Multi-tenant Inverted Index Hosting for Text Search

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently allocating computing resources for text searches across multiple user accounts while maintaining data confidentiality and preventing resource waste, particularly in scenarios with varying data sizes and search workloads.

Innovation Solution

Implementing multi-tenant hosting of inverted indexes with a request router, common data store, and caching strategies to dynamically allocate resources and ensure encryption across index nodes, allowing for efficient text search and index updates while preserving user data confidentiality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate computing resources are allocated for each user account's inverted index, then data confidentiality is maintained, but resource waste occurs when some accounts have small data sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata confidentialityVSAvoidresource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple inverted indexes from different user accounts into a single shared index structure stored in a common data store. This merging approach allows multiple tenants to share the same computing resources and storage infrastructure, eliminating resource waste while maintaining data confidentiality through logical separation and encryption mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a request router as an intermediary component that receives search requests, determines the appropriate user account and inverted index, and routes the request to the correct data. This mediator enables efficient resource sharing while preserving data isolation and confidentiality across multiple user accounts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a shared inverted index is used across multiple user accounts, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but data confidentiality may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoiddata confidentiality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing user-specific encryption keys and security policies for different portions or entries within the shared inverted index. Each user account's data within the shared index structure is protected with localized security measures, ensuring that while resources are shared, data confidentiality is maintained at the user-specific level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the shared inverted index into user-specific portions or logical sections, each accessible only to its corresponding user account. This segmentation allows efficient resource sharing through a unified index structure while maintaining data confidentiality by preventing unauthorized access to other users' data segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If computing resources are dynamically allocated based on varying search workloads, then resource waste is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource waste reductionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation by allowing the system to adjust computing resource allocation based on varying search workloads and data access patterns. The shared inverted index structure enables flexible resource utilization where resources are allocated to handle peak loads efficiently while reducing allocation during low-demand periods, optimizing resource waste reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11748346B2Multi-tenant hosting of inverted indexes for text searches
Publication Date: 2023.09.05 AMAZON TECH INC
  • US11748346B2 patent drawing
  • US11748346B2 patent drawing
  • US11748346B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Multi-tenant hosting of inverted indexes for text searches is implemented. Text search requests are routed to different index nodes that cache inverted indexes for different user accounts. Updates to inverted indexes are routed to index nodes that have acquired a lock on an inverted index. The index nodes have access to a common data store that persistently stores the inverted indexes.