Adaptive Communication Identifier Padding for Lower Bandwidth Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication identifier padding methods improve security at the expense of increased bandwidth, and padding that does not significantly enhance anonymity unnecessarily consumes additional transmission resources.
Innovation Solution
Adaptive padding of communication identifiers to specific allowed lengths, minimizing unnecessary padding and bandwidth usage while maintaining anonymity, by determining the extent of padding based on the length of the identifier and network configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If communication identifiers are padded to the same length, then anonymity is improved, but transmission bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of identifier length from fixed to variable within a controlled range. By allowing identifiers to have different lengths (within minimum and maximum bounds) rather than forcing uniform length, the system reduces total bandwidth consumption while maintaining anonymity through other means such as length randomization within the allowed range and network-level anonymization techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic length adjustment for communication identifiers. Instead of a static fixed-length approach, the system dynamically determines appropriate identifier lengths based on network conditions, device capabilities, and security requirements, allowing optimization between anonymity and bandwidth usage in real-time.
2Productivity
If communication identifiers are padded to a multiple of block size, then processing efficiency is improved, but transmission bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial padding rather than full padding to the next block boundary. By padding identifiers only to the extent necessary to reach the minimum length or to fit within the maximum length, rather than always padding to the next block multiple, the system achieves sufficient processing efficiency while minimizing unnecessary bandwidth consumption from excessive padding.
3Stability of the object's composition
If communication identifiers are padded to a power of base b, then uniformity is improved, but transmission bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the length parameter from fixed power-of-base values to a flexible range with minimum and maximum bounds. This allows identifiers to have varied lengths within the allowed range, reducing the need for excessive padding to reach the next power-of-base value, thereby decreasing bandwidth consumption while maintaining sufficient uniformity for network processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Communication equipment (20) is configured for use in a communication network (10). The communication equipment (20) determines an extent (24) to which a communication identifier (16) for the communication network (10) is to be padded in order for the communication identifier (16) to have a length that is included in a set (30) of allowed lengths. For each of at least two allowed lengths in the set (30), the allowed length differs from the next shortest or longest allowed length in the set (30) by a common length difference, and the longest allowed length among said at least two allowed lengths differs from the next longest allowed length in the set (30) by more than the common length difference. The communication equipment (20) performs, or assists other communication equipment (20) to perform, padding of the communication identifier (16) to the determined extent (24).