A method for providing a communications network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a dual anonymous communication system

ES 2 264 628 A1

DESCRIPTION

A method of providing a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a dual anonymous communication system.

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to communication networks and more specifically to a communication network-based method for providing a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a dual anonymous communication system.

Background of the invention

The background of the invention is briefly explained below.

By double anonymous communication is meant communication between two parties, where neither the originating party nor the terminating party know the actual subscriber identity of the other party.

Today, the most typical and popular form of double anonymous communication is anonymous chat. You can chat anonymously on the Internet in various ways, GSM chat, on TV, on GSM and other forums (GSM, Global System for Mobile Communications). By “anonymous” it is understood in this context that the people participating in the chat forum do not (necessarily) know the real identity (name, email address, telephone number, etc.) of the others.

The problem arises when two parties to the chat forum want to talk to each other on the phone at the same time that they want to keep their identity a secret from the other party.

One can imagine two people A and B who do not know each other chatting on TV using SMS (SMS, Short Message Service) or on the Internet using aliases. They would like to call each other to make an appointment, for example, but they are both too shy to give their real phone number or they don't want to give the real number in case the other person turns out to be cheeky. This is especially true when the chat takes place on TV as large numbers of people could see the real phone number and start harassing.

Today there are already services that allow anonymous calls to voice chat rooms. It is also possible for the originating party to delete its subscriber identity. Anonymous email has also been possible for years. The originating party can also use Calling Line Identity Restriction to hide their phone number.

There are also some known technologies for anonymous communication today. However, these are limited to some services and are applied in circuit-switched networks that gradually go out of phase when all communication (voice, data) goes to IP-based networks.

However, in IP-based networks, there are no services that would allow anonymous calls between two parties, where neither the calling party nor the called party knows the actual subscriber identity of the other party.

Also, there are no services that would allow double anonymous one-to-one communication using the same account for all types of communication (eg voice, data, email, etc).

A communication network based method is needed to provide a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a dual anonymous communication system. This need exists both in current circuit-switched wired and wireless networks and in IP-based networks.

European patent application EP 984 608 shows, what it calls a prior art, a solution concerning a call agent to obtain communications by telephone using online communication. The described solution presents a solution, where in an online text chat environment a telephone link can be established to one of the chat participants with the help of a call agent team.

The IETF SIP WG Internet draft "SIP Extensions for Caller Identity and Privacy" by Marshall et al. Shows, what is called a prior art, extensions to SIP that allow parties to a SIP session to be identified by different types of party information. , which are authenticated by an accredited entity. The draft specification shows workarounds, where the provision of the part information can be suppressed.

The prior art solutions do not present a solution for a communication network based method for providing a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity or a solution for a double anonymous communication system.

Summary of the present invention

An object of the present invention is to overcome or at least mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention realizes a communication network-based method for providing a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a dual anonymous communication system.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a method is presented for providing a subscriber with an anonymous subscriber identity, for use in an IP communications network having an originating party A and a terminating party B connected to the network, wherein the method includes the following steps:

- terminating party B requests a temporary SIP address (SIP, Session Initiation Protocol) to use as an anonymous subscriber identity,

- the IP communications network reserves a temporary SIP address to which the regular subscriber identity of the terminating party B is associated,

- an application server provides the temporary SIP address to terminating party B,

- Strict party B announces the received temporary SIP address in an open forum,

- originating party A initiates an anonymous communication path towards the temporary SIP address of terminating party B,

- originating party A deletes the subscriber identity in the established communication path, ^Y

- the IP communications network establishes an anonymous communication path between the originating party A and the terminating party B for anonymous communication between two parties using any type of support available for communication between two parties in an IP-based network, and using the identity subscriber name of terminating party B associated with the temporary SIP address.

Preferably, in the method according to the present

ES 2 264 628 A1 invention, the terminating party B requests the temporary SIP address via the Internet. Alternatively, the terminating party B requests the temporary SIP address via an SMS interface (SMS, Short Message Service). Alternatively, the terminating party 8 requests the temporary SIP address via a WAP interface (WAP, Wireless Application Protocol). Alternatively, terminating party B requests the temporary SIP address by dialing a number on the IP communications network. Alternatively, terminating party B requests the temporary SIP address through an email interface. Preferably, terminating party B requests several temporary SIP addresses.

Preferably, in the method according to the present invention, the terminating party B advertises the received temporary SIP address on television. Alternatively, the terminating party B advertises the received temporary SIP address in a restricted open forum. Most preferably, the restricted open forum is the service that provides the temporary SIP address.

Preferably, in the method according to the present invention, the terminating party B terminates the temporary SIP address. Preferably, the use of a temporary SIP address is disabled for a period of time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a device is presented for providing a subscriber with an anonymous subscriber identity, for use in an IP communications network having an originating party A and a terminating party B connected to the network, device in the fact that

- terminating party B has means to request a temporary SIP address (SIP, Session Initiation Protocol) to use as an anonymous subscriber identity,

- the IP communications network has means to reserve a temporary SIP address to which the regular subscriber identity of the terminating party B is associated,

- an application server has means to provide the temporary SIP address to the terminating party B,

- terminating party B has means to associate its regular subscriber identity with the temporary SIP address,

- Strict Party B has means to advertise the received temporary SIP address in an open forum,

- an originating party A has means to initiate an anonymous communication path towards the temporary SIP address of terminating party B,

- an originating party A has means to suppress the subscriber identity in the established communication path, and

- the IP communications network has means to establish an anonymous communication path between originating party A and terminating party B for anonymous communication between two parties using any type of support available for communication between two parties in an IP-based network, and use the subscriber identity of terminating party B associated with the temporary SIP address.

