Access right control using access control alerts

• US 20040153552A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Trossen, Dirk, Mehta, Kuleen
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing access controlled event subscription and notification and event access change alerts. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present invention operate within a SIP infrastructure. As such, SIP SUBSCRIBE messages and SIP NOTIFY messages are used for subscribing to and receiving notifications related to access control. According to some embodiments, event access change alerts are used in conjunction with access controlled event subscription to provide an efficient method for providing access controlled event subscription using current access control information.

Claims

1. A method of receiving access rights change alerts for access to an event in a session initiation protocol (SIP) framework, said method comprising:

creating a SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprising information about access rights for a resource and requesting access rights change alerts for said resource;

sending said SUBSCRIBE message to a network entity that has access to said access rights for said resource; and

receiving a first SIP NOTIFY message from said network entity, said first SIP NOTIFY message including information about said access rights for said resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second SIP NOTIFY message, said second SIP NOTIFY message including information about changed access rights for said resource.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein for said steps of sending and receiving, said network entity comprises a SIP event server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein for said steps of creating and receiving, each one of said information about access rights comprises information having an attribute-based format.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said attribute-based format is selected from the group consisting of service location protocol (SLP) and Resource Description Framework (RDF).

6. A method of providing access rights change alerts for access to an event for a requester in a SIP infrastructure, said method comprising:

receiving a SIP SUBSCRIBE at network entity from said requester, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message requesting access rights change alerts, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprising information about access rights for a resource;

confirming whether said requester is authorized to obtain status information about said access rights for said resource;

matching said information about access rights with said access rights; and

sending a first SIP NOTIFY message to said requester, said first SIP NOTIFY message comprising access right information for said resource.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of sending a second SIP NOTIFY message based on a changed status of access rights for said resource, said second SIP NOTIFY message comprising changed access right information for said resource.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein for said step of receiving, said network entity comprises a SIP event server.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of matching comprises:

sending a match message to a repository, said match message requesting access rights information for said resource; and

receiving a response from said repository, said response comprising access right information for said resource.

10. A method for providing access controlled event subscription, said method comprising:

receiving from a requester a subscription message for an event;

querying a database containing access control information for said event;

when said access control information does not indicate denial of access to said event, accessing updated access control information; and

notifying said requester of access status for said event subscription based on said updated access control information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

sending a subscription message to an access control network entity requesting updated access control information for said event; and

receiving updated access control information for said event.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

subscribing to an access rights change alert event for access rights of said event; and

while said subscription is in effect, accessing the last received access control information received from said network entity for said event.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises sending a message to an authorization entity requesting approval for said requester to subscribe to said event.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein for said step of receiving, said subscription message comprises a SIP SUBSCRIBE message.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein for said step of querying a database, said database is stored on a local cache.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises sending a subscription message to an access control network entity subscribing to access control change alerts for said event.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving changed access control information in response to said access control change alert subscription; and

notifying said requester of changed access status for said requester event subscription based on said changed access control information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein for said step of receiving changed access control information, said changed access control information is received from said access control network entity.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing steps for providing access rights change alerts to a requester for access to an event within a SIP infrastructure, said steps comprising:

receiving a SIP SUBSCRIBE at network entity from said requester, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message requesting access rights change alerts, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprising information about access rights for a resource;

confirming whether said requester is authorized to obtain status information about said access rights for said resource;

matching said information about access rights with said access rights; and

sending a first SIP NOTIFY message to said requester, said first SIP NOTIFY message comprising access right information for said resource.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said computer-readable instructions further comprise sending a second SIP NOTIFY message based on a changed status of access rights for said resource, said second SIP NOTIFY message comprising changed access right information for said resource.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing steps for providing access controlled event subscription comprising:

receiving from a requester a subscription message for an event;

querying a database containing access control information for said event;

when said access control information does not indicate denial of access to said event, accessing updated access control information; and

notifying said requester of access status for said event subscription based on said updated access control information.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

sending a subscription message to an access control network entity requesting updated access control information for said event; and

receiving updated access control information for said event.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

subscribing to an access rights change alert event for access rights of said event; and

while said subscription is in effect, accessing the last received access control information received from said network entity for said event.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises sending a message to an authorization entity requesting approval for said requester to subscribe to said event.

25. A network entity comprising:

a memory containing instructions for providing access rights change alerts for access to an event for a requester; and

a processor for performing steps according to said instructions stored in said memory, said steps comprising;

receiving a SIP SUBSCRIBE at network entity from a requester, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message requesting access rights change alerts, said SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprising information about access rights for a resource;

confirming whether said requester is authorized to obtain status information about said access rights for said resource;

matching said information about access rights with said access rights; and

sending a first SIP NOTIFY message to said requester, said first SIP NOTIFY message comprising access right information for said resource.

26. The network entity of claim 25, said processor further performing a step of sending a second SIP NOTIFY message based on a changed status of access rights for said resource, said second SIP NOTIFY message comprising changed access right information for said resource.

27. A network entity comprising:

a memory containing instructions for providing access right change alerts for access to an event by a requester; and

a processor for performing steps according to said instructions stored in said memory, said steps comprising;

receiving from a requester a subscription message for an event;

querying a database containing access control information for said event;

when said access control information does not indicate denial of access to said event, accessing updated access control information; and

notifying said requester of access status for said event subscription based on said updated access control information.

28. The network entity of claim 27, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

sending a subscription message to an access control network entity requesting updated access control information for said event; and

receiving updated access control information for said event.

29. The network entity of claim 27, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises:

subscribing to an access rights change alert event for access rights of said event; and

while said subscription is in effect, accessing the last received access control information received from said network entity for said event.

30. The network entity of claim 27, wherein said step of accessing updated access control information comprises sending a message to an authorization entity requesting approval for said requester to subscribe to said event.

31. A first network entity comprising:

a memory containing instructions for receiving access rights change alerts for access to an event in a session initiation protocol (SIP) framework; and

a processor for performing steps according to said instructions stored in said memory, said steps comprising;

creating a SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprising information about access rights for a resource and requesting access rights change alerts for said resource;

sending said SUBSCRIBE message to a second network entity that has access to said access rights for said resource; and

receiving a first SIP NOTIFY message from said second network entity, said first SIP NOTIFY message including information about said access rights for said resource.

32. The first network entity of claim 31, wherein said processor further performs a step of receiving a second SIP NOTIFY message, said second SIP NOTIFY message including information about changed access rights for said resource.