Method and arrangement for concealing true identity of user in communications system

• US RE45,485 E1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kokko, Marko H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/309,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 705 50- 79, 713/150, 726/2
• US Class Current: 705/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for concealing the true identity of a user in a communications system comprising a first user equipment having a first characteristic identifier, a second user equipment having a second characteristic identifier, a service network serving the first and the second user equipment. The method according to the invention comprises: requesting a virtual identifier by means of the first user equipment; establishing the virtual identifier for the first user equipment; linking the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to the first characteristic identifier of the first user equipment and using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment for communication between the first and the second user equipment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

requesting a virtual identifier from a first user equipment;

establishing a virtual identifier for the first user equipment in at least one of;

the first user equipment and the service network;

linking the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment;

requesting from a service network, by a second user equipment, a communications connection to be established to the first user equipment by using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment;

matching the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network; and

establishing, by the service network, the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising requesting the virtual identifier from a service network of the communications system.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising requesting multiple virtual identifiers from a service network of the communications system.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising providing a set of virtual identifiers in a service network of the communications system, one or more of the virtual identifiers being linked to the characteristic identifier of the first user equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising selecting, in a service network of the communications system, the virtual identifier to be used for communication between the first and the second user equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising receiving at a service network of the communications system a request for establishing a communications connection between the first and the second user equipment, the request comprising the virtual identifier of the first user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising receiving the request for establishing the communications connection between the first and the second user equipment via a short message service.

8. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising receiving the request for establishing the communications connection between the first and the second user equipment via an electronic mail server service.

9. The method of claim 6, the method further comprising receiving the request for establishing the communications connection between the first and the second user equipment from the second user equipment.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising receiving, in the first user equipment, information about the use of the virtual identifier of the first user equipment.

11. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining a given validity period of the virtual identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining one or more user equipment that have the right to use the virtual identifier.

13. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining a given validity period during which the virtual identifier is valid.

14. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining one or more user equipments permitted to use the virtual identifier.

15. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining certain time periods in which the virtual identifier may be used.

16. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining that a virtual identifier may only be used in national communication.

17. A system comprising:

a first user equipment configured to request a virtual identifier;

a second user equipment; and

a service network configured to receive the request and to establish a virtual identifier for the first user equipment, link the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment,

the second user equipment being configured to request from the service network a communications connection to be established to the first user equipment by using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment, and

the service network being further configured to match the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network, and to establish the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first user equipment is configured to request the virtual identifier from the service network of the communications system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the service network is configured to establish multiple virtual identifiers.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the service network of the communications system comprises a set of virtual identifiers and is configured to link one or more of the virtual identifiers of the set to the first characteristic identifier of the first user equipment.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the second user equipment is configured to transmit to the service network of the communications system a request for establishing a communications connection between the first and the second user equipment, the request comprising the virtual identifier of the first user equipment.

22. An apparatus configured to:

request a virtual identifier;

establish a virtual identifier;

link the virtual identifier of the apparatus to a characteristic identifier of the apparatus in order to configure a second apparatus to request from the service network a communications connection to be established to the apparatus by using the virtual identifier of the apparatus, and in order to configure the service network to establish the requested communications connection from the second apparatus to the apparatus on the basis of determining that the characteristic identifier matches the virtual identifier of the apparatus.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to establish multiple virtual identifiers.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to receive information about the use of the virtual identifier linked to the characteristic identifier of the apparatus from a service network of the communications system when a connection is established between the apparatus and the second apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining a given validity period during which the virtual identifier is valid.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining one or more apparatuses permitted to use the virtual identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining certain time periods in which the virtual identifier may be used.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining that a virtual identifier may only be used in national communication.

29. A method comprising:

establishing a connection between a first user equipment and a second user equipment when a virtual identifier established for the first user equipment in at least one of;

the first user equipment and the service network, consisting at least in part of numbers where at least a portion of the numbers identify the virtual identifier as a virtual identifier, linked to a first characteristic identifier of the first user equipment, and having predetermined one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier, the virtual identifier of the first user equipment is used by the second user equipment in a request to the service network for establishing a communications connection to the first user equipment, and the service network matches the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network, and establishes the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein having predetermined one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes having predetermined a given validity period during which the virtual identifier is valid.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein having predetermined one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes having predetermined one or more user equipments permitted to use the virtual identifier.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein having predetermined one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes having predetermined certain time periods in which the virtual identifier may be used.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein having predetermined one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes having predetermined that a virtual identifier may only be used in national communication.

