Auxiliary Web Server for IoT Privacy Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Complex web sites with varying national and trans-national regulations face challenges in handling personal and privacy-related information, especially for 'Internet of Things' devices with limited browser capabilities, as existing systems require explicit user requests and are not scalable for distributed server systems.

Innovation Solution

A platform comprising an auxiliary web server and a back-end server that processes web client queries, stores data, and adheres to privacy settings and legal requirements, allowing conditional forwarding of information and automatic retrieval of configuration files to manage data processing and storage efficiently, even for devices with basic browser software.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an advisory server is used to provide additional data on visited pages, then additional information can be provided to users, but the system requires explicit user requests using WATP protocol which severely limits usability for commodity devices with off-the-shelf browser software

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusability for commodity devicesVSAvoidbrowser support requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary between the web browser and the advisory server. The proxy server automatically intercepts web requests, extracts URLs, and forwards them to the advisory server without requiring any special browser software or explicit user requests. This mediator handles the complexity of protocol interactions, enabling commodity devices with standard browsers to benefit from advisory server functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically processing web requests through the proxy server that autonomously extracts URLs from web pages and forwards them to the advisory server. This automatic operation eliminates the need for user intervention or special browser configurations, allowing the system to serve commodity devices seamlessly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If distributed servers and database systems are used for large-scale web sites, then redundancy and geographic distribution are achieved, but system complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveredundancyVSAvoidsystem design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the system into distinct functional components: web servers handling content delivery, a separate proxy server handling request interception and URL extraction, and advisory servers providing additional information. This segmentation allows each component to be independently deployed and scaled, simplifying the management of distributed systems while maintaining redundancy and geographic distribution capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If web sites store and process personal browsing information, then user-specific services can be provided, but compliance with multiple national and trans-national privacy regulations becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonalized service capabilityVSAvoidregulation compliance complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The proxy server acts as an intermediary that automatically extracts URLs and forwards them to advisory servers, enabling personalized services through collected browsing data. The system processes and stores this information in a structured manner that facilitates compliance with privacy regulations by maintaining clear data flow and processing records across the distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2997500B1System and method for processing web-browsing information
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 INSITE INNOVATIONS & PROPERTIES
  • EP2997500B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2997500B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2997500B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention provides an information processing platform (100, 200) comprising: -an auxiliary web server (11, 110); -a back-end server (12, 120); wherein the auxiliary web server is configured to: -receive information relating to a web client (10, 150) query; and -forward the information to the back-end server, and wherein the back-end server is configured to: -process the information according to instructions codified in a configuration file (14, 40); and -store the processed information in the data storage.