System and method for improved notifications

• US 8,751,651 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Mody, Nirmal, Avirneni, Srini, Van Lieu, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US13/471,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20120224572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 709/233, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Systems and methods for sending/receiving improved in-browser notification messages are provided. The notification messages are overlaid on HTTP traffic on port 80 for IP addresses provisioned to receive the notification messages from various sources, including weather, emergency broadcast, and police stations. A load balancer within the end-to-end system allows HTTP traffic on port 80 to be forked from non HTTP traffic on port 80 to selectively insert notification messages. The notifications are inserted by an internet content adoption protocol (ICAP) server in communication with other devices within the system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first set of data packets from a user device;

determining that the first set of data packets is transmitted from an address that matches one of a plurality of addresses that need to receive a notification; and

in response to determining that the first set of data packets is transmitted from an address that matches one of the plurality of addresses that need to receive the notification, marking the first set of data packets with an indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking the first set of data packets with a differentiated services value as the indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking traffic on port 80 with the indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information regarding setting a policy to cause the plurality of addresses to receive the notification.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from a business policy engine associated with an internet protocol (IP) service provider regarding setting a policy to mark traffic from the plurality of addresses with the indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from one of a notification platform, an application manager, and a policy server regarding setting a policy to mark traffic from the plurality of addresses with the indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of data packets is transmitted via a router to a load balancer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the address comprises an internet protocol (IP) address that matches one of a plurality of IP addresses that need to receive the notification.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a proxy server, a first set of data packets;

determining if the first set of data packets are fit for adaptation so that a notification can be inserted into the first set of data packets;

if the first set of data packets are fit for adaptation;

transmitting, to the proxy server, a first response indicating that the first set of data packets are fit for adaptation;

receiving a second set of data packets from the proxy server; and

inserting the notification into the second set of data packets.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the processor further performs:

if the first set of data packets are not fit for adaptation, transmitting, to the proxy server, a second response indicating that no notification will be included in the first set of data packets.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first set of data packets comprise preview data packets that are a portion of the second set of data packets.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the processor further performs:

if the first set of data packets are fit for adaptation, determining when the notification is cached locally.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the processor further performs:

if the notification is in a remote cache, obtaining the notification from a notification platform and caching the obtained notification locally.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the processor further performs:

parsing the second set of data packets.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the processor further performs:

reassembling the second set of data packets so that an original content of the second set of data packets is unaltered.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor further performs:

transmitting the reassembled packets to the proxy server.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets comprise Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a first set of data packets marked with an indicator that indicates that an internet protocol (IP) address associated with a source of the first set of data packets should receive a notification;

transmit the first set of data packets to an internet server;

receive a second set of data packets responsive to the first set of data packets from the internet server;

communicate with an internet content adoption protocol (ICAP) server for insertion of the notification into the second set of data packets; and

transmit the second set of data packets to a user device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor further performs:

removing the indicator from the first set of data packets.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first set of data packets are received from the user device.