Client Search Indexing via Application Extensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing client-side search functionalities face challenges in maintaining reliable and accurate search results, especially when applications are inoperable, and in processing unstructured natural language queries, including spoken language, due to outdated indices and resource-intensive operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of application extensions with equal access privileges to provide metadata and contextual information for index updates, along with grammatical interpretation and contextual modification of queries, enables efficient and accurate search results, even when applications are inoperable, and combines local and remote search results for improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications are required to provide application information to update the index, then the index can be kept current, but the system fails when applications are inoperable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces application extensions as intermediary components that can provide application information without requiring the full application to be operational. These extensions act as mediators between the search functionality and the application data, allowing the index to be updated even when the parent application is inoperable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the application into two independent parts: the main application and the application extension. This segmentation allows the extension to function independently and provide necessary application information to update the index, even when the main application cannot run.
2Measurement precision
If the index is periodically updated to reflect file changes, then search accuracy is maintained, but the system requires applications to be operational which reduces reliability when they are not
Solution Approach 1:
Application extensions serve as intermediaries that can provide application information independently of the main application's operational status, ensuring the index can be updated reliably even when applications are inoperable, thus maintaining search accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses available contextual information and metadata to update the index without requiring the application to actively participate. The search functionality can self-service by utilizing extensions and contextual data to maintain index accuracy.
3Reliability
If application extensions are used instead of applications to provide index information, then search functionality remains operational when applications fail, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Application extensions are designed to be universal components that can work with multiple applications and provide similar functionality across different contexts. This multi-functionality reduces the need for application-specific code and simplifies the overall system architecture despite the added layer of extensions.
4Ease of operation
If contextual information is used to modify query presentation, then user experience is improved, but processing requirements and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies contextual modifications selectively based on local conditions and user-specific context rather than uniformly processing all queries. This allows the system to improve user experience for relevant cases while avoiding unnecessary processing overhead for queries where contextual modification is not beneficial.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and machine readable medium are described for providing improved search functionality on a client device.