Internet mediation

• US 9,191,393 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nominum Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tovar, Tom C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEARSON, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US12/727,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods for a user to personalize Internet content from an Internet service provider using selected policy applications. The policy applications may be discrete, single purpose applications. The system may be controlled from home gateways and remote devices.

Claims

1. A method of providing an individualized Internet service, the method comprising:

establishing a user interface between an end user and an Internet service provider;

utilizing a DNS server, upon which the method is operated;

providing one or more discrete policy applications for a group of end users having a common interest, the policy applications mediating at least a portion of an Internet service received by the group of end users through at least one access device;

the end user selecting via the user interface at least one of the policy applications to apply to the Internet service received by the group of end users through the at least one access device, in which selecting at least one of the policy applications includes providing a selection menu to the end user, the selection menu listing a plurality of available policy applications; and

applying policies contained in the selected policy applications to the Internet service received by the group of end users through the at least one access device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy applications are separately configurable in combinations selected by the end user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the selected applications includes blocking at least a portion of a resolution performed by the DNS server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes redirecting at least a portion of a resolution performed by the DNS server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes logging and reporting resolutions performed by the DNS server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing policy applications includes providing discrete separately configurable policy applications.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy applications selected by the end user are shared or published at the discretion of the end user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes blocking at least a portion of the Internet service from all available end user interfaces.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving feedback relative to characteristics of the Internet service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving feedback includes receiving a list of sites that are accessed, access attempts for sites that are blocked, duration and time of use of each site, and which access device was used to access each site.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving feedback includes receiving identification of each site accessing end user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein mediating the Internet service includes any of blocking, constraining, enabling, redirecting, promoting, demoting, substituting, obscuring, limiting, interrupting, and restricting the Internet service.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting site access information to third parties.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving site access information from third parties.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the method via a user interface accessed through a gateway available to the end user.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the method via remote control.

17. A method of providing individualized Internet service, the method comprising:

establishing a user interface between an end user and a DNS network;

utilizing a DNS server, upon which the method is operated;

providing a set of discrete policy applications, the policy applications mediating at least a portion of an Internet service received by a group of end users through at least one access device, the group of end users having a common interest;

the end user selecting via the user interface at least one of the policy applications to apply to the Internet service, policies contained in the policy applications being configurable in a combination selected by the end user and applicable to at least one access device used by the group of end users, in which selecting at least one of the policy applications includes providing a selection menu to the end user, the selection menu listing a plurality of available policy applications; and

applying the selected policy applications to the Internet service received by the group of end users, so that the policy applications affect DNS server commands and actions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the policy applications are separately configurable in combinations selected by the end user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes blocking at least a portion of a resolution performed by an Internet Service provider.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes blocking at least a portion of a resolution performed by an Internet Service provider.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes logging and reporting resolutions performed by an Internet service provider.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein providing policy applications includes providing discrete separately configurable policy applications.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the policy applications selected by the end user are shared or published at the discretion of the end user.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes blocking at least a portion of the Internet service from all available end user interfaces.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving feedback relative to characteristics of the Internet service.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving feedback includes receiving a list of sites that are accessed, access attempts for sites that are blocked, duration and time of use of each site, and which access device was used to access each site.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein receiving feedback includes receiving identification of each site accessing end user.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein mediating the Internet service includes any of blocking, constraining, enabling, redirecting, promoting, demoting, substituting, obscuring, limiting, interrupting, and restricting the Internet service.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting site access information to third parties.

30. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving site access information from third parties.

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the method via a gateway.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the method via remote control.

33. A system for providing individualized Internet control, the system comprising:

a user interface between at least one end user and an Internet service provider;

a memory device with one or more discrete policy applications stored therein;

a subscriber database that retains a policy configuration chosen by the at least one end user, the policy configuration being established by a combination of discrete policy applications selected by the at least one end user to apply to at least one access device; and

a dynamic enforcement engine that applies policy settings, the dynamic enforcement engine residing on a DNS server, the dynamic enforcement engine in communication with the Internet Service Provider;

the system being configured to allow the at least one end user to select via the user interface at least one of the policy applications to apply to an Internet service received by the at least one end user, and to apply the selected policy applications to the Internet service received through the at least one access device of the at least one end user, the at least one end user having a common interest, in which selecting at least one of the policy applications includes providing a selection menu to the at least one end user, the selection menu listing a plurality of available policy applications.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the policy applications are cloud based applications.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the subscriber database is shared between the DNS server and cloud based applications.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the system is cloud based.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein at least one policy application is a discrete application.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the policy applications are separately configurable.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein applying the selected policy applications includes mediating at least a portion of the Internet service from all available end user interfaces.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein the end user receives feedback relative to characteristics of the Internet service, the feedback including at least a list of sites that are accessed and to which access is blocked, duration and time of use of each site, and which end user interface was used to access each site.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the feedback includes identification of each end user.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein site access information is transmitted to third parties.

43. The system of claim 33, wherein site access information is received from third parties.

44. The system of claim 33, wherein the system is controlled by a user interface accessed through a gateway available to the end user.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein the system is controlled by a remote control device.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the remote control device is a Smartphone.

47. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program executable by a processor to perform a method for controlling Internet content, the method comprising:

providing one or more discrete policy applications that mediate at least a portion of an Internet service received by a group of end users through at least one access device;

utilizing a DNS server, upon which the method is operated;

selecting via a user interface at least one of the policy applications to apply to the Internet service received by the group of end users through the at least one access device, the group of end users having a common interest, in which selecting at least one of the policy applications includes providing a selection menu to the group of end users, the selection menu listing a plurality of available policy applications; and

applying the selected policy applications to the Internet service received by the group of end users through the at least one access device.