Filtering information at a data network based on filter rules associated with consumer processing devices

• US 7,543,068 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A., Alin, Jun-Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH L
• Application Number:
  US10/926,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/217, 709/219, 709/246, 709/224, 709/228, 725/32, 725/34
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Information that is being communicated from information sources, such as servers, through a data network to consumer processing devices is filtered by the data network. Filter rules are associated with the consumer processing devices. Information is received at the data network from at least one of the information sources that is addressed to one of the consumer processing devices. The information is filtered at the data network based on the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device to generate filtered information. The filtered information is then communicated from the data network to the addressed consumer processing device.

Claims

1. A method of filtering information communicated from information sources through a data network to consumer processing devices, the method comprising:

associating filter rules with the consumer processing devices;

receiving information at the data network from at least one of the information sources that is addressed to one of the consumer processing devices;

filtering the information at an information filter device of the data network based on the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device to generate filtered information by replacing a portion of the information with a user selectable link to generate at least a portion of the filtered information, storing the replaced portion of the information at the data network, and associating the user selectable link with the stored portion of the information, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and/or play time of the replaced portion of the information;

communicating the filtered information including the user selectable link from the data network to the addressed consumer processing device;

displaying, at the addressed consumer processing device, the size and/or the play time of the replaced portion of the information to a user; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the user selectable link from the addressed consumer processing device, communicating the stored replaced portion of the information from the data network to the addressed consumer processing device,

wherein the filter rules cause the information filter device to monitor metrics including identity of a website being access and depth of access into the website by the user, and said filtering the information is based on the monitored metrics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating filter rules with the consumer processing devices comprises receiving at the data network at least one rule defined by a user for information that is allowable for communication to a consumer processing device that is associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein associating filter rules with the consumer processing devices comprises estimating a user'"'"'s preference of content of information that is communicated to one of the consumer processing devices that is associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the information at the data network comprises:

classifying portions of the information among a plurality of information types; and

selectively modifying the information to generate the filtered information based on the classified types of the portions of the information and the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein classifying portions of the information among a plurality of information types comprises classifying portions of the information as containing at least text, graphics, video, audio, animation, and/or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selectable link indicates whether the replaced portion of the information contains text, graphics, video, animation, and/or audio.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and not play time of the replaced portion of the information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the information at the data network comprises filtering the information based on at least one keyword defined by the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device to generate the filtered information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the information at the data network comprises:

identifying repetition of content of the information; and

filtering the information based on the identified repetition of content of the information to generate the filtered information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the information at the data network comprises:

identifying randomness of content of the information; and

filtering the information based on the identified randomness of content of the information to generate the filtered information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selectable link indicates audio and/or video play time of the replaced portion of the information.

11. A data network comprising:

a memory;

an information filter device that is;

configured to associate filter rules with consumer processing devices,

configured to receive information from at least one information source that is addressed to at least one of the consumer processing devices,

configured to filter the information based on the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device to generate filtered information by replacing a portion of the information with a user selectable link to generate at least a portion of the filtered information, by storing the replaced portion of the information in the memory, and by associating the user selectable link with the stored portion of the information, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and/or play time of the replaced portion of the information, and

configured to communicate the filtered information including the user selectable link to the addressed consumer processing device and, in response to receiving a user selection of the user selectable link from the addressed consumer processing device, to communicate the replaced portion of the information from the memory to the addressed consumer processing device,

wherein the addressed consumer processing device displays the size and/or the play time of the replaced portion of the information to a user,

wherein the filter rules cause the information filter device to monitor metrics including identity of a website being access and depth of access into the website by the user, and wherein said filter the information is based on the monitored metrics.

12. The data network of claim 11, wherein the information filter is configured to classify portions of the information among a plurality of information types, and configured to selectively modify the information to generate the filtered information based on the classified types of the portions of the information and the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device.

13. The data network of claim 11, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and play time of the replaced of the information.

14. The data network of claim 11, wherein the user selectable link indicates audio and/or video play time of the replaced portion of the information.

15. A computer program product for filtering information communicated from information sources through a data network to consumer processing devices, the computer program product comprising program code embodied in a computer-readable electronic memory, the computer program code comprising:

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to associate filter rules with the consumer processing devices;

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to receive information at the data network from at least one of the information sources that is addressed to one of the consumer processing devices;

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to selectively replace a portion of the information with a user selectable link based on the filter rules associated with the addressed consumer processing device to generate filtered information, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and/or play time of the replaced portion of the information;

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to store the replaced portion of the information at the data network;

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to associate the user selectable link with the stored portion of the information at the data network; and

computer program code that when executed by a processor is configured to communicate the filtered information including the user selectable link from the data network to the addressed consumer processing device and, in response to receiving a user selection of the user selectable link from the addressed consumer processing device, to communicate the stored replaced portion of the information from the data network to the addressed consumer processing device,

wherein the addressed consumer processing device displays the size and/or the play time of the replaced portion of the information to a user,

wherein the filter rules cause the information filter device to monitor metrics including identity of a website being access and depth of access into the website by the user, and said filter the information is based on the monitored metrics.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the user selectable link indicates size and not play time of the replaced portion of the information.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the user selectable link indicates audio and/or video play time of the replaced portion of the information.