NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20170374128A1
• Filed: 09/06/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatiq Technologies Ltd. (Smartpipe Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: 5th Tier Limited
• Inventors: BALDACHIN, Jon, AWAIDA, Raif
• Granted Patent: US 10,542,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A method of processing browser sessions in a telecommunications network is provided. The method includes receiving, from a subscriber client device in a plurality of subscriber devices each having an associated subscriber and a browser session request. The method includes, at the entity in the service provider network: transmitting the browser session request to a server entity located inside or outside the service provider network, receiving, from the server entity, a browser session response in relation to the transmitted browser session request, transmitting the browser session response to the subscriber client device, performing a lookup in the subscriber profile database for the subscriber client device in the plurality or the associated subscriber, and modifying, prior to the respective transmittal, at least one of the browser session request and the browser session response according to the results of the lookup. An apparatus and computer software are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of processing browser sessions in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a subscriber client device in a plurality of subscriber devices each having an associated subscriber, a browser session request, the telecommunications network comprising a service provider network operated by a service provider responsible for providing telecommunications services to the plurality of subscriber client devices, the service provider network comprising a subscriber profile database containing subscriber profile data specific to each subscriber client device or associated subscriber, wherein the browser session request is received at an entity in the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmitting the browser session request to a server entity located inside or outside the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, receiving, from the server entity, a browser session response in relation to the transmitted browser session request;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmitting the browser session response to the subscriber client device;

at the entity in the service provider network, performing a lookup in the subscriber profile database for the subscriber client device in the plurality or the associated subscriber; and

at the entity in the service provider network, modifying, prior to the respective transmittal, at least one of the browser session request and the browser session response according to the results of the lookup.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lookup is performed in response to receipt of the browser session request.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the browser session request comprises a request for a web page.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the server entity comprises a publisher server entity, whereby the subscriber client device receives modified web page content.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the browser session request comprises a request for one or more web page elements.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the browser session request comprises advertisement content.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the server entity comprises an advertisement server entity, whereby the subscriber client device receives modified advertisement content.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the advertisement server entity comprises a broker entity responsible for providing advertisement brokering services to a plurality of advertisement server entities.

9. The method according claim 1, wherein the modification comprises one or more of:

deleting a part of the browser session request;

deleting a part of the browser session response;

altering a part of the browser session request;

altering a part of the browser session response;

adding to the browser session request;

adding to the browser session response; and

modifying the browser request to include one or more of;

data representative of the identity of the service provider, and

data representative of the geographical location of the subscriber client device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modification comprises altering a uniform resource locator (URL) in the browser session request or the browser session response.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the lookup comprises retrieving, from the subscriber database, one or more subscriber profile attributes associated with the subscriber client device or the associated subscriber.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein one or more of the subscriber profile attributes identify a given hobby, topic or interest associated with the subscriber or browsing behaviour characteristic associated with the subscriber.

13. The method according to any of claim 11, wherein the modification comprises modifying the transmitted browser session request to include an indication of at least one of the one or more subscriber profile attributes associated with the subscriber client device or the associated subscriber.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the lookup comprises retrieving, from the subscriber database, one or more subscriber browsing rules associated with the subscriber client device or the associated subscriber, whereby the subscriber client device receives modified browsing content.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the subscriber browsing rules comprise one or more of:

a list of content to which access should be denied;

a special access requirement; and

a natural language preference.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modification comprises denying access to at least a part of the content contained within or obtainable via the received browser session response.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modification is further performed according to one or more browser session processing modification rules.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the browser session processing modification rules are defined by the service provider.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the rules database is remotely configurable, the method further comprising:

prior to the modification, querying a rules database whereby to obtain at least one of the one or more browser session processing modification rules, or

in response to receipt of a rules database configuration message, remotely configuring the rules database.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the rules database configuration message is received from a rules database administration entity located within or outside the service provider network.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service provider network comprises one or more of:

a carrier network;

a mobile network;

a cellular network; and

an internet service provider network, wherein;

the service provider network comprises a routing fabric,

the intermediate entity is located in the routing fabric of the service provider network, and

the intermediate entity is not comprised by;

the subscriber client device,

the server entity,

a border entity responsible for managing access to a given network part,

a gateway entity responsible for translating between network protocols used in different network parts,

a caching entity responsible for caching and serving data commonly requested between network parts, or

an encoding entity responsible for modifying browser session traffic for efficient routing.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received browser session request and the received browser session response comprise sufficient information for routing between the subscriber client device and the server entity prior to the modification.

23. An apparatus for use in processing browser sessions in a telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

receive, from a subscriber client device in a plurality of subscriber client devices each having an associated subscriber, a browser session request, the telecommunications network comprising a service provider network operated by a service provider responsible for providing telecommunications services to the plurality of subscriber client devices, the service provider network comprising a subscriber profile database containing subscriber profile data specific to each subscriber client device or associated subscriber, wherein the browser session request is received, at an entity in the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmit the browser session request to a server entity located inside or outside the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, receive, from the server entity, a browser session response in relation to the transmitted browser session request;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmit the browser session response to the subscriber client device;

at the entity in the service provider network, perform a lookup performed in the subscriber profile database for the subscriber client device in the plurality or the associated subscriber; and

at the entity in the service provider network, modify, prior to the respective transmittal, at least one of the browser session request and the browser session response according to the results of the lookup.

24. Computer software adapted to process browser sessions in a telecommunications network by:

receiving, from a subscriber client device in a plurality of subscriber client devices each having an associated subscriber, a browser session request, the telecommunications network comprising a service provider network operated by a service provider responsible for providing telecommunications services to the plurality of subscriber client devices, the service provider network comprising a subscriber profile database containing subscriber profile data specific to each subscriber client device or associated subscriber, wherein the browser session request is received at an entity in the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmitting the browser session request to a server entity located inside or outside the service provider network;

at the entity in the service provider network, receiving, from the server entity, a browser session response in relation to the transmitted browser session request;

at the entity in the service provider network, transmitting the browser session response to the subscriber client device;

at the entity in the service provider network, performing a lookup performed in the subscriber profile database for the subscriber client device in the plurality or the associated subscriber; and

at the entity in the service provider network, modifying, prior to the respective transmittal, at least one of the browser session request and the browser session response according to the results of the lookup.