# US 10,873,507 B2 · Proxy automatic configuration file manager

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- Number: US 10,873,507 B2
- Document ID: US10873507B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/663,634
- Filed: 2019-10-25
- Published: 2020-02-20
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-31
- Assignees: Bank of America Corporation
- Applicants: Bank of America Corporation
- Inventors: Michael T. Frizzell; Johannes A. Baartmans
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873507B2

## CPC

- H04L 41/0886: {Fully automatic configuration}
- H04L 41/082: the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
- H04L 61/457: {containing identifiers of data entities on a computer, e.g. file names}
- H04L 63/0281: {Proxies}
- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- H04L 67/06: specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
- H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)}
- H04L 67/56: Provisioning of proxy services (store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54)
- H04L 67/561: Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
- H04L 61/59: using proxies for addressing
- H04L 67/101: based on network conditions
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A PAC file manager is provided. The PAC file manager may include PAC files. The PAC files may be generated by, and be resident on, a PAC server. The PAC file manager may include update processors. Each update processor may include a capability to transmit update information to the PAC server. The update information may be for updating URLs included in the PAC files. The PAC file manager may also include general processors and proxy servers. Each time a general processor launches a web browser, the general processor may download a PAC file from the PAC server. The PAC file may be stored in a temporary file associated with the general processor. Each PAC file may include instructions to be used to direct the associated general processor how to access the URL. The instructions may identify whether to use a proxy server and which specific proxy server to use.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A proxy auto configuration file manager comprising:
at least two proxy auto configuration files, the two proxy auto configuration files forming a list of a plurality of proxy auto configuration files;
a dataset for each proxy auto configuration file included in each of the plurality of proxy auto configuration files, the dataset being generated by, and being resident on, a proxy auto configuration server, wherein a segment of data included in the dataset associated with a first proxy auto configuration file, is logged by the proxy auto configuration file manager to be included in a second proxy auto configuration file when the second proxy auto configuration file is generated;
a plurality of update processors, each of said update processors configured to transmit update information to the proxy auto configuration server, said update information for updating uniform resource locators (“URLs”) included in the plurality of proxy auto configuration files, said URL update information comprising URL updates;
a plurality of general processors;
a plurality of proxy servers;
wherein:
upon receipt of update information at the proxy auto configuration server, said update information comprising URL updates, the proxy auto configuration server is configured to:
store the URL updates in a storage location included in the proxy auto configuration server;
after a predetermined time period, update the dataset associated with each proxy auto configuration file, each update comprising:
copying the stored updates into the dataset associated with the proxy auto configuration file; and
after a second predetermined time period, generate each proxy auto configuration file, wherein:
each generated proxy auto configuration file includes the appropriate URL updates; and
during the proxy auto configuration file generation, the proxy auto configuration server copies the segment of data included in the first proxy auto configuration file into the second proxy auto configuration file;
each time a general processor, included in the plurality of general processors, launches a web browser to access a URL and/or changes a setting on the web browser, the general processor is configured to download a proxy auto configuration file from the proxy auto configuration server, said proxy auto configuration file being stored in a temporary file associated with the general processor; and
each proxy auto configuration file includes instructions, said instructions to be used to direct the associated general processor how to access the URL, said instructions including directions for use by a web browser, the web browser associated with the general processor, teaching how to reach the URL, said instructions identifying whether or not to use a proxy server, and when the instructions include using a proxy server, identifying which proxy server, included in the plurality of proxy servers, is required to access the URL.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The proxy auto configuration manager of claim 1, wherein each proxy auto configuration file defines how the web browsers select the appropriate proxy server, included in the instructions, for fetching the URL.

