Search Query Obfuscation Proxy for Privacy Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Search engines can misuse users' private information by tracking search queries and creating 'topics' that may lead to targeted advertising or data sales, raising concerns about privacy and data protection.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that intercepts sensitive search queries before transmission, transforms them into related benign queries, submits these queries over public networks, aggregates search results, and performs the original search privately using a local search engine, obscuring the original query intent through techniques like splitting, augmenting, limiting, broadening, substituting, permuting, and filtering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If search queries are transmitted over public networks to search engines, then search functionality is accessible, but search privacy is compromised and user intent can be tracked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server positioned between the user's device and the search engine. This intermediary receives search queries, transforms them into obfuscated versions, submits these to the search engine, collects results, and then performs local processing to deliver final results to the user. The proxy server acts as a mediator that prevents direct transmission of sensitive query data while maintaining search functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The search process is divided into multiple segments: query submission to proxy, query transformation, submission to search engine, result collection, and local processing. By segmenting the search flow, the system can obfuscate queries at the proxy level while maintaining the overall search functionality through coordinated processing across multiple components.
2Loss of information
If search queries are obfuscated and transformed into related queries, then search privacy is protected, but search result accuracy may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where search results from the obfuscated queries are collected and fed back to the proxy server. The proxy then uses this feedback to perform local processing, re-ranking, and filtering to produce final results. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain result accuracy despite query obfuscation by continuously refining results based on actual user interactions and search patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms search queries by changing various parameters such as query wording, search context, and query structure. The proxy server modifies query parameters to create obfuscated versions that convey similar search intent but appear different to the search engine, thereby protecting privacy while maintaining search effectiveness through parameter transformation.
3Loss of information
If a proxy server is introduced to intercept and transform queries, then search privacy is protected, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy server is designed with multi-functionality, handling query interception, transformation, submission, result collection, and local processing all within a single component. By making the proxy universal and combining multiple functions into one system, the patent reduces the need for separate complex components while maintaining privacy protection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and apparatus for concealing searches for information stored on public networks, includes splitting of a search query, transforming the query into one or more related queries, and searching each of related queries separately.