Method and apparatus for providing security using network traffic adjustments

• US 9,667,317 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Jayaraman, Serban, Cristina, Lackey, Joshua, Levy, Donald E., Piqueras Jover, Roger, Gross, David
• Primary Examiner(s): KASSA, ZEWDU A
• Application Number:
  US14/739,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20160365897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 375256, 375295, 375316, 375219
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/00 Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, generating first traffic for transmitting along a network path to a recipient device and transmitting the first traffic along the network path to remove traffic patterns associated with a premises. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system comprising:

a dielectric coupler;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, from a second waveguide system via the dielectric coupler, electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium without utilizing an electrical return path, the electromagnetic waves at least partially surrounding an outer surface of the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range, wherein the electromagnetic waves contain first data, second data, and metadata, wherein the first and second data are directed to a recipient device, and wherein the metadata is generated by the second waveguide system and is associated with the first and second data by the second waveguide system;

responsive to a detection of the metadata, determining a first network path for the first data; and

responsive to the detection of the metadata, determining a second network path for the second data.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting the first data along the first network path using second electromagnetic waves that do not utilize the electrical return path, that are guided by the transmission medium, and that have the non-optical frequency range; and

transmitting the second data along the second network path using third electromagnetic waves that do not utilize the electrical return path, that are guided by the transmission medium, and that have the non-optical frequency range.

3. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the first and second data are generated at equipment of a premises, and wherein the second waveguide system is a closest waveguide system in a wired network to the premises.

4. The waveguide system of claim 3, wherein the metadata identifies the first and second data as being received from the equipment of the premises.

5. The waveguide system of claim 3, wherein the metadata identifies the first and second data as being received from a geographic area, and wherein the premises is located in the geographic area.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first network path includes a third waveguide system that is different from a fourth waveguide system included in the second network path.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the metadata is first and second metadata, wherein the first metadata is included in a first packet header of the first data, and wherein the second metadata is included in a second packet header of the second data.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the waveguide system and the second waveguide system are adjacent nodes in a wired network comprising power lines.

9. A method comprising:

generating, by a system including a processor, first traffic for transmitting along a network path to a recipient device;

transmitting, by the system, second traffic along the network path, wherein the second traffic comprises data readings from a data collection device of a premises;

determining, by the system, a schedule for transmitting the first traffic that removes traffic patterns from a combined transmitting of the first and second traffic; and

transmitting, by the system, the first traffic along the network path according to the schedule, wherein the first traffic is removed from the network path prior to reaching the recipient device,

wherein the system comprises a first waveguide system having a dielectric coupler, wherein the first waveguide system operates by communicating electromagnetic waves via the dielectric coupler at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves at least partially surround an outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first traffic is removed from the network path by a second waveguide system.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising:

storing the data readings as previous data readings, wherein the generating of the first traffic includes generating artificial data readings based on the previous data readings.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating of the first traffic includes generating artificial data readings that is not based on previous data readings.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising:

generating metadata indicating that the first traffic includes artificial data readings; and

inserting the metadata in the first traffic, wherein the first traffic is removed from the network path prior to reaching the recipient device responsive to a detection of the metadata by a downstream network device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the schedule provides for a steady state flow of the combined transmitting of the first and second traffic.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the schedule provides for random intervals between traffic of the combined transmitting of the first and second traffic.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein data readings comprise power parameters associated with power usage at the premises, and wherein the data collection device comprises a power meter of the premises.

17. A machine-readable storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring network traffic associated with a premises;

monitoring a presence of a user at the premises; and

responsive to a first determination that the network traffic does not satisfy a first threshold, a second determination that the user is not present at the premises, or a combination thereof, accessing a group of information sources utilizing equipment at the premises to increase the network traffic to satisfy a second threshold, wherein the accessing the group of information sources is performed without being initiated by user input at the equipment at the premises, wherein at least a portion of the network traffic is transmitted by a first waveguide system having a dielectric coupler, wherein the first waveguide system operates by communicating electromagnetic waves via the dielectric coupler at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves at least partially surround an outer surface of the transmission medium, and wherein the electromagnetic waves have a non-optical frequency range.

18. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the group of information sources comprises websites, and wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a schedule for accessing the websites that removes traffic patterns from the network traffic, wherein the accessing of each of the websites is performed according to the schedule.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing a history of websites accessed based on user input; and

selecting the group of information sources according to the history of websites.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the monitoring of the presence of the user is performed responsive to the first determination that the network traffic does not satisfy the first threshold, wherein the accessing of the group of information sources is performed responsive to the second determination that the user is not present at the premises.