Using Information Retrieval Techniques to Route Queries in an InfoBeacons Network

We present the InfoBeacons system, in which a peer-to-peer network of beacons cooperates to route queries to the best information sources. The routing in our system uses techniques adapted from information retrieval. We examine routing at two levels. First, each beacon is assigned several sources and routes queries to those sources. Many sources are unwilling to provide more cooperation than simple searching, and we must adapt traditional information retrieval techniques to choose the best sources despite this lack of cooperation. Second, beacons route queries to other beacons using techniques similar to those for routing queries to sources. We examine alternative architectures for routing queries between beacons. Results of experiments using a beacon network to search 1,000 information sources demonstrates how our techniques can be used to efficiently route queries; for example, our techniques require contacting up to 70 percent fewer sources than random walk techniques.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: DBISP2P
• Authors: Brian F. Cooper
• Keywords: Beacon, Beacons Route Queries, DBISP2P 2004, Information Sources