System and method for web page filtering

• US 6,701,350 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/474,125
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 345/797, 345/744, 345/835, 345/810, 345/764, 345/781, 345/866, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A system and method for Web page display filtering enables a user to selectively filter out sections of Web pages, such as banner ads or inappropriate material. The user may identify a section or a geometric area to be suppressed on subsequent visits. When an item is selected for suppression, a filter script is generated to remove the unwanted Web page area. The filter script is stored and associated with the URL of the Web page. Whenever the Web page associated with the URL is subsequently accessed, the filter script which maps to that URL is applied to the Web page and suppresses the identified section.

Claims

1. A method for generating a filter for selectively filtering out sections of a Web page comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a section of a Web page to be suppressed each time the Web page is retrieved;

b) generating a filter script associated with the selected section;

c) assigning a URL string to the filter script; and

d) storing the filter script and the URL string in a filter database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (a) of selecting comprises clicking on the selected section with a mouse.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (a) of selecting comprises selecting a geometric area where the enclosed area is suppressed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of e) reinstating a previously filtered item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of designating at least one filter attribute.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one filter attribute comprises specifying the application of the filter script to other URLs that match the URL string associated with the filter script.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) of generating a filter script comprises a step of (f) storing HTML encoded tag information associated with the selected section.

8. A method for displaying a filtered Web page, comprising the steps of:

a) submitting a URL request associated with a Web page through a browser;

b) identifying the URL and matching the URL with at least one filter script stored in a filter database;

c) applying at least one filter script associated with the URL to suppress at least one preselected display area; and

d) displaying filtered URL data to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one filter script is located on the user'"'"'s computer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one filter script is located in a remote location.

11. A system for generating a filter script for suppressing unwanted items on a Web page, comprising:

a selection option for enabling a user to select a section of a Web page to be suppressed each time the Web page is retrieved;

a filter script builder for generating a filter script associated with the selected section to suppress the selected item on the Web page, wherein a URL string is assigned to the filter script; and

a filter database for storing the filter script and the URL string.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user selects the section to be suppressed by clicking on the selected section with a mouse.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the user selects the section by defining a geometric area where the enclosed area is suppressed.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the user reinstates a previously filtered section.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the user designates at least one filter attribute.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one filter attribute comprises specifying the application of the filter script to other URLs that match the URL string.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one filter script stores HTML encoded tag information associated with the selected section.

18. A system for displaying a filtered Web page, comprising:

a browser for submitting a URL request associated with a Web page;

a filtering proxy for identifying the URL and matching the URL with at least one filter script stored in a filter database; and

a display for displaying filtered URL data to the user wherein at least one section identified by the at least one filter script is suppressed.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the filter proxy is located on the user'"'"'s computer.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the filter proxy is located in a remote location.