34. An apparatus, comprising a processor configured to:

link a virtual identifier established for a first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment in order to configure the use of the virtual identifier of the first user equipment for communication between the first and a second user equipment wherein the virtual identifier consists at least partly of numbers where at least a portion of the numbers identify the virtual identifier as a virtual identifier;

predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier;

receive a request comprising the virtual identifier of the first user equipment from the second user equipment for establishing a communication connection between the first and second user equipments, wherein communication between the first and second user equipments takes into account the one or more predetermined limitations;

match the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers; and

establish the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the apparatus is further configured to send the virtual identifier to the first user equipment via a short message service.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the processor configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes being configured to predetermine a given validity period during which the virtual identifier is valid.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the processor configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes being configured to predetermine one or more user equipments permitted to use the virtual identifier.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the processor configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes being configured to predetermine certain time periods in which the virtual identifier may be used.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the processor configured to predetermine one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier includes being configured to predetermine that a virtual identifier may only be used in national communication.

40. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a virtual identifier;

establishing a virtual identifier for a first user equipment;

linking the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment;

receiving a request from a second user equipment via a service network, for a communications connection to be established to the first user equipment by using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment;

matching the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network; and

establishing, by the service network, the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising providing a set of virtual identifiers in the service network, one or more of the virtual identifiers being linked to the characteristic identifier of the first user equipment.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising predetermining a given validity period for the virtual identifier.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising predetermining one or more user equipments permitted to use the virtual identifier.

44. A system comprising:

a first apparatus configured to receive a request for a virtual identifier, establish a virtual identifier for a first user equipment, and link the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment; and

a second apparatus configured to receive a request for a communications connection to be established to the first user equipment by using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment, obtain a match to the virtual identifier used in the request from a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network, and establish, by a service network, the requested communications connection to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier linked to the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the match.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the first apparatus comprises a short message service center including a virtual phone number server.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the second apparatus comprises a home location register.

47. A method comprising:

establishing a virtual identifier for an apparatus in the apparatus;

linking the virtual identifier of the apparatus to a characteristic identifier of the apparatus in order to configure a second apparatus to request from a service network a communications connection to be established to the apparatus by using the virtual identifier of the apparatus, and in order to configure the service network to establish the requested communications connection from the second apparatus to the apparatus on the basis of determining that the characteristic identifier matches the virtual identifier of the apparatus.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising establishing multiple virtual identifiers.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising the apparatus receiving information about the use of the virtual identifier linked to the characteristic identifier of the apparatus from the service network when a connection is established between the apparatus and the second apparatus.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining a given validity period during which the virtual identifier is valid.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining one or more apparatuses permitted to use the virtual identifier.

52. The method of claim 47, further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining certain time periods in which the virtual identifier may be used.

53. The method of claim 47, further comprising predetermining one or more limitations for the use of the virtual identifier by predetermining that a virtual identifier may only be used in national communication.

54. An apparatus configured to:

receive a request for a virtual identifier;

establish a virtual identifier for a first user equipment;

link the virtual identifier of the first user equipment to a characteristic identifier of the first user equipment;

receive a request from a second user equipment via a service network, for a communications connection to be established to the first user equipment by using the virtual identifier of the first user equipment;

match the virtual identifier used in the request from the second user equipment to a database of virtual identifiers linked to characteristic identifiers in the service network; and

establish, by the service network, the requested communications connection from the second user equipment to the first user equipment when the characteristic identifier matching the virtual identifier of the first user equipment has been found on the basis of the matching.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the apparatus is further configured to provide a set of virtual identifiers in the service network, one or more of the virtual identifiers being linked to the characteristic identifier of the first user equipment.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the apparatus is further configured to predetermine a given validity period for the virtual identifier.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the apparatus is further configured to predetermine one or more user equipments permitted to use the virtual identifier.