Custom search index data security

• US 8,442,994 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny, Verma, Naval, Mysen, Clarence Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Hasan, Syed
• Application Number:
  US12/209,996
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 707/710, 707/711, 707/758, 707/999.001, 707/999.003
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A system includes a server to store content and a content searching system. The content search system includes an application programming interface to receive user-selected metadata uploaded from a first user, where the metadata includes data that describes content stored at a server. The content searching system further includes an indexer to index the metadata to produce a metadata search index, a search engine to search the metadata search index based on a search query received from a user to produce metadata search results, and a delivery engine to send the metadata search results, and a link to the remote server, to the user to permit the user to access the content stored at the remote server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first device, user-selected metadata uploaded from a first client device,

where the metadata includes data that describes encrypted data stored at a second device that is different from the first device;

indexing, by the first device, the metadata to produce a metadata search index for the encrypted data;

receiving, by the first device, a search query from a second client device;

searching, by the first device, the metadata search index, based on the search query, to produce metadata search results associated with the encrypted data;

identifying, by the first device and based on the search query, web content; and

sending, by the first device, the web content, the metadata search results, and a link to the second device, to the second client device,

where the link to the second device enables the second client device to access the encrypted data stored at the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the metadata and the metadata search index at one or more databases that are remote from the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the second user; and

where searching the metadata search index includes;

searching the metadata search index based on authenticating the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the metadata search results; and

where sending the web content, the metadata search results, and the link includes;

sending the web content, the encrypted metadata search results, and the link to the second client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving access control data; and

associating the access control data with the metadata search index.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

authenticating the second user based on the access control data,

the metadata search index being searched based on authenticating the second user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the first device, a key for decrypting the encrypted data stored at the second device.

8. A system comprising:

a first device to;

receive user-selected metadata,

the metadata including data that describes encrypted data stored at a second device that is different from the first device,

index the metadata to produce a metadata search index for the encrypted data,

receive a search query from a client,

search the metadata search index, based on the search query, to produce metadata search results associated with the encrypted data,

identify, based on the search query, web content, and

provide the web content, the metadata search results, and a link to the second device to the client,

the link to the second device enables the client to access the encrypted data stored at the second device.

9. The system of claim 8, where the first device is further to:

store the metadata and metadata search index at one or more databases that are remote from the first device.

10. The system of claim 8, where the first device is further to:

authenticate the client, and

where, when searching the metadata search index, the first device is to;

search the metadata search index based on authenticating the client.

11. The system of claim 8, where the first device is further to:

encrypt the metadata search results, and

where, when sending the web content, the metadata search results, and the link, the first device is to;

send the web content, the encrypted metadata search results, and the link to the client.

12. The system of claim 8, where the first device is further to:

receive access control data, and

associate the access control data with the metadata search index.

13. The system of claim 12, where the first device is further to:

authenticate the client based on the access control data,

the metadata search index being searched based on authenticating the client.

14. The system of claim 8, where the first device is further to:

provide, to the client, a key for decrypting the encrypted data stored at the second device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the one or more processors to;

receive user-selected metadata,

the metadata including data that describes encrypted data stored at a second device that is different from the first device,

index the metadata to produce a metadata search index for the encrypted data;

receive a search query from a client,

search the metadata search index, based on the search query, to produce metadata search results associated with the encrypted data,

identify, based on the search query, web content, and

provide the web content, the metadata search results, and a link to the second device to the client,

the link to the second device enables the client to access the encrypted data stored at the second device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to store the metadata and metadata search index at one or more databases that are remote from the first device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to authenticate the client, and

where the one or more instructions to search the metadata search index include;

one or more instructions to search the metadata search index based on authenticating the client.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to encrypt the metadata search results, and

where the one or more instructions to send the web content, the metadata search results, and the link include;

one or more instructions to send the web content, the encrypted metadata search results, and the link to the client.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive access control data,

one or more instructions to associate the access control data with the metadata search index, and

one or more instructions to authenticate the client based on the access control data,

the metadata search index being searched based on authenticating the client.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to provide, to the client, a key for decrypting the encrypted data stored at the second device.