Tracking Domain Blocking Rule Engine for Secondary Attempt Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blocking policies do not accurately count the number of secondary tracking domains avoided when a primary tracking domain is blocked, as they do not account for additional tracking domains that would have been loaded through the blocked domain, leading to incomplete metrics on the effectiveness of tracking domain blocking.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that use attribute patterns, such as loading, resource, parameter, and header patterns, to create rules that dynamically determine and display the number of secondary tracking domains that would have been loaded if a primary tracking domain had not been blocked, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of tracking attempts avoided.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If blocking policies count only directly blocked tracking domains, then the counting mechanism is simple, but the measurement precision of tracking attempts avoided is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates a set of rules through rule generation logic that predicts the number of secondary tracking domains that would be loaded through each primary tracking domain. These rules are created in advance by analyzing the domino effect patterns of tracking domain loading, storing the relationship between primary tracking domains and their potential secondary tracking domains. When a blocking policy is applied, the rule implementation logic simply queries these pre-computed rules to determine the number of tracking attempts avoided, rather than dynamically tracing the entire domino effect chain at blocking time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a set of rules as an intermediary data structure that mediates between the blocking policy and the tracking domain loading system. These rules act as a lookup table or prediction model that translates a blocked primary tracking domain into the expected number of secondary tracking domains avoided. This intermediary layer simplifies the blocking logic while maintaining accurate measurement of tracking attempts prevented, as the complex analysis of tracking domain relationships is encapsulated in the pre-generated rules rather than the blocking execution path.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If blocking policies block all external domains, then tracking protection is maximized, but web page functionality may break
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking policy applies different treatment to different external domains based on their characteristics. Functional external domains that provide necessary web page features are allowed to load, while tracking domains are blocked. The system uses the pre-generated rules to identify and block only the specific tracking domains that would otherwise load through the permitted functional domains, thereby maintaining local quality control where each domain type receives appropriate treatment based on its purpose.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments external domains into different categories: functional domains that are necessary for web page operation and tracking domains that perform monitoring activities. The blocking policy is applied selectively to tracking domains while allowing functional domains to load. The set of rules enables this segmentation by providing specific information about which domains are tracking domains and how many secondary tracking domains they would trigger, allowing the blocking mechanism to operate precisely on the harmful subset without affecting the functional subset.
3Quantity of substance
If more external domains are loaded, then web page content is more complete, but load rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking policy applies preliminary anti-action by preventing tracking domains from loading before they can impact web page performance. The pre-generated rules identify tracking domains that would be loaded through functional external domains, and the blocking mechanism prevents these domains from loading in advance. This stops the domino effect of tracking domain loading before it can contribute to the cumulative load that decreases web page load rate, while still allowing the necessary functional content to load completely.
Data Source
AI summary
Determining a number of secondary tracking attempts avoided by blocking a primary tracking domain from loading in a host web page. In particular, a set of rules that identify numbers of secondary tracking domains that are loaded into web browsers through host web pages by external domain and primary tracking domain combinations may be identified. The set of rules may be created based on loading patterns, resource patterns, parameter patterns, and header patterns exhibited by the external domain and primary tracking domain combinations. The rules may be applied to determine a number of secondary tracking attempts avoided by blocking a primary tracking domain from loading in a host web page.