Method and system for access to restricted resources

Abstract

A method and system of providing a search result to a user based on information indicated in a restricted access resource is described. A search system utilizing the assistance of human searchers or guides may obtain a search result using information included in a restricted resource. Access to a restricted resource is granted to guides based on access information provided to the search service. A guide may access information indicated in a restricted resource in order to obtain a search result. A search result obtained based on information indicated in a restricted resource may be returned to a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user;   directing the request to a human assistant;   selecting a resource based on the request;   identifying a right required to access the resource;   providing, by a processor, an access to the resource to the human assistant based on a privilege determined based on the user and the human assistant; and   presenting a response to the user based on the access.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 permitting the access to the resource by the human assistant when the human assistant does not have the right, the user does not have the right and a search service receiving the request has the right. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 assigning the right to the human assistant based on a keyword used to direct the request to the human assistant. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 ranking resources based on a provider of the resource; and 
 selecting the resource based on the ranking. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 ranking resources based on a source of the request; 
 adjusting the ranking based on the right; and 
 selecting the resource based on the ranking. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 directing the request based on a permission of the human assistant; and 
 assigning the right to the human assistant based on a previous access to the resource by the human assistant. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 permitting the access when the human assistant has the right; and 
 presenting a result based on the access when the user has the right. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining the right based on content obtained by the human assistant from the resource. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 presenting a response from a an unrestricted source; and 
 indicating to the user that the human assistant may access the resource when the user has the right. 
 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a user device submitting a request and receiving a response;   a guide device obtaining an answer; and   a search system comprising a processor and memory receiving the request, directing the request to the guide device, selecting a resource based on the request, identifying a right required to access the resource, providing an access to the resource to the guide device based on a privilege determined by the user device and the guide device and providing the answer to the user when the user is unable to access the resource.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 the search system providing the access when the user system has the right and the guide device does not have the right. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a resource system providing the access based on a number of human assistants registered for access to the resource. 
 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing therein an instruction which when executed causes a computer to perform an operation including providing access to a resource, comprising:
 receiving a request from a user;   directing the request to a human assistant;   ranking resources based on the request;   assigning a right to access a resource to the human assistant based on privileges of the human assistant and of the user;   providing to the human assistant an access to a highest ranking resource which is accessible using the right; and   presenting a response to the user based on the access.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 assigning the right to the human assistant when the human assistant is permitted to access the resource and the user is not permitted to access the resource. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 assigning the right to the human assistant when the human assistant is not permitted to access the resource and the user is permitted to access the resource. 
 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 preventing access rights of the resources from affecting the ranking. 
 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 ranking a resource highest when access is not available to the user. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 ranking a resource highest when access is not available to the human assistant. 
 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 ranking a resource highest when access is not available to the human assistant and access is not available to the user and the right may be assigned by a search system. 
 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13  wherein the operation further comprises:
 identifying search resources ranked higher than the highest ranking resource accessible to the human assistant; 
 presenting indicators of the search resources to the user; and 
 assigning the right to the human assistant based on an action received from the user.