Method and apparatus for concurrent filtering of multiple components of streaming data

An apparatus for filtering data containers of multiple content types, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of filtering modules each having:
• a module processor;
• a data memory storing encoded rules;
• an instructions memory storing processor-executable instructions which cause said module processor to apply said encoded rules to a data container and to individual components of said data container to produce an edited data container;
• and
• a buffer for holding said edited data container;
• a central processor and a central instructions memory storing processor-executable instructions which cause said central processor to perform the functions of a network interface, an input module, and an output module;
• said network interface:
• receives data containers belonging to multiple data streams;
• and
• transmits edited data containers over a network link;
• said input module:
• holds received data containers in an input memory device;
• and transfers a data container waiting in said input memory device to an unoccupied filtering module;
• and
• said output module transfers an edited data container held in a buffer of a filtering module to said network interface.

A method for filtering data streams said method comprising:

• receiving a data container at a network interface having a processor and a memory device;
• parsing said data container into components;
• identifying, for each component, a content type from among a set of predefined content types;
• directing each component to a respective module among a plurality of content-specific filtering modules each having a respective processor, an instructions memory, and a data memory;
• at said respective module:
• determining characteristics of said each component;
• identifying descriptors of said each component from said characteristics;
• determining values of said descriptors;
• acquiring corresponding descriptor criteria from an associated memory device;
• determining a set of filters, each filter specifying a content descriptor, a descriptor criterion, and an operator determining a binary state;
• and
• determining a set of rules each rule encoded as a Boolean expression of binary states of respective filters;
• editing said component according to said rules to produce an edited component;
• and
• combining edited components produced by said modules;
• further comprising, prior to the step of directing, examining said data container and performing at least one of:
• deleting an attachment of said received data container;
• deleting a component of said data container;
• performing a signal-processing function on a component of said received data component;
• and
• appending a notification to said data container.