Virtual Communication Platform Traffic Identification via Customer Identifiers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional PBX systems face challenges in identifying and managing traffic originating from virtual communication platforms, particularly when these platforms do not use IP addresses to distinguish customer enterprises, leading to inefficiencies in routing and billing processes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves inserting customer identifiers into session initiation protocol (SIP) messages or similar packets to identify the customer enterprise associated with the traffic, allowing for appropriate routing and service attribute management, using a virtual communication platform to look up customer identifiers and apply corresponding service attributes for traffic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If virtual communication platforms do not use IP addresses to identify customer enterprises, then network security and anonymity are improved, but traffic identification and routing management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary identifier (such as a virtual private network identifier or session initiation protocol identifier) that acts as a mediator between the need for anonymity and the need for identification. This intermediary element allows traffic to be identified and routed without exposing the actual customer enterprise identity, thus maintaining security while enabling management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the identification process by separating the network layer identifier from the customer enterprise identifier. Traffic is identified using network-level identifiers that do not directly reveal customer identity, while customer enterprise information is maintained separately for billing and management purposes.
2Device complexity
If conventional PBX systems are used without customer identifiers in packets, then system simplicity is maintained, but routing accuracy and billing precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting customer identifiers into packets at the source (virtual communication platform) before traffic reaches the PBX system. This pre-insertion eliminates the need for complex identification mechanisms at the PBX level, maintaining system simplicity while enabling accurate billing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the identification function from the PBX system itself and places it at the virtual communication platform level. By taking out the identifier insertion task from the PBX, the system maintains simplicity while achieving the necessary identification capability for accurate routing and billing.
3Loss of energy
If traffic consolidation onto virtual connections is implemented, then telephony costs are reduced, but traffic origin identification becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses intermediary identifiers embedded in the packet metadata as mediators that travel with consolidated traffic. These identifiers allow the trunking service provider to detect and measure traffic origin without requiring separate physical connections for each customer, thus maintaining cost efficiency while enabling identification.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for handling traffic between a first network including a virtual communication platform and a second network, such as a circuit-switched network, include inserting customer identifiers into data packets. For traffic sent to the second network, the packets with the identifiers are transmitted to a trunking service that uses the identifier to determine one or more applicable service attributes for handling the data contained within the packets. For data traffic received from the second network, the virtual communication platform uses the identifiers to determine a destination, such as an endpoint device, for the traffic within the first network.