Preferably, in the device according to the present invention, the terminating party B has means for requesting the temporary SIP address via the Internet. Alternatively, the terminating party B has means to request the temporary SIP address via an SMS interface (SMS, Short Message Service). Alternatively, the terminating party B has means to request the temporary SIP address via a WAP interface (WAP, Wireless Application Protocol). Alternatively, terminating party B has means of requesting the temporary SIP address by dialing a number on the IP communication network. Alternatively, the terminating party B has means to request the temporary SIP address via an email interface. Preferably, terminating party B has means to request several temporary SIP addresses.

Preferably, in the device according to the present invention, the terminating party B has means for advertising on television the received temporary SIP address. Alternatively, the terminating party B has means to advertise the received temporary SIP address in a restricted open forum. Most preferably, the restricted open forum is the service that provides the temporary SIP address.

Preferably, in the device according to the present invention, the terminating party B has means for terminating the temporary SIP address. Preferably, the use of a temporary SIP address is disabled for a period of time.

Brief description of the drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it can be carried out, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a double anonymous communication system according to the present invention implemented in an IP-based network.

Figure 2 illustrates a method of providing a communications network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of some realizations

The present invention describes a generic solution for all types of double anonymous communication in IP-based networks (IP, Internet Protocol) where communication paths are established with SIP signaling (SIP, Session Initiation Protocol). The present invention also describes how a double anonymous communication service can be implemented in an IP-based network using anonymous temporary SIP addresses to provide anonymity to subscribers.

The solution according to the present invention presents a new communication network-based method for providing a communication network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity and a new double anonymous communication system.

Figure 1 illustrates a double anonymous communication system according to the present invention implemented in an IP-based network. Figure 1 shows how a double anonymous communication system is implemented as an IP network service using temporary subscriber identities assigned by subscribers. The double anonymous communication system according to the present invention has a subscriber terminal A 1 and a subscriber B 2 connected to an IP-based network 3. The double anonymous communication system according to the present invention also has an application server called DAC server 5 (DAC, Double Anonymous Communication) in the IP-based network 3. Furthermore, the double anonymous communication system according to the present invention has a PC 4 for a connection to the DAC server 5 (PC, Computer

ES 2 264 628 A1

Personal). A router on IP network 3 is marked with a reference number 6.

Double anonymous communication is enabled by reserving a group of SIP addresses (SIP, Session Initiation Protocol) for the Double Anonymous Communication service on the DAC 5 server. These addresses are used as temporary network identification for double anonymous communication. A subscriber can reserve an anonymous temporary SIP address on a DAC server 5 with a PC 4, for example, over an IP connection. When a subscriber with an anonymous temporary SIP address connects to the IP-based network, he associates the actual subscriber identity (eg a regular SIP address) with the anonymous temporary SIP address on the DAC server 5 using the SIP message LOG.

A double anonymous connection is established as follows using SIP signaling. Originating subscriber A 1 contacts DAC server 5 with an INVITE message using an anonymous temporary SIP address associated with terminating subscriber B 2. DAC server 5 replaces the anonymous temporary SIP address with subscriber B 2's original network identity and sends INVITATION message to subscriber B 2.

Alternatively, the DAC server may delete or remove the network identity of subscriber A in / from the INVITE message sent by the DAC server. Similarly, the DAC server 5 can replace the original network identity of subscriber A with a generic identity of the DAC server or with a temporary network identity in case the subscriber B 2 subscribes to an anonymous temporary SIP address in the DAC server. 5.

The solution according to the present invention is applicable to all types of supports available for communication between two parties in an IP-based network, for example email, voice calls, chat and video in real time.

The anonymous temporary SIP address can be used for the established communication path as long as the originating and terminating subscribers wish to be anonymous to each other, allowing the service provider to generate additional revenue. Use of the service can be indicated using upload data collected for anonymous communication on the network.

Figure 2 illustrates a method of providing a communications network subscriber with an anonymous temporary subscriber identity in accordance with the present invention. In the solution according to the present invention a subscriber requests 7 a temporary subscriber identity using web access or SMS. The DAC system then reserves 8 a temporary subscriber identity and replaces it with the regular subscriber identity of subscriber B. Subsequently, the DAC system provides 9 this temporary subscriber identity to subscriber B. Then, subscriber B announces 10 the temporary subscriber identity to subscriber A. Originating subscriber A initiates 11 a call using the temporary number or sends an INVITE message 11 to the IP network using the anonymous temporary SIP address. The DAC system replaces the temporary subscriber identity with the original network identity of subscriber B and directs the call 12 to the called party.

Considering the popularity of anonymous chatting on the Internet, TV and GSM, this invention has several important implementation applications. The service is easy to implement and can be deployed on an existing GSM / UMTS network in a very short time. In addition, the cost of implementation in IP networks is low. This type of service could be advertised for example in Internet chat rooms and TV chat rooms.

In the solution according to the present invention, a subscriber can reserve a temporary subscriber identity or even several temporary subscriber identities using web or SMS access. The temporary subscriber identity will be associated with the person's regular subscriber identity in the SCP or in the IP network.

B gives the temporary subscriber identity to A. Person A can then call the temporary subscriber identity reserved by B without actually knowing the actual subscriber identity of A. On the other hand, B will not know the identity of A if applicable for To Calling Line Identity Restriction. This is optional. If B no longer wishes to have anything with A, B can easily get rid of the temporary subscriber identity and possibly reserve a new temporary subscriber identity in its place. In this way, A has no way to call B. back. The group of temporary subscriber identities has to be relatively large so that the time interval when the same temporary subscriber identity is reserved again is relatively large.

Compared to using a calling card, the threshold to start using this type of service is much lower. The service can be used with a regular subscription from anywhere. Chatting on TV and the Internet is extremely popular today. The service according to the present invention could be implemented on TV and the Internet in chat forums.