A distributed network search mechanism may be provided for consumers
coupled to a network to search information providers coupled to the
network. Consumers may make search requests according to a query routing
protocol. A network hub may be configured to receive search requests from
consumers. The hub may also receive registration requests from
information providers according to the query routing protocol.
Information providers register with the hub to indicate search queries in
which they are interested in receiving. When a query request is received,
the hub resolves the query request with a provider registration index.
The hub matches search query information from the query request with
provider registrations to determine which providers have registered to
receive search queries like the current search query. The hub then routes
the search query to matching providers according to the query routing
protocol.