other of said first and second databases; building a list of entries including said first search results and said second search results, each entry having respective content; selecting one or more entries from said list of entries and finding associations therewith; constructing a consolidated primary key comprising information from the primary key for each of said entries; making a query at each of said first and second databases using information from the content of said selected one or more entries, thereby deriving respective additional search results therefrom, whereby the respective additional search results yield at least one entry not cumulative of said first search results and said second search results; updating said list of entries to including the at least one entry not cumulative of said first search results and said second search results; and displaying said updated list of entries in a graphical user interface for a human user.