URL Rating Cache Segmentation for Bandwidth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing URL filtering methods face challenges in efficiently managing network bandwidth, data storage, and processing power due to the high volume of rating requests and the trade-off between accuracy and resource usage in domain-based and directory-based rating systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a caching method that checks for domain and directory cache blocks in a local cache before forwarding URL requests to a rating server, using cache hints to determine whether to cache ratings locally or not, thereby reducing the load on the rating server and optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sizable local cache storing frequently accessed URLs and their ratings is implemented to reduce network rating requests, then the number of rating requests sent through the network is reduced, but the storage capacity requirement of the client becomes unduly high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cache into two distinct blocks: a domain cache block storing domain names and their ratings, and a directory cache block storing directory paths and their ratings. This segmentation allows the system to store only relevant portions of URL information rather than complete URLs, thereby reducing storage requirements while maintaining the ability to service rating requests efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential components (domain names and directory paths) from complete URLs in the local cache, rather than storing entire URLs. This extraction approach reduces the storage capacity requirement while still enabling the cache to provide useful rating information for subsequent URL rating requests
2Power
If domain-based rating is used to reduce processing requirements, then the processing power required is reduced, but the accuracy of rating is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the URL into two segments: the domain portion and the directory portion. The domain cache block stores ratings for domain names, while the directory cache block stores ratings for directory paths. This segmentation enables the system to use domain-based rating for general categorization while supplementing it with directory-based rating for more specific categorization, thereby maintaining accuracy while reducing processing requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a two-stage caching approach where the domain cache block provides a first level of rating (partial action) and the directory cache block provides a second level of rating (excessive action). This allows the system to achieve sufficient accuracy by combining both levels without requiring full processing of every URL, thus balancing processing power requirements with rating accuracy
3Measurement precision
If directory-based rating is used to improve rating accuracy, then the accuracy of rating is improved, but the storage capacity and processing power on the part of the rating server increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the directory portion from complete URLs and stores it in the directory cache block, rather than storing entire URLs. This extraction approach reduces the storage capacity requirement on the rating server while still enabling directory-based rating to improve accuracy over domain-based rating alone
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for implementing URL (Uniform Resource Locator) filtering is disclosed. The method includes receiving an access request for a webpage from a client, the access request being transmitted from a gateway device via a computer network and including at least a portion of a URL for the webpage. The method also includes ascertaining a rating for the at least the webpage. The method additionally includes providing a response to the gateway device via the computer network, the response including the rating and at least a cache hint that includes at least directory block caching for caching in a directory block of a local cache, domain block caching for caching in a domain block of the local cache, and do-not-cache for not caching in the local cache.