Technique for locating an item of interest within a stored representation of data

摘要

According to the present invention, a technique for locating an item of interest within a stored representation of data is disclosed. The item of interest is preferably located within a particular one of a plurality of stored representations of data in a network having a plurality of network stations. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by first searching a plurality of stored annotations corresponding to different items within a plurality of stored representations of data to locate an annotation of interest corresponding to the item of interest, wherein the annotation of interest has an associated search identifier. A search request is then transmitted, from a first of the plurality of network stations to a second of the plurality of network stations, for the search identifier and an associated address identifier corresponding to a location of the particular one of the plurality of stored representations of data within the plurality of stored representations of data. The address identifier is then received at the first network station.