UDP URL Categorization for Low-Resource Internet Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for monitoring and controlling Internet access are resource-intensive, requiring large processing power, memory, and storage, making them unsuitable for devices with limited resources and user-friendly solutions, especially in environments like small offices, homes, and public Internet appliances.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets with sequence numbers and timestamps to categorize Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) efficiently, reducing resource requirements by offloading processing to a categorization server and utilizing a category cache to minimize network traffic and overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If linguistic analysis or deny list filtering is used to monitor or control Internet access, then access control effectiveness is improved, but resource consumption (processor, memory, storage) increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex linguistic analysis and URL categorization functions from the local gateway device and relocates them to a remote server. The gateway device only needs to send URL requests and receive category responses, dramatically reducing local resource consumption while maintaining filtering effectiveness through the remote server's processing power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote categorization server as an intermediary between the gateway device and the Internet. This mediator handles the computationally intensive tasks of URL analysis and categorization, allowing the gateway device to maintain effective access control with minimal local resources by communicating through standardized protocols.
2Reliability
If comprehensive URL filtering is implemented, then access control reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access control system into distinct functional components: the gateway device handles connection management and basic filtering, while the remote server handles complex URL categorization and linguistic analysis. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing the complexity burden on any single device while maintaining comprehensive filtering capability.
3Speed
If real-time URL analysis is performed locally, then response time is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a caching mechanism that stores previously analyzed URL categories locally. When the same or similar URLs are encountered, the gateway device can retrieve cached results immediately without performing new analysis, providing fast response times for repeated requests while conserving processing resources by avoiding redundant computations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system method and apparatus are provided for use in monitoring or controlling internet access at a client device 12. A request message 500 is generated to request categorization of a specified URL, and a reply message 600 is returned denoting a category of the specified URL amongst a predetermined set of categories. The request message 500 comprises a UDP package including a sequence number, a time stamp, and a data section carrying the specified URL. The reply message 600 comprises a UDP packet and includes the sequence number and the time stamp from the request message 500, and a data section identifying the category. The request message 500 and the reply message 600 are economical and provide efficient communication across a local area network or the Internet 20.