Network-based content filtering utilizing user-specified parameters

• US 9,385,946 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Christopher, Barnes, Bruce, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert, Kenny, Patrick, Khoshaba, Shadi, Mallian, Dolores J., Marathe, Nikhil Shreerang
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagannathan, Melanie
• Application Number:
  US13/559,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20140029615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data

Abstract

Network-based content filtering utilizing user-specified parameters is disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to perform network-based content filtering include receiving, at an incoming edge router of a provider network, incoming data to be routed in the provider network to a destination device, and before routing the incoming data in the provider network, determining whether to restrict the routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device based on a parameter associated with the destination device, the parameter being related to a content classification of the incoming data.

Claims

1. A method to perform network-based content filtering, the method comprising:

receiving, at an incoming edge router of a provider network, incoming data to be routed in the provider network to a destination device;

selecting, at the incoming edge router and based on device identification information included in the incoming data, a first profile associated with the destination device from a plurality of profiles including different content restriction preferences specified for respective different devices, the first profile including a first content restriction preference to be used to determine whether to restrict routing of the incoming data to the destination device;

before routing the incoming data in the provider network, determining whether to activate the first content restriction preference based on a first triggering condition different from the first content restriction preference and corresponding to a characteristic of a first service plan associated with the destination device; and

in response to determining the first triggering condition is satisfied, activating the first content restriction preference to restrict the routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device, the first content restriction preference being related to a content classification of the incoming data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content restriction preference identifies a content category to be restricted from being routed to the destination device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the content category includes at least one of a content type, a data type, a source type, a data size range, a bandwidth range and a quality of service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition is specified in the first profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition includes at least one of an amount of time remaining in a billing cycle of the first service plan, and a time of day associated with increased access charges according to the first service plan.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming data is received in response to a request from the destination device, the incoming data includes first data provided by a first source to which the request was directed and second data provided by a second source to which the request was not directed, and further including:

preventing the second data from being routed to the destination device based on the first content restriction preference; and

routing the first data to the destination device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content restriction preference specifies a first bandwidth range that, when consumed by the incoming data, is to cause the incoming edge router to restrict routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device.

8. A tangible machine readable medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause an edge router of a provider network to perform operations comprising:

selecting, based on device identification information included in incoming data received at the edge router, a first profile, which is associated with a destination device to which the incoming data is to be routed, the first profile selected from a plurality of profiles including different content restriction preferences specified for respective different devices, the first profile including a first content restriction preference to be used to determine whether to restrict routing of the incoming data to the destination device;

before the incoming data undergoes routing in the provider network, determining whether to activate the first content restriction preference based on a first triggering condition different from the first content restriction preference and corresponding to a characteristic of a first service plan associated with the destination device; and

in response to determining the first triggering condition is satisfied, activating the first content restriction preference to restrict the routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device, the first content restriction preference being related to a content classification of the incoming data.

9. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first content restriction preference identifies a content category to be restricted from being routed to the destination device.

10. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the content category includes at least one of a content type, a data type, a source type, a data size range, a bandwidth range and a quality of service.

11. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first triggering condition is specified in the first profile.

12. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first triggering condition includes at least one of an amount of time remaining in a billing cycle of the first service plan, and a time of day associated with increased access charges according to the first service plan.

13. the tangible machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first content restriction preference specifies a first bandwidth range that, when consumed by the incoming data, is to cause the edge router to restrict routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device.

14. An apparatus to perform network-based content filtering, the apparatus comprising:

memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor responsive to the machine readable instructions to perform operations including;

retrieving, based on device identification information included in incoming data, a first profile, which is associated with a destination device to which the incoming data is to be routed, the first profile being one of a plurality of profiles including different content restriction preferences specified for respective different devices, the first profile including a first content restriction preference to be used to determine whether to restrict routing of the incoming data to the destination device, the first content restriction preference being related to a content classification of the incoming data;

prior to the incoming data being routed to the destination device, determining whether to activate the first content restriction preference based on a first triggering condition different from the first content restriction preference and corresponding to a characteristic of a first service plan associated with the destination device; and

in response to determining the first triggering condition is satisfied, activating the first content restriction preference to filter the incoming data.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first content restriction preference identifies a content category to be restricted from being routed to the destination device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the content category includes at least one of a content type, a data type, a source type, a data size range, a bandwidth range and a quality of service.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first profile includes a second content restriction preference identifying a second content category to be restricted from being routed to the destination device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first profile specifies the first triggering condition.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first triggering condition includes at least one of an amount of time remaining in a billing cycle of the first service plan, and a time of day associated with increased access charges according to the first service plan.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first content restriction preference specifies a first bandwidth range that, when consumed by the incoming data, is to cause the routing of the incoming data in the provider network to the destination device to be restricted.