### Claim 3

A proxy auto configuration (“PAC”) file manager, said PAC file manager being configured to:
comprise at least two PAC files;
maintain a dataset, in a PAC server, for each of the PAC files, wherein a segment of data, included in the dataset associated with a first PAC file, is logged by the PAC file manager to be included in a second PAC file when the second PAC file is generated;
receive a plurality of uniform resource locator (“URL”) updates, said URL updates to be included in the PAC files, the URL updates being received from a plurality of update processors;
upon receipt of the URL updates, store the URL updates in a storage location included in the PAC file manager;
after a predetermined time period, update the dataset associated with each PAC file, wherein each update comprises, for each PAC file, copying the stored updates into the dataset associated with the PAC file; and
after a second predetermined time period, generate each PAC file, wherein
each generated PAC file includes the appropriate URL updates; and
during the PAC file generation, the PAC server copies the segment of data, included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file, into the second PAC file;
comprise a plurality of general processors, each time a general processor, included in plurality of general processors, launches a web browser to access a URL and/or changes a setting on the web browser, the general processor is configured to download one of the PAC files from the PAC server, said PAC file being stored in a temporary file associated with the general processor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The PAC file manager of claim 3, wherein the PAC file manager includes a deployment server, the deployment server being configured to deploy the PAC files into a production environment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The PAC file manager of claim 4, further comprising:
a plurality of proxy servers;
wherein:
each PAC file includes instructions, said instructions to be used to direct the associated general processor how to access the URL, said instructions including directions for use by a web browser, the web browser associated with the general processor, said instructions for teaching how to reach the URL, said instructions identifying whether or not to use a proxy server, and when the instructions include using a proxy server, identifying which proxy server, included in the plurality of proxy servers, is required to access the URL.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The PAC file manager of claim 5, wherein when a user, said user being entitled to update permissions, attempts to change and/or update, in the second PAC file, the segment of data included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file, the PAC file manager disables the user from updating the segment of data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The PAC file manager of claim 5, wherein when a user, said user being entitled to update permissions, attempts to change and/or update, in the first PAC file, the segment of data included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file, the PAC file manager enables the user to change and/or update the segment of data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The PAC file manager of claim 5, wherein each PAC file comprises a plurality of URLs mapped to the plurality of proxy servers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The PAC file manager of claim 8, wherein at least one URL, included in the pluralities of URLs, is exclusively resident on one of the PAC files.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The PAC file manager of claim 5, wherein each PAC file comprises URLs mapped to categories of proxy servers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The PAC file manager of claim 10, wherein upon determination of a category of a proxy server for the URL, the general processor transmits a request to a load balance for a specific proxy server associated with the category of proxy servers.

### Claim 12

A method for managing proxy auto configuration (“PAC”) files using a PAC file manager, the method comprising:
maintaining a dataset, in a PAC server, for each of the PAC files, wherein a segment of data, included in the dataset associated with a first PAC file, is logged by the PAC file manager to be included in a second PAC file when the second PAC file is generated;
receiving a plurality of uniform resource locator (“URL”) updates, said URL updates to be included in the PAC files, the URL updates being received from a plurality of update processors;
upon receipt of the URL updates, storing the URL updates in a storage location included in the PAC file manager;
after a predetermined time period:
updating the dataset associated with each PAC file, wherein the updating comprises, for each PAC file, copying the stored updates into the dataset associated with the PAC file; and
generating each PAC file, wherein:
each generated PAC file includes the appropriate URL updates; and
during the PAC file generation, the PAC server copies the segment of data included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file into the second PAC file.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising deploying, by a deployment server included in the PAC file manager, the PAC files into a production environment.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the PAC file manager comprises a plurality of general processors and a plurality of proxy server, the method further comprising:
wherein:
each time a general processor, included in the plurality of general processors, launches a web browser to access a URL and/or changes a setting on the web browser, the general processor is configured to download one of the PAC files from the PAC server, said PAC file being stored in a temporary file associated with the general processor;
each PAC file includes instructions, said instructions to be used to direct the associated general processor how to access the URL, said instructions including directions for use by a web browser, the web browser associated with the general processor, said instructions for teaching how to reach the URL, said instructions identifying whether or not to use a proxy server, and when the instructions include using a proxy server, identifying which proxy server, included in the plurality of proxy server, is required to access the URL.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
receiving a request, from a user, said user being entitled to update permissions, to change and/or update, in the second PAC file, the segment of data included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file; and
upon receipt of the request, disabling the user from updating the segment of data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
receiving a request, from a user, said user being entitled to update permissions, to change and/or update, in the first PAC file, the segment of data included in the dataset associated with the first PAC file; and
upon receipt of the request, enabling the user from updating the segment of data.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein each PAC file comprises a plurality of URLs mapped to the plurality of proxy servers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein at least one URL, included in the pluralities of URLs, is exclusively resident on one of the PAC files.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein each PAC file comprises URLs mapped to categories of proxy servers.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein, upon determination of a category of a proxy server for the URL, the general processor transmits a request to a load balancer for a specific proxy server associated with the category of proxy servers.