Patent ID: 7788256

Claim:
A method for servicing a search request over a distributed system utilizing a collection of index nodes; said method comprising: a. autonomously selecting, in a manner maximizing local profit, portions of said distributed system for said index nodes to index; said portions of distributed system comprising at least one of: a computing resource and a data object; b. iteratively routing said search request and a payment associated therewith to a participatory subset of said collection of index nodes; each iteration performed by each member of said participatory subset of index nodes, comprising: i. mapping said request to a target; said target being any one of: an index node in said collection, said at least one computing resource, or said at least one data object; ii. returning said target, if said target is not an index node in said collection; iii. otherwise, forwarding said search request and sharing a portion of said payment associated therewith, to said target; either until said target is returned or until said payment remaining is depleted.