Methods and systems for managing data

• US 20070112743A1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominic Giampaolo, Yan Arrouye
• Original Assignee: Dominic Giampaolo, Yan Arrouye
• Inventors: Giampaolo, Dominic, Arrouye, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, a search is performed based on a search query of at least metadata of a first plurality of files and a set of a permissions is determined for a first user, wherein the set of permissions defines at least a right to view information. Results of the search are displayed based upon the set of permissions. In the metadata database, there is metadata from a number of files of different types. The type of information in metadata for a first type of file differs from a type of information in metadata for a second type of file.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising:

receiving a search query from a first user;

performing a search, based on the search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;

determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;

displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access;

(b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user of an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.

7. A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising:

receiving a search query from a first user;

performing a search, based on the search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;

determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;

displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.

8. A medium as in claim 7 wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.

9. A medium as in claim 7 wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of a (a) read only access;

(b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.

10. A medium as in claim 7 wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.

11. A medium as in claim 7 wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.

12. A medium as in claim 7 wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner each file and for a group of users.

13. A data processing system comprising:

means for receiving a search query from a first user;

means for performing a search, based on the search, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;

means for determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;

means for displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.

15. A system as in claim 13 wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access;

(b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.

16. A system as in claim 13 wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.

17. A system as in claim 13 wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.

18. A system as in claim 13 wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.

19. A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising:

receiving a search query from a first user having a set of permissions defined relative to at least a set of files within a first plurality of files accessible on a data processing system;

performing a search using the search query wherein the search is not limited by the set of permissions of the first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;

filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first user has permission to access;

displaying information of the second set of files.

20. A method as in claim 19 wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.

21. A method as in claim 19 wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.

22. A method as in claim 19 wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access;

(b) read and write access; and

(c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.

23. A method as in claim 19 wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.