Search Interface Component for Cross-Sandbox Content Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in locating specific files within large collections of data stored across multiple applications and users in a shared storage system, and existing search engines often cannot access restricted content.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a client device with a search component and a search interface component that communicate to perform searches across isolated application sandboxes, using a permissions-based protection model to ensure secure access to restricted content while allowing authorized searches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a search engine is implemented to search files in a storage system, then file location efficiency is improved, but the search engine cannot access restricted content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a search interface component as an intermediary between the search component and applications. This mediator receives search queries, determines which applications are authorized to respond based on access restrictions, and forwards queries only to authorized applications. This resolves the contradiction by enabling file location across the storage system while maintaining compliance with access restrictions through the intermediary's authorization checks.
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 patent segments the storage system into isolated application sandboxes, where each application's content is separated into distinct searchable units. The search interface component iterates through multiple applications, searching each sandbox independently and aggregating results. This segmentation approach maintains file accessibility across users while improving location ease by organizing the search process into manageable segments rather than searching a monolithic unstructured space.
3Reliability
If application content is isolated in sandboxes, then security is improved, but search capability across applications is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The search interface component is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple purposes: it determines authorization based on access restrictions, iterates through multiple application sandboxes, manages communication between components, and aggregates search results. This universal component enables cross-application search capability while respecting sandbox isolation, as it coordinates searches across applications without breaking their isolation boundaries.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are examples that relate to searching for content associated with applications. In various examples, a system can include a computing device and a search interface component executable by the computing device. The search interface component can cause the computing device to obtain and validate a search query from a search component. The search interface component can search a search index of restricted application content that corresponds with the search query. The restricted application content is associated with a sandbox for a restricted application. The search interface component can also cause the computing device to provide search results to the search component.