System and method for managing user web browsing information

• US 8,402,011 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bodenhamer, Albert Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US13/270,172
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 707705-712, 707732-733, 707/758, 707766-767, 707/770, 707/778, 707/779, 707782-785, 707/768, 709203-204, 709/206, 709/224, 709/218, 709/245, 709219-220, 705/26.1, 706 45- 50
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for managing user web browsing information. A web browser-integrated extension provides one or more controls for selecting how the extension stores web browser information collected during a user'"'"'s browsing session. On a first selection, the extension automatically transmits user-identifiable web browsing information to a first remote storage. On a second selection, the extension automatically transmits anonymous web browsing information to a second remote storage. On a third selection, a transmissions of web browsing information is stopped.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing remote storage of web browsing information, the method comprising:

providing a control, integrated with a web browser located at a client computing device, for enabling a user to select one of a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes enabling a user to control how web browsing information is stored remote from the client computing device, the plurality of modes comprising a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode;

receiving at the control a selected one of the plurality of modes;

on receiving a selection of the first mode, providing for the control to automatically send, to a first remote storage, the web browsing information along with user-identifying information, the user-identifying information being associated with a user account;

on receiving a selection of the second mode, providing for the control to send, to a second remote storage, the web browsing information without identifying the user; and

on receiving a selection of the third mode, providing for the control to prevent storage of the web browsing information at the first remote storage,

wherein, on receiving the selection of the second mode after receiving the selection of the first mode, the sending of user-identifying information is stopped and the web browsing information is automatically sent to the second remote storage without identifying the user.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, on receiving the selection of the second mode, the web browsing information without identifying the user to a website, for personalization of web content provided to users not associated with the user.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the website is a search engine website and the web content includes search results.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the control, a selection of the third mode; and

on receiving the selection of the third mode, stopping the remote storing of the web browsing information and the user-identifying information.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of modes is the first mode, the method further comprising:

receiving at the control, a selection of the third mode; and

on receiving the selection of the third mode, stopping the storage of the web browsing information and the user-identifying information.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the control a selection to pause web browsing information; and

suspending the remote storage of the web browsing information for a predetermined amount of time.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of modes is the first mode, the method further comprising:

providing the web browsing information and user-identifying information to a website for personalization of web content displayed by the web browser.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

displaying a management screen providing a plurality of management controls configured to manage and control the web browsing information stored in the first remote storage.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control is a browser extension.

10. A machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a machine or computer cause the machine or computer to perform a method of managing remote storage of web browsing information, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user, a selected one of a plurality of mutually exclusive selections at a control, the control being integrated with a web browser, each of the plurality of selections corresponding to a mode for changing how the web browser remotely stores web browsing information;

on receiving a selection associated with a first mode, automatically transmitting during a web browsing session, from the control, user-identifiable web browsing information to a first remote storage, the user-identifiable web browsing information comprising information associated with a user account;

on receiving a selection associated with a second mode, automatically transmitting during the web browsing session, from the control, anonymous web browsing information to a second remote storage without identifying the user; and

on receiving a selection associated with a third mode, preventing the transmission of all web browsing information,

wherein, on receiving the selection associated with the second mode after receiving the selection associated with the first mode, the transmission of user-identifiable web browsing information is suspended and the anonymous web browsing information is automatically sent to the second remote storage.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the selected one of the plurality of mutually exclusive modes is the selection associated with the first mode, the method further comprising:

on receiving a selection to pause the automatic transmission of user-identifiable web browsing information to the first remote storage, suspending the transmission of user-identifiable web browsing information for a predetermined amount of time.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the selected one of the plurality of mutually exclusive modes is the selection associated with the second mode, the method further comprising:

providing, on receiving the selection associated with the second mode, the anonymous web browsing information to a website for personalization of web content provided to users not associated with a provider of the anonymous browsing information.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the selected one of the plurality of mutually exclusive modes is the selection associated with the first mode, the method further comprising:

providing the user-identifiable web browsing information to a website for personalization of web content displayed by the web browser, wherein the website is associated with the user account.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the control includes a plurality of graphically displayed buttons, a button corresponding to one of the plurality of selections.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the method further comprising:

on receiving a selection associated with a fourth mode, displaying a management screen providing a plurality of controls configured to manage and control the user-identifiable browsing information stored in the first remote storage.

16. A system for managing remote storage of web browsing information, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory including first server instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to provide storage control instructions to a client device for installation and integration with a web browser, wherein the storage control instructions, when executed by the client device, cause the client device to;

provide a plurality of mutually exclusive selections, displayed in connection with a toolbar of the web browser, the selections being related to sending, during a browser session, browsing information associated with a browsing pattern of a user to a remote location not located at the client device, the mutually exclusive selections comprising a first selection, a second selection, and a third selection;

receive a selected one of the mutually inclusive selections;

transmit, on receiving the first selection, the browsing information during the browser session to the remote location, wherein the browsing information is transmitted with user-identifying information;

transmit, on receiving the second selection, the browsing information, to the remote location without identifying the user; and

prevent, on receiving the third selection, the transmission of the browsing information to the remote location,

wherein the memory further includes second server instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

receive the browsing information from the computer-enabled device;

provide at least a portion of the browsing information with user-identifying information to a search engine for personalization of search results displayed to a user associated with the browsing information; and

provide at least a portion of the browsing information without user-identifying information to the search engine for personalization of search results displayed to one or more users not associated with the browsing information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mutually exclusive selections further comprise a fourth selection, wherein the selected one of the mutually inclusive selections is the first selection, and wherein the storage control instructions, when executed, further causes the client device to:

receiving at the control, the fourth selection;

suspending, on receiving the fourth selection after receiving the first selection or the second selection, the transmission of the browsing information to the remote location for a predetermined amount of time.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second server instructions, when executed, further causes the processor to:

store the browsing information with the user-identifying information in a first remote storage, not located at the client device, when the first one of the selections is made at the client device; and

store the browsing information without the user-identifying information in a second remote storage, not located at the client device, when the second one of the selections is made at the client device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first remote storage location is a first database and the second remote storage location is a second database.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second server instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide for display at the computer-enabled device, a management screen having a plurality of controls configured to manage and control the browsing information stored in the first remote storage location.