METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING AN INTERNET USER'S PRIVACY DIRECTIVE

• US 20100024032A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Front Porch, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Front Porch, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Scott Kenneth, Vazquez, Carlos Alberto, Blocher, Brian Mathew, Maxson, Derek Stephen, Fletcher, Thabo Husayn, Britton, Zachary Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive. In the method, copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, are monitored for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive. Upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information, the state information is modified to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive. A replacement packet is forwarded to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet. The replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

Claims

1. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive, comprising:

monitoring copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information, modifying the state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive; and

forwarding a replacement packet to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

2. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the state information is a cookie.

3. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

4. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein monitoring the copied packets comprises determining whether a web content request including state information has a domain associated with targeted advertising, and comparing the domain associated with targeted advertising with a database of domains covered by the user'"'"'s privacy directive.

5. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein modifying the state information includes setting a value in the state information to remove the user client from a targeted advertising program.

6. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.

7. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein modifying the state information includes removing user private elements from the state information.

8. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the web content request is an http get command.

9. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the web content request is an http post command.

10. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the monitoring, modifying, and forming steps are performed by a service network providing asymmetric internet access to the user client.

11. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the copied packets comprise packets mirrored to a content modification station.

12. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the state information is modified by a content modification station to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive; and

the content modification station is not in a path of the original packet between the user client and the target server.

13. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive, comprising:

means for monitoring copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

means for modifying state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information; and

means for forwarding a replacement packet to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

14. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the state information is a cookie.

15. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

16. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.

17. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the copied packets comprise packets mirrored to a content modification station.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

computer readable medium including;

code for causing a computer to monitor copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

code for causing a computer to modify state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information;

code for causing a computer to forward a replacement packet to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

19. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the state information is a cookie.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

21. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.