Remote and local compound device capabilities synchronization method and system

• US 8,924,552 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hjelm, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US12/118,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,423 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A method and system allow applying policies to service requests for information or a session, which are created by communications devices and are intended to be sent to service providers over a network. The policies govern the extent to which details about the communications devices sending the requests are released or revealed to that service provider. After amount of capabilities corresponding to the extent allowed by the polity is determined and provided in the service request, the service request is sent over the network to the service provider. Policy based disclosure of communications device capabilities information may be applied in local network embodiments, such as a home or small office network including local sever and residential gateway functions.

Claims

1. A method of releasing device information related to a communications device over a network to a service provider, comprising:

receiving a service request sent from the communications device to the service provider, said request including identification information about the service provider;

determining a policy to be applied to device capabilities information about the communications device based on the identification information;

providing an amount of the device capabilities information to the service request, said amount corresponding to an extent permitted by said policy; and

sending the service request including the amount of the device capabilities information over the network to the service provider.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a policy to be applied involves determining whether a policy associated with the service provider indicates that the service provider should receive all of the capabilities information available for the communications device, and if so, sending all the available device capabilities information to the service provider.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the policy is selected from a plurality of policies stored in a data structure, each said policy associated with identification information of at least one service provider.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data structure is stored in a gateway connected to a local network along with the communications device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the gateway is comprised in the local network and comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem Gateway, and the steps of receiving, determining and sending are performed by the IP Multimedia Subsystem Gateway.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data structure is stored in a local server connected to a local network along with the communications device.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data structure is stored in a service provider located remote from a local network along with the communications device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communications device is connected to a local network along with a home server, and the steps of receiving, determining and sending are performed by the home server.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from the remote server in response to sending the service request; and

transcoding the received information; and

sending the transcoded information to the communications device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said transcoding is performed according to at least one rule stored in an information set associated with the communications device.

11. A system for releasing device information related to a communications device to a service provider, comprising:

a receiving component that receives a service request sent from the communications device to the service provider, said service request including information identifying the service provider;

storage that stores at least one information set comprising device capabilities information associated with a communications device and at least one policy to be applied when releasing device capabilities information;

an associations data structure that stores information associating each stored policy with information identifying at least one service provider; and

a policy implementation module that determines which stored policy to apply to a stored information set associated with the communications device that sent the request, said determination based on information stored in the associations data structure and the received information identifying the service provider, provides to the service request an amount of the device capabilities from the information set, said amount corresponding to an extent permitted by the determined policy, and sends the service request including the amount of the device capabilities information to the service provider.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the policy implementation module is provided in a gateway for connecting to a local network along with the communications device.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the gateway is adapted to be comprised in the local network and comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem Gateway.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the policy implementation module is provided in a local server connected to a local network along with the communications device.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the policy implementation module is provided in a service provider located remote from a local network including the communications device.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communications device is connected to a local network along with a home server, and the policy implementation module is provided in the home server.

17. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a transcoder that receives information from a service provider in response to the service request sent from the policy implementation module, transcodes the received information, and sends the transcoded information to the communications device.