CAPABILITY-BASED COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140181224A1
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruns, Glenn R., Kolesnikov, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/726,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management

Abstract

A capability-based communication mechanism is provided for controlling delivery of messages. A capability-based address is an address having one or more capability parameters associated therewith, where the one or more capability parameters associated with the capability-based address may be used to control delivery of messages to the capability-based address. A user or entity requests a capability-based address from a communication service provider. The communication service provider provides a capability-based address to the user or entity. The user or entity provides the capability-based address to one or more other users or entities. The delivery of messages to the user or entity with which the capability-based address is associated is controlled based on the one or more capability parameters associated with the capability-based address of the user or entity.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to;

process a message comprising a capability-based address, the capability-based address having associated therewith a capability parameter for use in controlling delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability parameter comprises a parameter for use in determining whether delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address is authorized.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the capability parameter comprises at least one of:

a parameter indicative of a threshold number of times the capability-based address may be used within a length of time;

a parameter indicative of a date or time at which the capability-based address expires;

a parameter indicative of a maximum permitted size of a message directed to the capability-based address;

a parameter indicative of at least one approved sender authorized to send a message directed to the capability-based address;

a parameter indicative of text to be included in a message directed to the capability-based address;

or

a parameter indicative of a price for delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability parameter comprises a parameter for use in controlling a manner in which a message directed to the capability-based address is delivered.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the capability parameter comprises at least one of:

a parameter indicative of at least one temporal constraint for delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address;

or

a parameter indicative of a format for delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a request to generate the capability-based address, the request to generate the capability-based address having associated therewith capability information for use in defining the capability parameter; and

generate the capability-based address based on the capability information associated with the request to generate the capability-based address.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive the message comprising the capability-based address; and

process the message comprising the capability-based address by extracting the capability-based address from the message and storing the capability-based address.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an email message including the capability-based email address as a destination address, wherein the processor is configured to process the email message by determining, based on the capability parameter, whether delivery of the email message is authorized.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether delivery of the email message is authorized by:

determining capability parameter comparison information associated with the capability parameter; and

determining whether delivery of the email message is authorized based on a comparison of the capability parameter and the capability parameter comparison information associated with the capability parameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

based on a determination that delivery of the email message is not authorized, prevent delivery of the email message.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

based on a determination that delivery of the email message is not authorized, drop the email message.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

based on a determination that delivery of the email message is authorized, initiate delivery of the email message. 20

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

based on a determination that delivery of the email message is authorized;

determine an actual email address associated with the capability-based address; and

propagate the email message based on the actual email address.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an email message including the capability-based email address as a destination address, wherein the processor is configured to process the email message by determining, based on the capability parameter, a manner in which the email message is to be delivered.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to:

initiate delivery of the email message based on the determined manner in which the email message is to be delivered.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability-based parameter is encoded within a portion of the capability-based address or maintained within a table entry associated with the capability-based address.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine the capability parameter based on at least a portion of the capability-based address.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the capability parameter based on at least a portion of the capability-based address by:

decoding a portion of the capability-based address to recover the capability parameter;

accessing a table storing the capability parameter using at least a portion of the capability-based address as a key into the table;

or

parsing at least a portion of the capability-based address to identity the capability parameter.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

processing a message comprising a capability-based address, the capability-based address having associated therewith a capability parameter for use in controlling delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address.

20. A method, comprising:

using a processor for;

processing a message comprising a capability-based address, the capability-based address having associated therewith a capability parameter for use in controlling delivery of a message directed to the capability-based address.