SDN Controller Session Flow Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for collecting business information from online web stores are limited, as they only provide data to the specific store with which a user has an account, and are unable to track browsing history across multiple devices, often requiring software downloads that may be rejected by devices and are vendor-specific.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology to collect and share business information by generating requests for data within session flows between communication devices and servers, allowing for the abstraction of network forwarding devices and centralized control, enabling the tracking of user activity across different devices and networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If business information is collected by tracking browsing history on a user's device, then the information can be gathered for analysis, but the device may treat the tracking software as malware and reject downloading it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network element as an intermediary between the user's communication device and the server. Instead of installing tracking software directly on the user's device, the network element collects browsing history information in the network infrastructure and shares it with multiple businesses. This mediator approach eliminates the malware rejection issue while still enabling comprehensive information collection.
2Loss of information
If tracking applications are made vendor-specific, then the collected information is available only to the vendor providing the tracking application, but this limits the usefulness and sharing of business information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal information collection system where the network element gathers browsing history and makes it available to multiple different businesses simultaneously. Rather than vendor-specific tracking, the system serves multiple clients (e.g., Lowe's, Home Depot) with the same collected information, enabling cross-business analysis and sharing while maintaining a single unified collection point.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the user switches to other devices, then the user can access services from different devices, but there is no way to track the browsing history of the user across the various devices
Solution Approach 1:
The network element acts as a centralized intermediary that collects browsing history information from multiple different communication devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) and maintains a unified view of the user's activity across all devices. This allows continuous tracking of browsing history regardless of which device the user switches to, without requiring device-specific applications.
4Loss of information
If network monitoring solutions are used to collect business information, then comprehensive data can be gathered across multiple devices and networks, but these solutions are expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the information collection function from expensive comprehensive network monitoring systems and implements it through a specialized network element that processes session flow data. By extracting only the necessary browsing history information from the network traffic and processing it locally at the network element, the system achieves comprehensive data collection at a lower cost than full network monitoring solutions.
Data Source
AI summary
Information associated with session flows between communication devices and servers is collected and shared. A request is generated for data having predefined attributes within session flows occurring between multiple communication devices and a server over a communication network. The request is sent to a controller having access to information indicating network elements within the communication network traversed by the session flows. The controller selects a network element from among the network elements traversed by the session flows and retrieves the data from the selected network element.