IP Telephony Signaling Reduction via Encrypted Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP telephony systems experience unnecessary messaging traffic during user authentication and billing processes, particularly due to the need to send all call detail records (CDRs) to the rating unit for charge determination, even though not all CDRs result in user charges.
Innovation Solution
Implement a method where only CDRs for telephony communications that will incur charges are sent to the rating unit, using an encrypted code within the SIP Invite message for authentication and including the user's telephone number in the call-ID field to differentiate between outgoing and incoming calls, thereby reducing unnecessary message traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all CDRs are sent to the rating unit for charge determination, then complete billing information is obtained, but unnecessary message traffic increases and system burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes the call direction information (incoming vs. outgoing) directly at the element receiving the SIP Invite message. By determining whether a call is incoming or outgoing before generating CDRs, the system extracts only the necessary billing-relevant information early in the process, avoiding the generation and transmission of CDRs for calls that will not incur charges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary classification of calls as incoming or outgoing at the element receiving the SIP Invite message, before CDR generation. This preliminary action uses the user's telephone number in the call-ID field to determine call direction, enabling the system to pre-filter which CDRs need to be sent to the rating unit, thus reducing subsequent message traffic.
2Reliability
If authentication messaging is performed between proxy server and telephony device, then user authorization is verified, but message traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service authentication where the telephony device autonomously generates an encrypted code containing authentication information and includes it directly in the SIP Invite message. The proxy server validates this code without needing to initiate separate authentication messaging exchanges, allowing the device to authenticate itself without additional back-and-forth messages.
3Quantity of substance
If CDRs are filtered to send only charged calls to rating unit, then message traffic is reduced, but charge determination accuracy may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary determination of call direction (incoming vs. outgoing) using the user's telephone number in the call-ID field before CDR generation. This preliminary classification ensures that only calls requiring charging (outgoing calls) are processed into CDRs and sent to the rating unit, maintaining charge determination accuracy while reducing message traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
A telephony communication setup request sent from a telephony device to an element of an IP telephony system includes a first encrypted code that is generated using one or more data items that are specific to the telephony device. The element of the IP telephony system receiving the setup request obtains the same data items locally and creates a second encrypted code. If the second code matches the first encrypted code, the telephony device and/or the setup request are authenticated, and the element of the IP telephony system proceeds to setup the requested telephony communication.