Hierarchical Internet Access Filtering for Scalable Platform Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internet filtering methods struggle to scale effectively, as they require comprehensive lists of domains and IP addresses for platforms like YouTube, and cannot adapt to new platforms or handle non-website access scenarios such as online gaming, leading to inefficiencies and inability to block or allow access as needed.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that aggregates filter rulesets hierarchically, combining multiple rulesets to create an active aggregated filter ruleset, allowing or blocking access based on priority-ordered lists of allowed and blocked platforms and categories, using a combination operator to resolve conflicts and adapt to new platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If comprehensive lists of domains and IP addresses are maintained for filtering, then filtering accuracy is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtering system into multiple hierarchical rulesets (e.g., category-level rulesets and platform-level rulesets) rather than maintaining one comprehensive list. Each ruleset operates at a different level of abstraction, allowing the system to manage complexity by dividing the filtering task into manageable segments that can be independently maintained and updated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the filtering system, organizing rulesets in levels (category level, platform level, etc.). This dimensional organization allows the system to handle filtering complexity by distributing rules across multiple hierarchical layers, reducing the burden on any single ruleset while maintaining comprehensive filtering coverage.
2Reliability
If explicit block lists are used to prevent access to harmful sites, then filtering reliability is improved, but adaptability to new platforms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements category-level rulesets that establish filtering criteria in advance for entire categories of platforms (e.g., social media, gaming, educational resources). This preliminary action allows the system to automatically adapt to new platforms by matching them against predefined category characteristics, eliminating the need to manually update block lists for every new platform that emerges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal category-level rulesets that can apply to multiple platforms across different domains. These rulesets define filtering criteria based on platform categories rather than individual platform identities, making the filtering system universally applicable to both existing and future platforms within those categories.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple filter rulesets are aggregated hierarchically with priority ordering, then adaptability to different scenarios is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic priority ordering among rulesets, where the effective priority can change based on contextual factors such as time of day, user profile, or specific filtering scenario. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different situations without requiring complete reconfiguration of the ruleset hierarchy, managing processing complexity through context-aware dynamic adjustment rather than static rigid ordering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different aggregation strategies and priority levels to different parts of the ruleset hierarchy based on local requirements. Category-level rulesets may use different aggregation methods than platform-level rulesets, allowing each level to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall system coherence.
4Ease of operation
If simple allow or block lists are used, then ease of operation is improved, but filtering effectiveness deteriorates for complex scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtering configuration into hierarchical levels (category-level and platform-level rulesets), where each segment handles a specific aspect of filtering. This segmentation allows users to configure filtering at appropriate levels of detail without being overwhelmed by comprehensive platform lists, maintaining ease of operation while improving filtering effectiveness through targeted rules at each level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds hierarchical dimensionality to the configuration interface, organizing filtering options by category and platform levels rather than presenting a flat list of all platforms. This dimensional organization makes the configuration process more manageable and intuitive, improving ease of operation while maintaining filtering effectiveness through the structured hierarchical approach.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of filtering comprise aggregating a plurality of filter rulesets to produce an active aggregated filter ruleset (FA) having FA lists of allowed and blocked platforms, and processing a platform access request through the FA. The processing includes blocking the request if the requested platform is in the FA list of blocked platforms and allowing the request if the requested platform is in the FA list of allowed platforms. Methods of aggregating filter rulesets include combining a lowest priority filter ruleset (F1) with a second lowest priority filter ruleset (F2), which includes removing any platforms of an F1 list of blocked platforms from an F1 list of allowed platforms, adding an F2 list of allowed platforms to the F1 list of allowed platforms, removing any platforms of the F2 list of allowed platforms from the F1 list of blocked platforms, and adding the F1 and F2 lists of blocked platforms.