# US 8,782,799 B2 · Triggering a private browsing function of a web browser application program

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- Number: US 8,782,799 B2
- Document ID: US8782799B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/415,985
- Filed: 2012-03-09
- Published: 2012-07-19
- Granted: 2014-07-15
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-14
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: Christopher Phillips; Matthew Whitbourne
- Inventors: Christopher Phillips; Matthew Whitbourne
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782799B2

## CPC

- H04L 67/04: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
- G06F 21/6263: {during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies}
- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A private browsing function of a web browser application program may be triggered for a browser by a browser or by a URL provider. Upon receipt of the URI by a web browser, the URI is inspected for the presence of a private browsing indicator. When the URI is found to contain a private browsing indicator, operation of the private browsing function for the web browser application program is triggered.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of triggering a private browsing function of a web browser application program, comprising:
receiving a URI for a web browser application program, said web browser application program further comprising a private browsing function;
inspecting said received URI, with a processor, for an associated predetermined private browsing indicator, said private browsing indicator comprising a tag inserted into said received URI;
in response to identification, by said processor, of said tag inserted into said received URI, triggering operation of the private browsing function of the web browser application program;
in response to operation of the private browsing function, a predetermined set of data received by the web browser application program from said received URI and stored in a web browser data cache, is deleted, said set of data comprising at least visited pages, form and search entries, password and usernames, download list/log entries, cookies, web cache, and active logins; and
upon completion of a private browsing session to said received URI, returning to a non-private browsing session until identification of another private browsing indicator occurs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said tag comprises a header tag and a scope tag which trigger the private browsing function of the web browser application program for only a sub-domain of said URI.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein said header tag is pre-pended between said URI and any associated protocol specification.

### Claim 4

A method of creating a URI arranged to trigger a private browsing function of a web browser application program, comprising:
identifying a URI for triggering private browsing;
associating a private browsing indicator with said identified URI, said private browsing indicator comprising a tag;
combining said identified URI and said tag to create the URI arranged to trigger a private browsing function of a web browser application program;
in response to triggering the private browsing function, a predetermined set of data received by the web browser application program from said created URI and stored in a web browser data cache, is deleted, said set of data comprising at least visited pages, form and search entries, password and usernames, download list/log entries, cookies, web cache, and active logins; and
upon completion of a private browsing session to said created URI, returning to a non-private browsing session until identification of another private browsing indicator occurs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein said tag comprises a header tag and a scope tag inserted in said identified URI and arranged to trigger said private browsing function for only a sub-domain of said created URI.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 in which said header tag is pre-pended between the URI and any associated protocol specification.