URL Categorization Cache for Internet Access Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
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, such as client gateways and Internet appliances, and are not user-friendly for non-technical users.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that categorize Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) using a client device with a category cache and a categorization server, employing a UDP protocol for efficient communication and minimizing resource usage, allowing for simple, fast, and reliable Internet access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If linguistic analysis or deny lists are used to monitor Internet access, then monitoring capability is improved, but resource requirements (processor power, memory, storage) increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a URL categorization server as an intermediary service that classifies URLs into categories before the actual content is accessed. This mediator approach shifts the resource-intensive categorization task to a dedicated server, allowing client devices with limited resources to simply query categories without performing complex linguistic analysis or maintaining large deny lists locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary categorization of URLs before they are accessed by client devices. By pre-classifying URLs into categories at the server level, the system avoids the need for resource-intensive real-time analysis at client devices, enabling monitoring capability while reducing local resource requirements.
2Reliability
If deny lists with extensive URL blocking are implemented, then monitoring capability is improved, but storage space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The URL categorization server acts as an intermediary that maintains comprehensive categorization databases remotely. Client devices only need to store and query category information rather than maintaining extensive deny lists, significantly reducing local storage requirements while preserving monitoring capability through the server's categorization service.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing complete URL blocking lists locally, client devices use lightweight category codes that reference categorization information held by the server. This copying approach allows extensive monitoring capability without requiring large local storage spaces, as the full categorization data is accessed remotely from the server.
3Reliability
If on-the-fly linguistic analysis is performed, then monitoring capability is improved, but response time increases due to intensive processor usage
Solution Approach 1:
The categorization server serves as an intermediary that performs linguistic analysis and URL classification in advance. Client devices simply send URL queries and receive pre-determined categories, eliminating the need for resource-intensive real-time analysis at the client level and significantly improving response times while maintaining monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs linguistic analysis and URL categorization as a preliminary action at the server level before the actual content access occurs. This pre-processing approach ensures that when client devices request content, the categorization is already determined, minimizing response time while preserving comprehensive monitoring capability.
4Reliability
If comprehensive URL filtering is implemented, then monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The URL categorization server functions as an intermediary that handles complex categorization logic remotely. Client devices only need to implement simple URL query and category retrieval functionality, dramatically reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability through the server's sophisticated categorization service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex URL categorization and filtering logic from client devices and places it in a dedicated server system. This extraction allows client devices to maintain simplicity while the server provides comprehensive monitoring capability through its specialized categorization algorithms and databases.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus method and system are described for categorizing Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) when accessing the Internet from a client. A request message is generated to request categorization of a specified URL, and a category is provided in a reply message. The specified URL and the category are added to a category cache. In a second or subsequent instance of a URL request referring to the specified URL, the category is determined from the category cache. This reduces communication traffic in a network such as the Internet.