A method for controlling access provided to content files during an information
search initiated by a client device and performed by a search engine. The method
includes receiving a search request from the client. A modified search request
is generated by applying a search profile for the user of the client device to
the received search request. The modified search request is then routed to the
search engine to apply search criteria in the modified search request to search
engine collections populated from the content files. The user's search profile
includes restrictions defining which of the search engine collections can be searched
and how such collections can be searched. The search profile may be generated at
the time the search request is received based on login information for the user
of the client and based on stored user profile or account information. According
to this method, the client is not provided direct access to the search engine and
is particularly useful in client-server environments, such as clients with browsers
linked to the Internet that search networked devices for information.
