Per-Request DNS Control via Router Configuration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing DNS systems struggle to effectively control and mitigate exposure to unwanted content such as pop-ups, ads, malware, and inappropriate material on a per-request basis, particularly due to the dynamic nature of the Internet and reliance on network-wide settings.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a DNS system that allows users to configure DNS client software or broadband routers to provide control information to DNS servers, enabling per-request DNS resolution options like misspelling redirection, parental filters, and phishing protection, allowing for dynamic control of DNS queries based on user-specific settings and preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network-wide DNS settings are used to control content filtering, then system complexity is reduced, but user-specific control and adaptability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments DNS control from network-wide settings to individual user level. Each user can have their own DNS resolver instance with personalized filtering preferences, allowing different users on the same network to have different content filtering configurations. This segmentation enables user-specific adaptability while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by allowing each user's DNS resolver to have customized filtering rules and preferences specific to their needs. Instead of applying uniform network-wide settings, each local DNS instance can independently apply different filtering criteria, parental controls, and content blocking rules tailored to individual user requirements.
2Reliability
If per-request DNS control is implemented, then user safety and content control are improved, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring user profiles with filtering preferences, parental controls, and content blocking rules before DNS queries are processed. The DNS resolver loads these configurations in advance, so when per-request control is needed, the system can quickly apply pre-established rules rather than making complex decisions in real-time, reducing processing overhead while maintaining user safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the user and the content filtering system. The local DNS resolver acts as a mediator that receives user preferences, translates them into filtering rules, and applies them to DNS queries. This intermediary simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the control logic in the DNS resolver itself, reducing the complexity burden on other system components.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If DNS filtering is applied to block unwanted content, then exposure to harmful material is reduced, but access to legitimate content may be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making DNS filtering configurable and adaptable rather than static and rigid. Users can dynamically adjust their filtering preferences, add or remove blocked domains, and modify parental control settings based on changing needs. The system responds dynamically to user input, allowing legitimate content to be accessed when users update their preferences, while continuing to block harmful material according to their current configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, a user or subscriber of a domain name system (DNS) service that provides various DNS resolution options or features, such as misspelling redirection, parental filters, domain blocking, or phishing protection through the DNS process, can influence how requests for domain name (DNS) information are handled on a per-request basis. The user or subscriber may configure the DNS client software of their personal computer or configure their broadband router to provide control information to a DNS server with DNS resolution options that enables the DNS server to resolve DNS queries with the DNS resolution options on a per-request basis. As a result, the user can mitigate exposure to pop-ups, pop-unders, banner ads, fraudulent offers, malware, viruses, or the like, from websites using the domain name system.