Synchronized Web Browsing Histories: Processing Deletions and Limiting Communications to Server

• US 20150347614A1
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Knight, Paul R., Mondello, Richard J., Barraclough, Gavin, Rowe, Mark A., Berlin, Jessie L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,394,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Deletion of synchronized web browsing history is enabled. A deletion filter record that specifies synchronized web browsing history to be deleted is received from a first client. The deletion filter record is stored in association with an identifier of the first client. A check-in message is received from a second client. Responsive to the check-in message, a determination is made that the stored deletion filter record is relevant to the second client. The stored deletion filter record is sent to the second client. Separately, a client'"'"'s communications to a server are limited. A request is received to communicate with the server. A throttling policy is accessed. The throttling policy includes multiple ordered policy sections. A policy section indicates that all messages sent from the client to the server, up to the number of messages, must be separated by at least the time period.

Claims

1. A method of enabling deletion of synchronized web browsing history, comprising:

receiving, from a first client, a deletion filter record that specifies synchronized web browsing history to be deleted;

storing the deletion filter record in association with an identifier of the first client;

receiving, from a second client, a check-in message;

responsive to the check-in message, determining that the stored deletion filter record is relevant to the second client; and

sending the stored deletion filter record to the second client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronized web browsing history to be deleted includes a <

timestamp, URL (uniform resource locator)>

pair that describes an access of a webpage, wherein the timestamp indicates when the access occurred, and the URL indicates which webpage was accessed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the deletion filter record includes a time period that specifies deletion of browsing history portions whose timestamps fall within the time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the deletion filter record includes a set of one or more URLs that specifies deletion of browsing history portions whose URLs match any of the URLs in the set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deletion filter record indicates that all browsing history should be deleted, including browsing history for all URLs from a present time to all past time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the stored deletion filter record is relevant to the second client comprises:

determining that the first client and the second client are members of a same synchronization group; and

determining that the stored deletion filter record is associated with the first client.

7. A method of limiting a client'"'"'s communications to a server, comprising:

receiving a request to communicate with the server;

accessing a throttling policy that includes multiple ordered policy sections, wherein a policy section comprises a <

number of messages, period of time>

pair that includes a number of messages and a time period and indicates that all messages sent from the client to the server, up to the number of messages, must be separated by at least the time period;

determining which policy section of the multiple ordered policy sections applies to the communication request;

determining whether the communication request complies with the applicable policy section;

responsive to the communication request complying with the applicable policy section, granting the communication request; and

responsive to the communication request not complying with the applicable policy section, denying or deferring the communication request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining which policy section of the multiple ordered policy sections applies to the communication request comprises comparing a number of past server communications to message numbers in one or more of the multiple policy sections.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the communication request complies with the applicable policy section comprises:

determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a most recent communication to the server; and

comparing the determined amount of time to a time period of the applicable policy section.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules for enabling deletion of synchronized web browsing history, the computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising:

receiving, from a first client, a deletion filter record that specifies synchronized web browsing history to be deleted;

storing the deletion filter record in association with an identifier of the first client;

receiving, from a second client, a check-in message;

responsive to the check-in message, determining that the stored deletion filter record is relevant to the second client; and

sending the stored deletion filter record to the second client.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the synchronized web browsing history to be deleted includes a <

timestamp, URL (uniform resource locator)>

pair that describes an access of a webpage, wherein the timestamp indicates when the access occurred, and the URL indicates which webpage was accessed.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the deletion filter record includes a time period that specifies deletion of browsing history portions whose timestamps fall within the time period.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the deletion filter record includes a set of one or more URLs that specifies deletion of browsing history portions whose URLs match any of the URLs in the set.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the deletion filter record indicates that all browsing history should be deleted, including browsing history for all URLs from a present time to all past time.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein determining that the stored deletion filter record is relevant to the second client comprises:

determining that the first client and the second client are members of a same synchronization group; and

determining that the stored deletion filter record is associated with the first client.

16. A system for limiting a client'"'"'s communications to a server, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program modules executable to perform steps comprising;

receiving a request to communicate with the server;

accessing a throttling policy that includes multiple ordered policy sections, wherein a policy section comprises a <

number of messages, period of time>

pair that includes a number of messages and a time period and indicates that all messages sent from the client to the server, up to the number of messages, must be separated by at least the time period;

determining which policy section of the multiple ordered policy sections applies to the communication request;

determining whether the communication request complies with the applicable policy section;

responsive to the communication request complying with the applicable policy section, granting the communication request; and

responsive to the communication request not complying with the applicable policy section, denying or deferring the communication request; and

a computer processor for executing the computer program modules.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein determining which policy section of the multiple ordered policy sections applies to the communication request comprises comparing a number of past server communications to message numbers in one or more of the multiple policy sections.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein determining whether the communication request complies with the applicable policy section comprises:

determining an amount of time that has elapsed since a most recent communication to the server; and

comparing the determined amount of time to a time period of the applicable policy section.