IMS Web Service Authentication via SIP Embedding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web service delivery systems lack efficient authentication mechanisms, leading to potential unauthorized access and increased complexity in managing authentication communications between devices and web service providers.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution leverages the IMS network's session initiation protocol (SIP) to embed web service requests within SIP messages, which are then protocol translated into non-IMS messages for transmission to web service providers, utilizing IMS authentication capabilities to authenticate requests without requiring additional authentication communications between the device and provider.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional web service authentication mechanisms are used, then authentication capability is provided, but communication complexity and authentication overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidauthentication communication complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges web service authentication with IMS session authentication by embedding the web service request within the SIP message. The authentication that occurs during IMS session establishment automatically applies to the web service request, eliminating the need for separate authentication communications between the web service client and provider.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The SIP message acts as an intermediary container that carries both the IMS session identification information and the web service request. This intermediary structure allows the authentication context to be inherited from the IMS session to the web service transaction, reducing authentication overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If web service requests are embedded in SIP messages, then authentication is simplified through IMS trust relationships, but protocol translation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication process simplicityVSAvoidprotocol translation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protocol translation server acts as an intermediary between the IMS network (SIP protocol) and the web service provider (non-IMS protocol). This server automatically translates SIP messages containing embedded web service requests into the appropriate non-IMS protocol format, handling the protocol complexity centrally without affecting end users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If additional authentication communications are required between device and provider, then authentication security is enhanced, but communication time and efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidauthentication communication time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Authentication is performed preliminarily during the IMS session establishment phase before the web service request is processed. The authentication context is established and stored in the IMS network, so when the web service request arrives embedded in the SIP message, authentication has already been completed, eliminating the need for additional authentication communications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS7940748B2Systems, methods and computer program products supporting provision of web services using IMS

Publication Date: 2011.05.10 RAKUTEN GROUP INC

AI summary

A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message including an embedded web service request is received at an IMS network from a device. The received SIP message is protocol translated to generate a non-IMS message including the web service request. The non-IMS message is conveyed to a web service provider, and a requested web service corresponding to the non-IMS message is conveyed from the web service provider to the device. The SIP message may include a SIP INVITE message containing an embedded SOAP message.