Many　existing　searchable　encryption　schemes　are　inflexible　in　retrieval　patterns.　The　data　usage　authorization　is　almost　permanent　valid　as　long　as　the　user　is　not　revoked.　This　＇all-or-nothing＇　authorization　mode　is　not　compatible　with　the　＇pay-as-you-use＇　commercial　billing　model.　In　this　article,　we　propose　a　new　notion　called　time　controlled　expressive　predicate　query　with　accountable　anonymity.　It　realizes　time　controlled　data　query,　where　a　time　server　issues　time　token　to　authorize　search　privilege　in　designated　time　period.　The　data　users　can　anonymously　query　on　encrypted　data　and　the　anonymity　is　accountable　in　a　way　that　the　trusted　authority　is　able　to　deanonymize　data　users　if　they　misbehave　in　the　system.　The　underlying　techniques　are　anonymous　credential,　Pederson　commitment　and　non-interactive　zero-knowledge　proof.　We　firstly　design　an　efficient　expressive　predicate　query　(EPQ)　scheme,　which　is　proved　secure　to　protect　the　privacy　of　expressive　search　predicate.　Based　on　EPQ,　we　present　a　concrete　system　instantiation,　which　realizes　key-escrow　free　and　time　token　nontransferability.　The　formal　definition　and　security　models　are　given　out.　The　system　is　formally　proved　indistinguishable　against　chosen　keyword-set　attacks,　unforgeable　of　time　tokens　and　accountable　of　anonymous　users.　The　comparison　and　experiment　results　demonstrate　its　scalability　and　efficiency.　©　2008-2012　IEEE.