International Business Machines Corporation

Mark Pozefsky

Heather Maria Hinton

James P Gray

Alastair John Angwin

Victor S Moore

Michael A Gilfix

Diane Phylis Pozefsky

Inder Sarat Gopal

Vishwanath Narayan

Lee M Rafalow

Alan E Baratz

Michael A Lerner

Melinda R Pollard

Marsha E Ferree

George A Grover

Susan Renee Wallenborn

Jeffrey M Jaffe

John F Wilder

Peter J Hansen

Jean A Lorrain

A mobile device identifier (such as an MSISDN) that typically accompanies a mobile device request is replaced with an 'enriched' identifier that exposes the mobile device user's home operator but obfuscates the mobile device's (and, thus, the device user's) identity. In one embodiment, the identifier comprises a first part, and a second part. The first part comprises a data string that identifies (either directly or through a database lookup) the mobile device user's home operator. The second part, however, is an opaque data string, such as a one-time-use unique identifier (UID) or a value that is otherwise derived as a function of the MSISDN (or the like). The opaque data string encodes the mobile device's identity in a manner that preferably can be recovered only by the user's home operator (or an entity authorized thereby). When the mobile device user roams into a foreign network, that network receives the enriched identifier in lieu of an MSISDN. The foreign network uses the first part to identify the mobile device user's home network, e.g., to determine whether to permit the requested access (or to provide some other value-added service). The foreign network, however, cannot decode the second part; thus, the mobile device's identity (as well as the identity of the mobile device user) remains obscured. This ensures that the user's privacy is maintained, while preventing third parties from building a profile of the device based on the requests that include the MSISDN or similar identifier.

Method and apparatus for accessing a foreign network with an obfuscated mobile device user identity

The present invention discloses a solution for modifying a group list server to perform syndication feed operations. A syndication feed creation software component, a content gathering component, and a content extraction converting component can be added to a group list server. The modified group list server can continue to function as a traditional list server and can also function as a traditional feed server that is able to interoperate with standard, client-side feed readers. In one embodiment, the modified list server can repurpose syndication groups as to operate as syndication feed channels and can repurpose group members to operate as feed items.

Using a group list server as a syndication feed server

A mobile device identifier (such as an MSISDN) that typically accompanies a mobile device request is replaced with an 'enriched' identifier that exposes the mobile device user's home operator but obfuscates the mobile device's (and, thus, the device user's) identity. In one embodiment, the identifier comprises a first part, and a second part. The first part comprises a data string that identifies (either directly or through a database lookup) the mobile device user's home operator. The second part, however, is an opaque data string, such as a one-time-use unique identifier (UID) or a value that is otherwise derived as a function of the MSISDN (or the like). The opaque data string encodes the mobile device's identity in a manner that preferably can be recovered only by the user's home operator. The present invention describes a method and apparatus for use in a home network to manage the generation, storage and use of the unique identifiers.

Method and apparatus for managing obfuscated mobile device user identities

The present invention discloses a system for implementing a software application programming interface (API) within a session initiation protocol (SIP) servlet. Such a system can utilize a state machine, a SIP servlet configured to execute the state machine, and an enterprise service bus (ESB). The state machine can be configured to send and receive a series of communications and can be defined in a definition document. The series of communications can represent the execution of a software function defined within an API. The SIP servlet can select a state machine based upon an indicator contained within a received SIP message. The ESB can be configured to execute a system function in response to communications with the state machine.

Using a state machine embedded within a session initiation protocol (SIP) servlet to implement an application programming interface (API)

Mobile device with an obfuscated mobile device user identity

A method for the full duplex exchange of data via a conversation between a pair of transaction programs over a network in which any transaction program which requests a confirmation of previously sent data inhibits the further transmission of data until a response to the request is received and a transaction program which receives a request for confirmation will inhibit the receipt of data until a response to the confirmation request is sent. In addition, when a transaction program attempts to terminate a conversation a definite response is requested and the response to the termination will be queued behind any data which remains to be sent so as to purge that data from the network.

Full duplex conversation between transaction programs

A LOCATE search dynamically locates resources (e.g., logical units (LUs) and transaction program and files associated with LUs) in a computer network so that a session can be established between the origin and the destination of the search. In a network which includes end nodes associated with server nodes, a resource contained in any node is located by a requesting node. The requesting node initiates a search of the resources residing within itself. If the resource does not reside in the requesting node, the server node searches the resources known to the server node that reside anywhere in the nework. If the resource is not known by the server node, it searchers all resources that reside in its associated end nodes. If the resource does not reside in the associated end nodes, either a request is sent to a central directory if one exists or a search of all resources in the network is made.

Locating resources in computer networks

Disclosed is a communication transport message format for carrying control information, relevant only to a transport system and end user data. The end user data is prefixed by a length field. The length field is set to a value representing the number of bytes of user data plus the size of the length field. A bit in the length field is used as a 'continuation' or more-to-come indicator. Length field values that are less than the number of bytes of the length field are used to prefix control information.

End user data stream syntax

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Mark Pozefsky