Network appliance for monitoring network requests for multimedia content

• US 8,832,264 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justin Pauley
• Original Assignee: Justin Pauley
• Inventors: Pauley, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres-Diaz, Lizbeth
• Application Number:
  US13/409,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-226, 717/127
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A network appliance that monitors multimedia content requested by at least one networked computer coupled to a local area network and the Internet. The appliance includes a database, at least one interface processing packetized data encapsulating TCP/IP packet data generated by the network computer(s) and communicated over the local area network, routing logic for the TCP/IP packet data, and processing means processing the TCP/IP packet data to identify whether it specifies a URL representing at least one particular type of multimedia content, and if so, adds the specified URL and an associated date and time to the database. It can include a first mechanism monitoring physical connections/disconnections to the local area network over time, and a second mechanism monitoring Internet connectivity over time. It can also provide access to information stored in the database and/or provide upload of stored information to a remote system for remote access to such information.

Claims

1. A network appliance for monitoring content requested by at least one networked device operably coupled to a local area network and the Internet, the network appliance comprising:

a local database stored on the network appliance;

at least one interface for receiving and processing packetized data, the packetized data including packetized data that encapsulates TCP/IP packet data generated by the at least one network device and communicated over the local area network;

processing means that processes the TCP/IP packet data to identify whether it specifies a URL representing at least one particular file type of multimedia content, and if so, adds the specified URL and an associated date and time to the local database;

routing logic that forwards the TCP/IP packet data as part of packetized data for downstream data communication to the Internet irrespective of the processing of the TCP/IP packet data that identifies whether the TCP/IP packet data specifies a URL representing at least one particular file type of multimedia content; and

web server logic that is configured to provide controlled access to information stored in the local database;

wherein the processing means includes a first processing means and a second processing means, wherein the first processing means processes the TCP/IP packet data to identify whether it matches at least one predetermined profile and, if so, adds a particular object corresponding to the TCP/IP packet data to a queue of objects, and wherein the second processing means processes the queue of objects to automatically determine whether the URL represented by a given object represents at least one particular file type of multimedia content, and if so, adds data associated with the given object to the local database; and

wherein the local database stores thumbnail images for multimedia content corresponding to URLs specified by TCP/IP data communicated over the local area network, and the web server logic is configured to provide access to such thumbnail images stored in the local database in order to allow at least one authorized user to review the multimedia content corresponding to URLs specified by TCP/IP data communicated over the local area network.

2. The network appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for uploading information stored in the local database to a remote computer system.

3. The network appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first mechanism that monitors physical connections and disconnections of the network appliance to the local area network over time to identify interruptions in local area network connectivity, and that stores in said local database data representing identified interruptions in local area network connectivity of the network appliance; and

a second mechanism that monitors connectivity of the network appliance to the Internet over time to identify interruptions in Internet connectivity of the network appliance, and that stores in said local database data representing identified interruptions in Internet connectivity of the network appliance.

4. The network appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the routing logic employs network address translation on the TCP/IP packet data before encapsulating the TCP/IP packet data for downstream communication.

5. The network appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first interface that provides for data communication between the network appliance and a single networked device; and

a second interface that provides for data communication between the network appliance and a gateway router.

6. The network appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first interface that provides for data communication between the network appliance and a gateway router; and

a second interface that provides for data communication between the network appliance and an Internet access unit.

7. The network appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the network appliance is a gateway router that provides for monitoring content requested by a plurality of networked computers operably coupled to the gateway router in addition to other router functions.

8. The network appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined profile corresponds to common methods for accessing multimedia content on the Web.

9. The network appliance according to claim 8, wherein:

the common methods specify a URL and involve predetermined transport protocols and predetermined network ports.

10. The network appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one particular file type of multimedia content includes at least one of common image file types, common video file types, and common streaming media file types.

11. The network appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the local database stores a copy of the multimedia content referenced in the local database.

12. A system which monitors content requested by at least one networked device operably coupled to a local area network and the Internet, the system comprising:

a network appliance and remote server operably coupled to one another over the Internet;

wherein the network appliance includes

a local database stored on the network appliance;

at least one interface for receiving and processing packetized data, the packetized data including packetized data that encapsulates TCP/IP packet data generated by the at least one network device and communicated over the local area network;

processing means that processes the TCP/IP packet data to identify whether it specifies a URL representing at least one particular file type of multimedia content, and if so, adds the specified URL and an associated date and time to the local database, wherein the processing means includes a first processing means and a second processing means, wherein the first processing means processes the TCP/IP packet data to identify whether it matches at least one predetermined profile and, if so, adds a particular object corresponding to the TCP/IP packet data to a queue of objects, and wherein the second processing means processes the queue of objects to automatically determine whether the URL represented by a given object represents at least one particular file type of multimedia content, and if so, adds data associated with the given object to the local database;

routing logic that forwards the TCP/IP packet data as part of packetized data for downstream data communication to the Internet irrespective of the processing of the TCP/IP packet data that identifies whether the TCP/IP packet data specifies a URL representing at least one particular file type of multimedia content; and

upload logic that cooperates with the remote server to upload data stored in the local database to the remote server; and

wherein the remote server is configured to store thumbnail images for multimedia content corresponding to URLs specified by TCP/IP data communicated over the local area network of the network appliance, and the remote server is configured to provide access to such thumbnail images stored by the remote server in order to allow at least one authorized user to review the multimedia content corresponding to URLs specified by TCP/IP data communicated over the local area network of the network appliance.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the network appliance further comprises a first mechanism and a second mechanism;

wherein the first mechanism is configured to monitor physical connections and disconnections of the network appliance to the local area network over time to identify interruptions in local area network connectivity, and to store in said local database data representing identified interruptions in local area network connectivity of the network appliance; and

wherein the second mechanism is configured to monitor connectivity of the network appliance to the Internet over time to identify interruptions in Internet connectivity of the network appliance, and to store in said local database data representing identified interruptions in Internet connectivity of the network appliance.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the routing logic of the network appliance employs network address translation on the TCP/IP packet data before encapsulating the TCP/IP packet data for downstream communication.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the network appliance further includes a first interface and a second interface;

wherein the first interface provides for data communication between the network appliance and a single networked device; and

wherein the second interface provides for data communication between the network appliance and a gateway router.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the network appliance further includes a first interface and a second interface;

wherein the first interface provides for data communication between the network appliance and a gateway router; and

wherein the second interface provides for data communication between the network appliance and an Internet access unit.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the network appliance is a gateway router that provides for monitoring content requested by a plurality of networked computers operably coupled to the gateway router in addition to other router functions.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the predetermined profile corresponds to common methods for accessing multimedia content on the Web.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the common methods specify a URL and involve predetermined transport protocols and predetermined network ports.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the at least one particular file type of multimedia content includes at least one of common image file types, common video file types, and common streaming media file types.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

said upload logic operates automatically at predetermined time intervals to upload data stored in the local database to the remote server.