METHOD FOR APPARATUS FOR ROUTING APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE (API) CALLS

• US 20140282968A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonage America LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Vonage Network LLC (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: ABOUGHANAIMA, MABROUK, GORREPATI, CHAKRAPANI, OTTUR, DEEPAK, ERICKSON, JOHN
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/54 Object oriented software
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/30 third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for routing Application Programming Interface (API) calls from a partner entity to a telephony service provider (TSP) network are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for routing API calls may include receiving a first message including an API call and a partner API key used to authenticate the partner entity on the TSP network to access a partner API layer disposed on the TSP network, extracting the partner API key from the first message, performing an authentication process to authenticate an identity of the partner entity using at least the extracted partner API key, and routing the first message based on results of the authentication process. In some embodiments, the first message is routed to the partner API layer disposed on the TSP network when the identity of the partner entity is authenticated.

Claims

1. A method for routing Application Programming Interface (API) calls from a partner entity to a telephony service provider (TSP) network comprising:

receiving a first message including an API call and a partner API key used to authenticate the partner entity on the TSP network to access a partner API layer disposed on the TSP network;

extracting the partner API key from the first message;

performing an authentication process to authenticate an identity of the partner entity using at least the extracted partner API key; and

routing the first message based on results of the authentication process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is routed to the partner API layer disposed on the TSP network when the identity of the partner entity is authenticated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is discarded and access to the partner API layer is denied when the identity of the partner entity is not authenticated.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending an error message to the partner entity denying access to the partner API layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication process includes validating the extracted partner API key against a stored API key generated for the partner entity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first message is received from one or more devices disposed on a partner network associated with the partner entity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the authentication process further includes comparing an identity of the one or more devices from which the first message was received against a stored list of devices associated with the partner entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a service request message, and wherein the partner API key is embedded in a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) envelope body of the service request message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a unique partner ID identifying the partner entity is further included in the SOAP envelope body along with the partner API key.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a secure proxy layer communicatively coupled to the partner entity and the partner API.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the secure proxy layer is Web based.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first message is received over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) connection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the first message including the API call, the method further comprises:

receiving a request to establish the partner entity on the TSP network;

generating the partner API key used to provide the partner entity access to the partner API layer; and

sending the generated partner API key to the partner entity.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

extracting the API call from the message;

determining that the partner entity has been authorized to use the API call included in the first message; and

routing the API call to downstream network components disposed on the TSP network based on the determination that the partner entity has been authorized to use the API call.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

extracting the API call from the message;

determining that the partner entity is not authorized to use the API call included in the message; and

sending an error message to the partner entity denying use of the API call.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second message including call back API call and a second partner API key used to authenticate the TSP on a network associated with the partner entity to access a partner data;

extracting the second partner API key from the second message;

performing a second authentication process to determine an identity of the TSP using at least the extracted second partner API key; and

routing the second message based on results of the second authentication process.

17. A secure proxy layer device for routing Application Programming Interface (API) calls from a partner entity to a telephony service provider (TSP) network comprising:

a) at least one processor;

b) at least one input device; and

c) at least one storage device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, performs a method including

1) receiving a first message including an API call and a partner API key used to authenticate the partner entity on the TSP network to access a partner API layer disposed on the TSP network,

2) extracting the partner API key from the first message,

3) performing an authentication process to authenticate an identity of the partner entity using at least the extracted partner API key; and

4) routing the first message based on results of the authentication process.

18. The secure proxy layer device of claim 17, wherein the first message is routed to the partner API layer disposed on the TSP network when the identity of the partner entity is authenticated.

19. The secure proxy layer device of claim 17, wherein the first message is discarded and access to the partner API layer is denied when the identity of the partner entity is not authenticated.

20. The secure proxy layer device of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

sending an error message to the partner entity denying access to the partner API layer.

21. The secure proxy layer device of claim 17, wherein the authentication process includes validating the extracted partner API key against a stored API key generated for the partner entity.

22. The secure proxy layer device of claim 21, wherein the first message is received from one or more devices disposed on a partner network associated with the partner entity, and wherein the authentication process further includes comparing an identity of the one or more devices from which the first message was received against a stored list of devices associated with the partner entity.

23. A non-transient computer readable medium for storing computer instructions that, when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method for routing Application Programming Interface (API) calls from a partner entity to a telephony service provider (TSP) network, comprising:

receiving a first message including an API call and a partner API key used to authenticate the partner entity on the TSP network to access a partner API layer disposed on the TSP network;

extracting the partner API key from the first message;

performing an authentication process to authenticate an identity of the partner entity using at least the extracted partner API key; and

routing the first message based on results of the authentication process.