Network Traffic Activity Reporting with Device Deduplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communications networks face challenges in efficiently reporting network traffic activities of mobile devices anonymously, especially when dealing with highly granular data over extended periods, which can lead to inaccurate calculations due to multiple data records being counted multiple times.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that calculate and report the number of mobile devices with specific traffic activities within a given period, considering each data record only once per monitoring period, and anonymize the information to avoid identifying individual devices, using a network apparatus configured to receive monitoring requests and generate reports based on calculated parameters such as averaged numbers of devices over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If information aggregation is used to anonymously report network traffic activities, then user privacy is protected, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inaccurate calculations from highly granular data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing deduplication and aggregation operations before final reporting. The system pre-processes highly granular data records by identifying and removing duplicate entries (same device ID, same traffic activity, within monitoring period) before generating aggregated statistics. This preliminary cleaning ensures that subsequent aggregation produces accurate results while maintaining anonymity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer between raw data collection and final reporting. This intermediary component implements the monitoring function that applies filtering criteria and aggregation logic, acting as a mediator that transforms granular individual records into accurate aggregated statistics without exposing individual device identities.
2Duration of action of moving object
If monitoring period covers extended time, then more traffic activities are captured, but calculation accuracy deteriorates due to multiple data records being counted multiple times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through a systematic deduplication process that checks each data record against previously processed records. The monitoring function maintains state information about devices already counted within the monitoring period, and uses this feedback to prevent double-counting. When a new record arrives, the system checks whether the same device ID and traffic activity combination has already been counted, and only processes it if it's a new occurrence.
3Measurement precision
If device identifiers are included in reports, then measurement precision is improved for traffic analysis, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by selectively removing device identifiers from the reported data. The monitoring function processes and analyzes data records that include device IDs for accurate tracking and deduplication purposes, but the final monitoring report deliberately excludes these identifying fields. This extraction maintains the utility of the data for traffic pattern analysis while protecting user privacy by removing personally identifiable information.
Data Source
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AI summary
A technique of reporting information included in data records generated for network traffic activities of a plurality of mobile devices is described. Each data record includes a traffic type of a traffic activity of a mobile device, a timestamp of the traffic activity, and an identifier of the mobile device. A method implementation of this technique comprises receiving a monitoring request specifying a monitoring type, and calculating from the data records a number of mobile devices having, within a given monitoring period, traffic activities that fulfil the following conditions: i) a traffic type of the traffic activity matches the monitoring type; ii) a timestamp of the traffic activity falls within the monitoring period; and iii) traffic activities associated with the same identifier and the same traffic activity are considered only once per monitoring period. The method further comprises returning, in response to the monitoring request, a monitoring report that is based on the calculated number of mobile devices.