Method and apparatus for effecting an internet user's privacy directive

• US 9,009,838 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Front Porch, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Front Porch, Inc.
• Inventors: Britton, Zachary Edward, Maxson, Derek Stephen, Blocher, Brian Mathew, Fletcher, Thabo Husayn, Smith, Scott Kenneth, Vazquez, Carlos Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US12/258,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20100024032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,360 Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive. In the method, copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, are monitored for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive. Upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information, the state information is modified to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive. A replacement packet is forwarded to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet. The replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

Claims

1. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive, comprising:

a device receiving copied packets, from a service network of a network service provider, that are based on original packets sent from a user client through the service network to an internet;

the device monitoring the copied packets for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information, the device modifying the state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive; and

the device forwarding a replacement packet through the service network to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet includes a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

2. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the state information is a cookie.

3. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

4. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the device monitoring the copied packets comprises the device determining whether a web content request including state information has a domain associated with targeted advertising, and the device comparing the domain associated with targeted advertising with a database of domains covered by the user'"'"'s privacy directive.

5. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the device modifying the state information includes the device setting a value in the state information to remove the user client from a targeted advertising program.

6. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.

7. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the device modifying the state information includes the device removing user private elements from the state information.

8. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the web content request is an http get command.

9. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the web content request is an http post command.

10. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 1, wherein the service network provides asymmetric internet access to the user client.

11. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 10, wherein:

the device comprises a content modification station; and

the copied packets comprise packets mirrored to the content modification station.

12. A method for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 11, wherein:

the state information is modified by the content modification station to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive; and

the content modification station is not in a path of the original packet between the user client and the target server.

13. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive, comprising:

means for receiving copied packets, from a service network of a network service provider, that are based on original packets sent from a user client through the service network to an internet;

means for monitoring the copied packets for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

means for modifying state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information; and

means for forwarding a replacement packet through the service network to the user client for reception by the user client before reception by the user client of a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet includes a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

14. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the state information is a cookie.

15. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

16. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.

17. An apparatus for effecting an internet user'"'"'s privacy directive as defined in claim 13, wherein the copied packets comprise mirrored packets.

18. A computer program product, comprising:

non-transitory computer readable medium storing;

code for causing a computer to receive copied packets, from a service network of a network service provider, that are based on original packets sent from a user client through the service network to an internet;

code for causing a computer to monitor the copied packets for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user'"'"'s privacy directive;

code for causing a computer to modify state information to comply with the user'"'"'s privacy directive upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information; and

code for causing a computer to forward a replacement packet through the service network to the user client for reception by the user client before reception by the user client of a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet, wherein the replacement packet includes a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.

19. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the state information is a cookie.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein the state information is client-server state information.

21. A computer program product as defined in claim 18, wherein compliance with the user'"'"'s privacy directive is determined using an internet protocol (IP) address included in the copied packets.