Distributed Content Filtering in Wireless Mesh Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless mesh networks face inefficiencies due to imbalanced resource allocation, where mesh portals spend less resources on communication and more on security, leading to performance bottlenecks and increased vulnerability to hacking. Additionally, content filtering functions are not distributed across different devices, resulting in redundant requests for prohibited content that consume bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
The method involves distributing content ratings and security workloads across different wireless mesh nodes, allowing them to block redundant requests for undesired content without increasing messaging traffic. Each node stores information in a local cache memory, enabling them to identify and block bad content requests without needing to forward them to other nodes or security servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mesh portals perform security filtering functions, then network security is improved, but communication performance deteriorates due to resource allocation imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security filtering function from the mesh portals and distributes it across multiple content filtering devices in the network. Each content filtering device maintains a local cache of content ratings, allowing distributed security evaluation without concentrating the workload at portal nodes. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling security functions to be performed locally at various network points rather than funneling all traffic through overloaded portals.
2Reliability
If content filtering is centralized at mesh portals, then security control is improved, but network efficiency deteriorates due to redundant requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having content filtering devices pre-evaluate content and store ratings in local caches before actual content requests occur. When content is requested, the evaluation has already been performed and cached, eliminating redundant requests. This preliminary action distributes the evaluation workload across multiple devices rather than concentrating it at portals, improving both security control and network efficiency.
3Reliability
If mesh portals dedicate more resources to security functions, then content filtering capability is improved, but communication throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the content filtering capability from mesh portals and places it in dedicated content filtering devices distributed throughout the network. These extracted filtering functions operate independently with local caches, allowing portals to maintain their primary communication function while content filtering occurs at distributed points. This extraction resolves the resource allocation conflict by separating the two functions into different network components.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to distributing processing capabilities throughout different nodes in a wireless mesh network. Methods and apparatus consistent with the present disclosure increase the efficiency of communications in a wireless mesh network because they help minimize the need to forward communications to other nodes in the wireless mesh network such that an evaluation can be performed. Apparatus and methods consistent with the present disclosure may distribute ratings or verdicts associated with previous requests to access data to different nodes in a wireless mesh network without generating additional wireless communications through the wireless mesh network. Apparatus and methods consistent with the present disclosure distribute content ratings to different nodes in a wireless network such that different wireless nodes may block redundant requests to undesired content without increasing messaging traffic.