Distributed information discovery through searching selected registered information providers

A network hub coupled to a network, comprising:

• a router configured to receive query requests from consumers coupled to the network, wherein each query request includes a search query;
• a resolver coupled to said router, wherein said resolver is configured to receive the search queries from said router, and wherein said resolver is further configured to access a provider registration index and resolve each search query with the provider registration index to select one or more provider registrations for each search query;
• wherein at least one of the one or more provider registrations is for a second network hub coupled to the network, wherein the second network hub is configured to route search Queries to one or more providers indicated by the at least one of the one or more provider registrations;
• and
• wherein said router is further configured to receive from said resolver an indication of one or more providers selected for each search query and route each search query to the one or more selected providers for that search query.

A tangible, computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

• receiving a query request from a consumer, wherein the query request includes a search query, wherein the query request is formatted according to a query routing protocol;
• resolving the search query with an index of provider registrations to select one or more provider registrations;
• routing the search query to at least one provider specified by the one or more selected provider registrations, wherein the search query is routed to the at least one provider according to the query routing protocol;
• receiving a query response from said at least one provider, wherein the query response includes search results;
• and
• routing the search results to the consumer.

A network hub coupled to a network, comprising:

• means for routing query requests received from consumers coupled to the network, wherein each query request includes a search query;
• means for resolving the search queries, wherein said means for resolving are configured to:
• receive the search queries from said means for routing;
• access a provider registration index;
• and
• resolve each search query with the provider registration index to select one or more provider registrations for each search query, wherein at least one of the one or more of the provider registrations is for a second network hub coupled to the network, wherein the second network hub comprises means to route search queries to one or more providers indicated by the at least one of the one or more provider registrations;
• wherein said means for routing are further configured to:
• receive from said means for resolving an indication of one or more providers selected for each search query;
• and
• route each search query to the one or more selected providers for that search query.