Method and system for providing watermark to subscribers

• US 9,584,581 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perftech Inc. (Perftech Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Perftech Inc. (Perftech Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donzis, Lewis T., Donzis, Henry M., Baron, Peter W., Murphy, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US14/672,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20150207848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink

Abstract

A method for providing watermark to subscribers is provided. The method comprises observing a request for a first content from a subscriber, determining if the subscriber can receive a watermark, generating a second content comprising the watermark if the subscriber can receive a watermark, causing the subscriber to fetch the first content, and causing the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark overlaying the first content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether a subscriber can receive a watermark based on a policy associated with an Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, the policy being retrieved from a database based on the Internet Protocol address;

when it is determined that the subscriber can receive the watermark based on the policy and the Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, generating a content comprising the watermark in a second frame;

causing the subscriber to fetch content comprising an originally requested webpage in a first frame when it is determined that a webpage redirect can be issued to a web browser of the subscriber; and

causing the subscriber to fetch the content comprising an originally requested webpage comprising the watermark in the second frame overlaying the content in the first frame.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising observing a request for the content comprising the originally requested webpage from the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the content comprising the watermark comprises adding the watermark to the content comprising the originally requested webpage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adding the watermark to the content comprising the originally requested webpage comprises merging the watermark into a same frame as the content comprising the originally requested webpage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark is transparent and wherein the content comprising an originally requested webpage is displayed through the watermark in the content comprising the watermark.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark comprises a hyperlink redirecting the subscriber to another content upon the subscriber clicking on the hyperlink.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark is positioned at a portion of the content comprising the watermark, wherein the portion is one of a top, bottom, left, right, and center portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark remains in a same position between the content comprising the originally requested webpage and the content comprising the watermark.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprising the originally requested webpage becomes active in the content comprising the watermark upon the subscriber clicking on the watermark.

10. A method, comprising:

determining whether a subscriber can receive a watermark based on a policy associated with an Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, the policy being retrieved from a database based on the Internet Protocol address;

when it is determined that the subscriber can receive the watermark based on the policy and the Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, connecting to a destination server comprising the first content;

retrieving first content from the destination server, the first content comprising an originally requested webpage in a first frame when it is determined that a webpage redirect can be issued to the subscriber'"'"'s web browser; and

adding the watermark to the first content to form a second content overlaying the first content, the second content comprising the watermark in the second frame overlaying the first content in the first frame.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first content is a Webpage and the second content is a watermarked Webpage comprising the watermark and the Webpage.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein adding the watermark to the first content to form a second content comprises:

building a watermarked Webpage comprising the watermark and the Webpage; and

substituting the Webpage with the watermarked Webpage.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising receiving a request for the first content from the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein connecting to a destination server comprising the first content comprises connecting to the destination server via an Internet Protocol.

15. The method of claim 10 comprising generating the second content comprising the watermark in the second frame if the subscriber can receive the watermark.

16. The method of claim 10 comprising sending the second content to the subscriber.

17. A system, comprising:

a data processing system comprising a Web browser that initiates a request for a first content; and

an Internet Service Provider comprising a router and a redirecting device, the Internet Service Provider communicably coupled to the data processing system;

wherein the router is operable to observe a request for a first content from a subscriber;

wherein the redirecting device is operable to;

determine whether the subscriber can receive a watermark based on a policy associated with an Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, the policy retrieved from a database based on the Internet Protocol address;

when it is determined the subscriber can receive the watermark based on the policy and the Internet Protocol address associated with the subscriber, generate a second content comprising the watermark in a second frame;

cause the subscriber to fetch the first content comprising an originally requested webpage in a first frame when a webpage redirect can be issued to the subscriber'"'"'s web browser; and

cause the subscriber to fetch the second content comprising the watermark in the second frame that overlays the first content in the first frame from the data processing system via the router.

18. A system, comprising:

a data processing system utilized by a subscriber of Internet service, the data processing system comprises a Web browser that initiates a request for a Webpage; and

a proxy server communicably coupled to the data processing system, the proxy server comprising a composite Webpage comprising a watermark and the Webpage, wherein the proxy server is operable to;

determine when the subscriber can receive the watermark based on a policy associated with an Internet protocol address associated with the subscriber, the policy retrieved from a database based on the Internet protocol address;

when the subscriber can receive the watermark based on the policy and the Internet protocol address associated with the subscriber, retrieve a first content, the first content comprising an originally requested webpage in a first frame when it is determined a webpage redirect can be issued to the subscriber'"'"'s web browser; and

add the watermark that overlays the first content to form a second content the second content comprising the watermark in the second frame that overlays the first content in the first frame.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the proxy server is operable to retrieve the first content from a destination server.