Method and apparatus for providing a structured and partially regenerable identifier

• US 9,246,882 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Oliver, Ian Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Holder, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US13/594,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 713150-151, 713/189, 726 2- 4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD

Abstract

An approach is provided for generating a structured and partially regenerable identifier. An identification generation platform receives a request to generate at least one regenerable that includes, at least in part, a plurality of fields. The identification generation platform determines to separately hash and/or encrypt the respective ones of the plurality of fields. A generation of the at least one identifier is caused, based at least in part, on the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields.

Claims

1. A method for generating a structured and partially regenerable identifier comprising:

receiving a request by a mobile service provider computer or a mobile device computer to generate at least one identifier, where the at least one identifier is regenerable and includes, at least in part, a plurality of fields;

determining via a hardware processor of the mobile service provider computer or mobile device computer, data for populating respective ones of the plurality of fields;

implementing via the processor a separate hash and/or encryption of the respective ones of the plurality of fields;

implementing via the processor a generation of the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields;

receiving another request to regenerate the at least one identifier, the another request specifying one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields;

implementing via the processor an update to the data of the one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields,

where an update frequency is determined separately for two or more of the plurality of fields; and

implementing via the processor a regeneration of the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the update to the data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

separately rehashing and/or reencrypting the respective ones of the plurality of fields to regenerate the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the update.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

implementing, at least in part, the update to occur periodically, according to a schedule, on demand, randomly, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

implementing, at least in part, the rehashing and/or reencrypting of the one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields based, at least in part, on one or more new hashing and/or encryption parameters; and

implementing an invalidation of one or more previously used hashing and/or encryption parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a transmission of one or more keys associated with one or more of the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields to at least one service, at least one application, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more keys facilitate access to the one or more of the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields by the at least one service, the at least one application, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more keys are determined separately for the respective ones of the plurality of fields.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the initiating the transmission is based, at least in part, on one or more instructions from a user associated with the at least one identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a service, an application, or a combination thereof;

and the method further comprising;

implementing, at least in part, an association of the at least one identifier with log data associated with the service, the application, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data for populating the respective ones of the plurality of fields includes, at least in part, a seed, a service name, a device identifier, a user identifier, an application identifier, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus for generating a structured and partially regenerable identifier comprising:

a mobile service provider computer or a mobile device computer further comprising;

at least one hardware processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code, with the at least one processor, configuring the apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive a request to generate at least one identifier, where the at least one identifier is regenerable and includes, at least in part, a plurality of fields;

determine data for populating respective ones of the plurality of fields;

separately hash and/or encrypt the respective ones of the plurality of fields;

implement, at least in part, a generation of the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields;

receive another request to regenerate the at least one identifier, the another request specifying one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields;

implement, at least in part, an update to the data of the one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields,

where an update frequency is determined separately for two or more of the plurality of fields; and

implement, at least in part, a regeneration of the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the update to the data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

separately rehash and/or reencrypt the respective ones of the plurality of fields to regenerate the at least one identifier based, at least in part, on the update.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

implement, at least in part, the update to occur periodically, according to a schedule, on demand, randomly, or a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

implement, at least in part, the rehashing and/or reencrypting of the one or more but less than all of the plurality of fields based, at least in part, on one or more new hashing and/or encryption parameters; and

implement, at least in part, an invalidation of one or more previously used hashing and/or encryption parameters.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

implement, at least in part, a transmission of one or more keys associated with one or more of the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields to at least one service, at least one application, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more keys facilitate access to the one or more of the hashed and/or encrypted respective ones of the plurality of fields by the at least one service, the at least one application, or a combination thereof.

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

determine the one or more keys separately for the respective ones of the plurality of fields.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

initiate the transmission based, at least in part, on one or more instructions from a user associated with the at least one identifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

receive the request from a service, an application, or a combination thereof; and

implement, at least in part, an association of the at least one identifier with log data associated with the service, the application, or a combination thereof.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data for populating the respective ones of the plurality of fields includes, at least in part, a seed, a service name, a device identifier, a user identifier, an application identifier, or a combination thereof.