Presence Server Subscription Deters Spam Communications

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication networks lack adequate privacy protection against spam communications, leading to a significant drain on worker productivity and network resources due to the flood of unwanted and unsolicited messages.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that require users to pre-register or subscribe to receive presence information before initiating a communication session, with a financial, transactional, or computational cost associated with the subscription, which acts as a deterrent to unwanted communications by verifying and authorizing communications through a presence server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users can freely initiate communication sessions without pre-registration, then ease of operation is improved, but privacy protection deteriorates due to spam communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of initiating communicationVSAvoidspam communications

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system requires users to pre-register and subscribe to presence information before initiating communication sessions. This preliminary action of subscription creates a verification mechanism that filters out spam communications while allowing legitimate users to communicate freely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The presence server acts as an intermediary between communicating users. It verifies subscription status and authorizes communication sessions, mediating between the need for open communication and the need to block spam.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pre-registration is required for communication sessions, then privacy protection is improved, but device complexity increases due to subscription management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidsubscription management system

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The presence server performs multiple functions: it tracks user presence status, manages subscription registrations, and authorizes communication sessions. By consolidating these functions in a single system, the patent avoids the complexity of multiple separate verification systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If subscription costs are imposed on users, then productivity is improved by reducing spam, but loss of energy increases due to financial transactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworker productivityVSAvoidtransaction processing energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent allows flexibility in the cost parameter, enabling it to be adjusted based on the type of communication, user status, or time of day. This parameter change capability allows the system to optimize between productivity gains from spam reduction and energy costs of transaction processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7920847B2Method and system to protect the privacy of presence information for network users

Publication Date: 2011.04.05 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing privacy protection to network users includes receiving a subscription request from a first end user. The subscription request identifies a second end user for whom the first end user would like to become a registered presence watcher. A cost to be assessed to become the registered presence watcher of the second end user is determined, and the first user is registered as the registered presence watcher of the second end user.