Search interface for an online content management system

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates searching an online content management system for content items associated with a user. During operation, the system receives a call from a client application at a search interface in the online content management system, wherein the client application is operating on behalf of the user. In response to the call, the system performs a lookup in a per-user index within the online content management system, wherein the per-user index facilitates looking up information about content items associated with the user in the online content management system. The system then returns the information obtained during the lookup to the client application. The client application can then use the retrieved information to facilitate an interaction between the client application and the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for searching an online content management system for content items associated with a user, comprising:
 the online content management system;   a per-user index within the online content management system that facilitates looking up metadata about content items associated with the user in the online content management system; and   a search interface configured to allow an application to access the per-user index to obtain the metadata about the content items associated with the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the per-user index indexes the metadata about content items associated with the user. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the per-user index also indexes data contained in the content items associated with the user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the per-user index covers content items associated with the user that are stored in one or more storage repositories located inside or outside of the online content management system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the per-user index also covers shared content items that are accessible by the user and one or more other users. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the per-user index also covers information about shared content items in the online content management system, wherein the shared content items are associated with a team of collaborating users. 
     
     
         7 . A system that facilitates searching an online content management system for content items associated with users, comprising:
 a client application executing on a computing device, wherein the client application is configured to,
 access a per-user index in the online content management system to retrieve metadata about content items associated with the user in the online content management system, and 
 use the retrieved metadata to display information about the content items to the user. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the client application is configured to use the retrieved information to serve targeted advertisements to the user. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the client application is configured to compare the retrieved metadata with information obtained from the user to suggest specific content items to the user. 
     
     
         10 . A method for searching an online content management system for content items associated with a user, the method comprising:
 receiving a call from a client application at a search interface in the online content management system, wherein the client application is operating on behalf of the user;   in response to the call, performing a lookup in a per-user index within the online content management system, wherein the per-user index facilitates looking up metadata about content items associated with the user in the online content management system; and   returning metadata obtained during the lookup to the client application.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the search interface is configured to allow the application to access the per-user index only after the application is authenticated as operating on behalf of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the per-user index indexes the metadata about content items associated with the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the per-user index also indexes data contained in the content items associated with the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the per-user index covers content items associated with the user that are stored in one or more storage repositories located inside or outside of the online content management system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the per-user index also covers shared content items that are accessible by the user and one or more other users. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the per-user index also covers information about shared content items in the online content management system, wherein the shared content items are associated with a team of collaborating users. 
     
     
         17 . A method that facilitates searching an online content management system for content items associated with users, the method comprising:
 accessing, from a client application associated with the user, a per-user index in the online content management system to retrieve metadata about content items associated with the user in the online content management system; and   using the retrieved metadata to display information about the content items to the user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises using the retrieved metadata to serve targeted advertisements to the user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises comparing the retrieved metadata with information obtained from the user to suggest specific content items to the user. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for searching an online content management system for content items associated with a user, the method comprising:
 receiving a call from a client application at a search interface in the online content management system, wherein the client application is operating on behalf of the user;   in response to the call, performing a lookup in a per-user index within the online content management system, wherein the per-user index facilitates looking up metadata about content items associated with the user in the online content management system; and   returning metadata obtained during the lookup to the client application.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the per-user index covers content items associated with the user that are stored in one or more storage repositories located inside or outside of the online content management system. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the per-user index also covers shared content items that are accessible by the user and one or more other users. 
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method that facilitates searching an online content management system for content items associated with users, the method comprising:
 accessing, from a client application, a per-user index in the online content management system to retrieve metadata about content items associated with a user in the online content management system, and   using the retrieved metadata to facilitate an interaction between the client application and the user.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises using the retrieved metadata to serve targeted advertisements to the user. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises comparing the retrieved metadata with information obtained from the user to suggest specific content items to the user.