- Number
- 10673795
- Published
- 2020-06-02
- Filed
- 2010-08-05
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Milne; Roger Brent, Ward; Jeffrey C., Ingoldby; Michael G., Ballagh; Jonathan B., Fischaber; Thomas E., Marks; Krista M.
- CPC
- H04L51/212
- Verdict
- Set aside content moderation/filtering, business
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
Abstract
Systems and arrangements are provided for filtering language. As presently preferred, these are configured to filter inappropriate language, symbols, words, etc on web sites or used in chat rooms. Embodiments create one or more arrays of inappropriate character strings representing, for example, obscene words and character combinations. Embodiments identify the inappropriate character strings, for example in chat text, and edit them to an appropriate form, for example with cartoon characters, and/or delete the inappropriate character strings. Preferably, at least one embodiment applies the content filter via executing a program of instructions, stored on a tangible storage medium, to achieve this functionality.
Background
BACKGROUND(1) This disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatus for content filtering and, more particularly, to filtering the content of a communication environment that allows users to communicate with each other and/or the environment through an input device such as a keyboard.(2) In recent years, following the development and spread of computers, there have been increasing opportunities for users to interact with each other via a communications network. Transmission of information, however, is inherently unsafe. In an environment where much of the communication is done by typing text messages there is no mechanism to guide the messaging interaction between users in the environment in a proper manner. Thus, users may transmit inappropriate messages to other users. Such inappropriate messages may be offensive to those users who view the messages.BRIEF SUMMARY(3) The subject matter described herein generally relates to systems and arrangements for content filtering. Embodiments automate the identification and filtering of objectionable material. Input text is processed to prepare the input for matching against previously identified objectionable content. Input is then identified as acceptable, questionable, or objectionable. Various actions may be taken depending on the classification of the input. Where the input has been identified as objectionable, the input may be blocked or the inappropriate language replaced with cartoon style punctuation. Where the input has
Claims
1. A method for real-time content filtering in an online chat application, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, at a remote web server hosting an online chat application, an input of characters entered by a user on a client device, the input of the characters being received in real time based on an ongoing real-time chat session between the user of the client device and one or more other users of one or more other client devices; and filtering, at the web server, the input of characters in real-time to maintain the ongoing real-time chat session by: standardizing the input of characters into one or more character strings, wherein standardizing the input of characters into one or more character strings comprises processing the input of characters to: selectively remove white spaces based on a statistical language pattern comprising examining content of words having more than one character, wherein the content of words is selected from the group consisting of vowel counts and consonant counts; break the one or more character strings into words at remaining white space boundaries; and expand one or more of the words resulting from breaking the one or more character strings; comparing the one or more character strings against a blacklist; and providing, based upon the one or more character strings matching a character string included on the blacklist, an indication that the one or more character strings are included on the blacklist.
11. A computer program product for real-time content filtering in an online chat application comprising: a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being executed by a remote web server hosting an online chat application to cause the web server to receive an input of characters entered by a user on a client device, the input of the characters being received in real time based on an ongoing real-time chat session between the user of the client device and one or more other users of one or more other client devices; and filter the input of characters in real-time to maintain the ongoing real-time chat session by: standardizing the input of characters into one or more character strings, wherein standardizing the input of characters into one or more character strings comprises processing the input of characters to: selectively remove white spaces based on a statistical language pattern comprising examining content of words having more than one character, wherein the content of words is selected from the group consisting of vowel counts and consonant counts; break the one or more character strings into words at remaining white space boundaries; and expand one or more of the words resulting from breaking the one or more character strings; comparing the one or more character strings against a blacklist; and providing, based upon the one or more character strings matching a character string included on the blacklist, an indication that the one or more character strings are included on the blacklist.
20. A system for real-time content filtering in an online chat application, the system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory operatively connected to the one or more processors; wherein, responsive to execution of computer readable program code accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors are configured to: remotely host an online chat application to facilitate ongoing real-time chat sessions between users on client devices; receive, at the one or more processors hosting the online chat application, an input of characters entered by a user on a client device, the input of the characters being received in real time based on an ongoing real-time chat session between the user of the client device and one or more other users of one or more other client devices; and filter, at the one or more processors hosting the online chat application, the input of characters in real-time to maintain the ongoing real-time chat session by: standardizing the input of characters into one or more character strings, wherein to standardize the input of characters into one or more character strings comprises processing the input of characters to: selectively remove white spaces based on a statistical language pattern comprising examining content of words having more than one character, wherein the content of words is selected from the group consisting of vowel counts and consonant counts; break the one or more character strings into words at remaining white space boundaries; and expand one or more of the words resulting from breaking the one or more character strings; comparing the one or more character strings against a blacklist; and providing, based upon the one or more character strings matching a character string included on the blacklist, an indication that the one or more character strings are included on the blacklist.