SIP Message Processing Entity for Privacy Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing SIP standard allows for discreet discovery of remote device capabilities and status without user knowledge, leading to potential abuses such as unauthorized information collection for commercial purposes, necessitating a protection mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A method that filters discovery messages based on the origin device's identifier, allowing selective response modes such as transparent, partial, or no response, enabling control over information disclosure and reducing network load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the SIP standard allows discreet discovery of remote device capabilities and status without user knowledge, then device capability information can be obtained efficiently, but user privacy is compromised and unauthorized information collection occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice capability discovery efficiencyVSAvoiduser privacy infringement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a processing entity (intermediary) between the discovering device and the remote device. This intermediary receives discovery messages, validates the identifier of the discovering device against authorized device lists, and selectively forwards messages or generates appropriate responses. The intermediary protects user privacy by preventing unauthorized devices from obtaining capability information while still allowing legitimate discovery operations to proceed efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If response messages are sent to all discovery messages, then complete information is provided to all devices, but network load increases and costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidnetwork load and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the response behavior specific to each discovering device based on its identifier. Authorized devices receive complete capability information through transparent response messages, while unauthorized devices receive either no response or partial information. This selective response strategy reduces unnecessary network traffic and energy consumption while maintaining information completeness for legitimate users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If transparent response containing full capabilities is sent to all discovery messages, then accurate device information is provided, but unauthorized devices can exploit this information for commercial purposes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice information accuracyVSAvoidunauthorized data exploitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring lists of authorized device identifiers before discovery operations occur. The processing entity checks the identifier of each discovering device against these authorized lists before forwarding discovery messages or generating responses. This preventive measure blocks unauthorized devices from obtaining accurate capability information, thereby preventing potential commercial exploitation while maintaining precise information delivery to authorized users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP2856732B1Method and entity for processing a message
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 ORANGE SA
  • EP2856732B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2856732B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2856732B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention is aimed at a method for processing a message received (MOPT) originating from a first device and intended for a second device managed by a multimedia IP network core, this method being intended to be implemented by a processing entity (2) when the received message (MOPT) is a message of discovery of the capacities and of the state of the second device (D2), and comprising: — a step (E20) of obtaining an identifier (ID1) of the first device on the basis of a field of the received discovery message (MOPT); and - a step (E50, E70) of selecting, as a function of this identifier (ID1), a response mode (M1, M2) to the received discovery message from among a predefined set (Ω) containing at least two response modes (M1, M2).