Browser Invalid URL Processing and Sponsored Redirect Blocking

The patent introduces an intermediary filtering mechanism that sits between the browser's URL correction system and the final redirect to search results. This intermediary component analyzes the redirect requests and selectively blocks those that would redirect to sponsored landing pages, while allowing legitimate search corrections to proceed. The intermediary acts as a gatekeeper that preserves user convenience while preventing harmful redirects.

The patent converts the potentially harmful automatic URL correction feature into a beneficial system by adding intelligent filtering. The same mechanism that automatically corrects URLs and redirects to search results is enhanced with sponsorship detection capabilities. This allows the system to maintain ease of operation for legitimate uses while transforming the harmful redirects to sponsored pages into blocked requests, effectively converting a harmful feature into a beneficial one.

The patent implements a feedback mechanism that monitors and analyzes the relationship between original user inputs and corrected search requests. By examining the context of invalid URLs and the resulting search queries, the system provides feedback to determine whether the correction preserves user intent. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain search accuracy through automatic corrections while detecting when the original user intent should be preserved despite the invalid URL format.

The patent applies local quality by treating different types of URL corrections differently based on their specific characteristics. Rather than applying uniform correction rules, the system analyzes the local context of each invalid URL to determine the appropriate response. This allows the system to maintain high search accuracy for clear correction cases while preserving user intent in ambiguous situations where the original input, though invalid, clearly indicates the user's search purpose.

The patent segments the address bar functionality into distinct operational modes: legitimate URL corrections, sponsored redirects, and direct user searches. By segmenting these different functions, the system can apply selective blocking only to sponsored redirects while allowing legitimate URL corrections and direct searches to proceed normally. This segmentation approach maintains user privacy by blocking harmful redirects while preserving the essential functionality of the address bar for its intended purposes.

The patent applies partial action by blocking only the specific subset of browser-modified requests that redirect to sponsored pages, rather than blocking all automatic URL corrections. This selective blocking approach maintains user privacy for harmful redirects while preserving the beneficial functionality of legitimate URL corrections. The system takes partial action against the harmful element without excessively interfering with the overall address bar functionality.