Method and apparatus for controlling unsolicited messaging in real time messaging networks
First Claim
1. A method for controlling unsolicited messaging in a real time messaging (RTM) network, the method comprising:
- receiving a call initiation request from a first terminal device coupled to the RTM network;
marking the call initiation request on behalf of the first terminal device to identify an origination characteristic of the initiation request, generating a marked call initiation request;
transmitting the marked call initiation request on the RTM network for delivery to one or more second terminal devices coupled to the RTM network;
verifying the marked call initiation request on behalf of at least one of the second terminal devices to determine the origination characteristics of the marked call initiation request;
determining a delivery action in response to the verifying;
delivering the marked call initiation request in accordance with the delivery action; and
determining a reputation associated with the call initiation request in response to the origination characteristic and wherein the determining a delivery action is responsive to the reputation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Voice over IP (VoIP) or Real Time Messaging (RTM) firewall device is claimed that protects VoIP or RTM network traffic by identifying and controlling the delivery of such network traffic that is unsolicited and undesired by the recipient (i.e. VoIP or RTM spam). The system involves applying a unique marking to RTM messages close to a point of message origination and then at a point close to message termination for the intended recipient examining a reputation store for information on the unique marking and using that information in conjunction with a set of policy rules to decide whether to pass, reject, pass on to an RTM store or otherwise filter the RTM message. The unique marking serves to identify a source characteristic of the message such as the message originator, a corporate affiliation for the originator, or a RTM network characteristic of the originator such as a transmission gateway.
43 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for controlling unsolicited messaging in a real time messaging (RTM) network, the method comprising:
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receiving a call initiation request from a first terminal device coupled to the RTM network; marking the call initiation request on behalf of the first terminal device to identify an origination characteristic of the initiation request, generating a marked call initiation request; transmitting the marked call initiation request on the RTM network for delivery to one or more second terminal devices coupled to the RTM network; verifying the marked call initiation request on behalf of at least one of the second terminal devices to determine the origination characteristics of the marked call initiation request; determining a delivery action in response to the verifying; delivering the marked call initiation request in accordance with the delivery action; and determining a reputation associated with the call initiation request in response to the origination characteristic and wherein the determining a delivery action is responsive to the reputation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling unsolicited messaging in a real time messaging (RTM) network, the method comprising:
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verifying an origination of a call initiation request on behalf of a first terminal device, the verifying being performed at least in part using marks included in the call initiation request that identifies an origination characteristic of the call initiation request; determining a delivery action in response to the verifying, wherein the determining includes determining a reputation associated with the origination and wherein the determining a delivery action is responsive to the reputation; and delivering the call initiation requests in accordance with the delivery action. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for controlling unsolicited messaging in a real time messaging (RTM) network, the system comprising:
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a signing gateway communicatively coupled to one or more message originators and to the RTM network, the signing gateway being configured to receive a call initiation request from a first message originator, mark the call initiation request to generate a signed call initiation request, and relay the signed call initiation request to the RTM network on behalf the first message originator, the signed call initiation request identifying an origination characteristic of the call initiation request; a verifying gateway communicatively coupled to the RTM network and one or more message recipients, the verifying gateway being configured to receive the signed call initiation request, verify the signed call initiation request on behalf of at least one message recipient to determine the origination characteristic, and determine a delivery action to selectively deliver the signed call initiation request in response to the origination characteristic; and one or more reputation information stores communicatively coupled to the verifying gateway, the reputation information stores comprising reputation information for at least some of the message originators, wherein the verifying gateway is configured to determine a reputation for the message originator associated with the signed call initiation request and to selectively deliver the signed call initiation request in response to the reputation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification