Cross-Application Search via Segmented Requester and Provider Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in locating specific files among a large quantity of stored data due to the lack of efficient search capabilities, especially when multiple users share the same storage system and access restrictions are in place, preventing search engines from accessing restricted content.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a search requester component within client devices that communicates with other applications to perform searches across multiple applications, utilizing search providers to generate and render search results while ensuring compliance with access restrictions and security protocols, such as using enterprise security libraries and content indexes to facilitate faster and secure searches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If search engines are used to search for files, then file location efficiency is improved, but access to restricted content is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the search function into separate components: a search requester component that initiates searches and search provider components that actually perform the searching in respective applications. This segmentation allows the search functionality to be distributed across multiple applications while maintaining access control, enabling file location across the system without compromising restricted content protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The search requester component acts as an intermediary between the user and the search provider components in other applications. It communicates search requests through defined interfaces and protocols, enabling cross-application searching while maintaining security boundaries. The intermediary facilitates file location efficiency while preserving access restrictions through structured communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple users store files in the same storage system, then file accessibility is improved, but file location difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The search requester component is designed with universal functionality to search across multiple applications and user files within the storage system. It can initiate searches that span diverse file types and locations, making the system adaptable to multi-user environments while maintaining ease of file location through a unified search interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If search across multiple applications is enabled, then search scope is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes search provider components in advance within each application, preparing them to receive and execute search requests. This preliminary setup creates a ready-to-use infrastructure that reduces the complexity of implementing cross-application searches, as the search capability is pre-configured in each application rather than being assembled dynamically.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are examples of searching for content associated with multiple applications. In various examples, a first application can obtain a search query and maintain a list of applications available to provide content. The first application can send a request to a second application identified in the list, the request including a key that indicates the first application is authorized to request the second application to search for content. The first application can obtain a search result from the second application based on the request and present the search result in a user interface in the first application.