# US 8,789,198 B2 · Triggering a private browsing function of a web browser application program

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- Number: US 8,789,198 B2
- Document ID: US8789198B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/331,213
- Filed: 2011-12-20
- Published: 2012-07-19
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- 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/US8789198B2

## 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

An apparatus for triggering a private browsing function of a web browser application program, comprising:
a processor; and
memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with instructions and wherein the instructions when executed comprise:
instructions for receiving a URI for a web browser application program, said web browser application program further comprising a private browsing function;
instructions for inspecting said received URI for an associated predetermined private browsing indicator, said private browsing indicator comprising a tag inserted into said received URI;
in response to identification of said tag inserted into said received URI, instructions for triggering operation of the private browsing function of the web browser application program;
in response to operation of the private browsing function, instructions for deleting a predetermined set of data received by the web browser application program from said received URI and stored in a web browser data cache, 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 4

A computer program product for triggering a private browsing function of a web browser application program, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code configured to receive a URI for a web browser application program, said web browser application program further comprising a private browsing function;
computer readable program code configured to inspect said received URI for an associated predetermined private browsing indicator, said private browsing indicator comprising a tag inserted into said received URI;
in response to identification of said tag inserted into said received URI, computer readable program code configured to trigger operation of the private browsing function of the web browser application program;
in response to operation of the private browsing function, computer readable program code configured to delete a predetermined set of data received by the web browser application program from said received URI and stored in a web browser data cache, 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, computer readable program code configured to return to a non-private browsing session until identification of another private browsing indicator occurs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The computer program product of claim 4, comprising computer readable program code configured to trigger the private browsing function of the web browser, for only a sub-domain of said URI, with said tag, wherein said tag comprises a header tag and a scope tag.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer program product of claim 5 wherein said header tag is pre-pended between said URI and any associated protocol specification.