IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,425,093
Granted Patent B2
US 11,425,093 · App. 16/922,170 · Granted Aug 23, 2022

Device specific website filtering using a bifurcated domain name system

Inventor: Henning Els (Penngrove, CA)
Assignee: Calix, Inc.
H04L63/0236H04L61/1511H04L63/0263H04L63/102H04L67/02H04L67/32H04L61/2514H04L61/6022H04L67/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,425,093
App. No.
16/922,170
Granted
Aug 23, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and techniques for location independent website filtering using bifurcated domain name system are described herein. A domain name system (DNS) request may be received. A unique device identifier may be received for the requesting device. The ISP may provide external network services to the services gateway. The DNS service provider may maintain a website filtering policy. The DNS request may be forwarded to the DNS service of the ISP. The DNS service of the ISP may respond with a DNS resolution. An access control request may be forwarded to the DNS service provider external to the ISP. A website filtering policy associated with the device identifier may be used to determine website access. The DNS service provider external to the ISP may respond with a grant/block status. Based on the returned grant/block status, the services gateway may respond to the requesting device with the DNS resolution or access denial.

Claims (43)

1. A server for providing a website filtering service as part of a bifurcated domain name system (DNS), the server comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations to:

obtain a website filtering policy associated with a device via a first service gateway on a first local network, the website filtering policy indexed using a device identifier for the device;

receive a DNS request for website access permission from a service gateway a second service gateway on a second local network, wherein the DNS request includes a hostname corresponding to a website and the device identifier from a requesting client computing device;

bypass a content filtering policy associated with the second service gateway based on identification of the website filtering policy using the device identifier;

determine, using the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier, a grant/block status identifier for the DNS request; and

transmit the grant/block status identifier to the second service gateway.

2. The server of claim 1 , wherein the second service gateway forwards the DNS request to an internet address for a DNS service of an internet service provider (ISP), the ISP providing external network services to the service gateway.

3. The server of claim 2 , wherein the server is external to the ISP.

4. the server of claim 2 , wherein the second service gateway transmits a DNS request response to the requesting client computing device based on the grant/block status identifier.

5. The server of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations to:

receive the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier from the service gateway; and

store the website filtering policy.

6. The server of claim 1 , wherein the device identifier is a MAC address.

7. The server of claim 1 , wherein the website filtering policy is comprised of both specific websites and categories of websites.

8. The server of claim 1 , wherein the server contains a database of device identifiers, wherein each device identifier is associated with a user and each user is associated with a filtering policy.

9. At least one machine-readable medium including instructions for a website filtering service using bifurcated domain name system (DNS) that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations to:

obtain a website filtering policy associated with a device via a first service gateway on a first local network, the website filtering policy indexed using a device identifier for the device;

receive a DNS request for website access permission from a service gateway a second service gateway on a second local network, wherein the DNS request includes a hostname corresponding to a website and the device identifier from a requesting client computing device;

bypass a content filtering polic associated with the second service gateway based on identification of the website filtering policy using the device identifier;

determine, using the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier, a grant/block status identifier for the DNS request; and

transmit the grant/block status identifier to the second service gateway.

10. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second service gateway forwards the DNS request to an internet address for a DNS service of an internet service provider (ISP) the ISP providing external network services to the service gateway.

11. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the second service gateway transmits a DNS request response to the requesting client computing device based on the grant/block status identifier.

12. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 , further including instructions to:

receive the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier from the service gateway; and

store the website filtering policy.

13. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the device identifier is a MAC address.

14. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein each device identifier is associated with a user and each user is associated with a filtering policy.

15. A method for providing a website filtering service as part of a bifurcated domain name system (DNS) comprising:

obtaining a website filtering policy associated with a device via a first service gateway on a first local network, the website filtering policy indexed using a device identifier for the device;

receiving a DNS request for website access permission from a service gateway a second service gateway on a second local network. wherein the DINS request includes a hostname corresponding to a website and the device identifier from a requesting client computing device;

bypassing a content filtering policy associated with the second service gateway based on identification of the website filtering policy using the device identifier;

determining, using the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier, a grant/block status identifier for the DNS request; and

transmitting the grant/block status identifier to the second service gateway.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second service gateway forwards the DNS request to an internet address for a DNS service of an internet service provider (ISP), the ISP providing external network services to the service gateway.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second service gateway transmits a DINS request response to the requesting client computing device based on the grant/block status identifier.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving the website filtering policy associated with the device identifier from the service gateway; and

storing the website filtering policy.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the device identifier is a MAC address.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein each device identifier is associated with a user and each user is associated with a filtering policy.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 15488111 · Apr 14, 2017
Related Publication 20200403973A1 · Dec 24, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,218,951 US 12,665,877