Patent Publication Number: US-9888038-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for providing mobile and social services via virtual individual servers

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/622,153, filed on Nov. 19, 2009, which is currently allowed and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     People increasingly generate content on their personal endpoint devices, e.g., mobile devices, laptops, home computers, and the like, and upload the content to a third-party service for sharing and backup purposes. Although these services are convenient and useful, their use has important privacy implications due to their centralized nature and their acquisitions of rights to user-contributed content. For example, if a hacker maliciously attacks the third-party service, the hacker would obtain access to private information of all users that are signed up with the third-party service. In addition, when a user subscribes to a third-party service, they are typically required to sign an agreement that allows the third-party service to sell or share the user&#39;s private information. As a result, the user&#39;s privacy may be compromised or at risk. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a method, a computer readable medium and an apparatus for providing a virtual individual server service within a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request from a subscriber of the communications network to subscribe to the virtual individual server service, provides a virtual individual server to the subscriber in response to the request and executing at least one application via the virtual individual server using at least one piece of personal information associated with the subscriber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The teaching of the present disclosure can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary network related to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a high level block diagram of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method for providing a virtual individual server service within a communications network; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a high-level block diagram of a general-purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. 
     
    
    
     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure broadly discloses a method, a computer readable medium and an apparatus for providing a virtual individual server service within a communications network. Although the present disclosure is discussed below in the context of packet networks, e.g., IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, the present disclosure is not so limited. Namely, the present disclosure can be applied to packet networks in general, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks, Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks, wireless networks, and the like. 
     To better understand the present disclosure,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example network  100 , e.g., an IMS network related to the present disclosure. An IP network is broadly defined as a network that uses Internet Protocol to exchange data packets. Exemplary IMS networks include Internet protocol (IP) networks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks, Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) networks, and the like. 
     In one embodiment, the network  100  may comprise a plurality of endpoint devices  102 - 104  configured for communication with the core IMS network  110  (e.g., an IP based core backbone network supported by a service provider) via an access network  101 . In addition, a plurality of endpoint devices  105 - 107  is configured for communication with the IMS core packet network  110  via an access network  108 . The network elements  109  and  111  may serve as gateway servers or edge routers for the network  110 . 
     The endpoint devices  102 - 104  may represent servers that are data sources or other endpoint users. The endpoint devices  105 - 107  may represent endpoint devices within a subscriber&#39;s premises or home. The endpoint devices  102 - 107  may comprise customer endpoint devices such as wireless telephones, smart phones, wired telephones, personal desktop computers, laptop computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), video cameras, home appliances, and the like. The access networks  101  and  108  serve as a means to establish a connection between the endpoint devices  102 - 107  and the Network Elements (NEs)  109  and  111  of the IMS core network  110 . The access networks  101  and  108  may each comprise a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network, a broadband cable access network, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless Access Network (WAN), a 3 rd  party network, and the like. The access networks  101  and  108  may be either directly connected to NEs  109  and  111  of the IMS core network  110 , or indirectly through another network. 
     Some NEs (e.g., NEs  109  and  111 ) reside at the edge of the IMS core infrastructure and interface with customer endpoints over various types of access networks. An NE that resides at the edge of a core infrastructure is typically implemented as an edge router, a media gateway, a proxy server, a border element, a firewall, a switch, and the like. An NE may also reside within the network (e.g., NEs  118 - 120 ) and may be used as a SIP server, a core router, or like device. 
     The IMS core network  110  also comprises a Home Subscriber Server (HSS)  127 , a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF)  121 , a media server  125 , and an Application Server  112  that contains a database  115 . An HSS  127  refers to a network element residing in the control plane of the IMS network that acts as a central repository of all customer specific authorizations, service profiles, preferences, etc. 
     The S-CSCF  121  resides within the IMS core infrastructure and is connected to various network elements (e.g., NEs  109  and  111 ) using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) over the underlying IMS based core backbone network  110 . The S-CSCF  121  may be implemented to register users and to provide various services (e.g. VoIP services). The S-CSCF interacts with the appropriate VoIP/SoIP service related applications servers (e.g.,  112 ) when necessary. The S-CSCF  121  performs routing and maintains session timers. The S-CSCF may also interrogate an HSS to retrieve authorization, service information, user profiles, etc. In order to complete a call that requires certain service specific features, the S-CSCF may need to interact with various application servers (e.g. various VoIP servers). For example, the S-CSCF may need to interact with another server for translation of an E.164 voice network address into an IP address, and so on. 
     The Media Server (MS)  125  is a special server that typically handles and terminates media streams to provide services such as announcements, bridges, and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) messages for VoIP service applications. The media server also interacts with customers for media session management to accomplish tasks such as process requests. 
     The application server (AS)  112  may comprise any server or computer that is well known in the art, and the database  115  may be any type of electronic collection of data that is also well known in the art. In one embodiment, the AS may contain one or more virtual individual servers for each one of a plurality of subscribers as described below. In addition, one or more AS  112  may be included in the communication system  100 . Those skilled in the art will realize that the communication system  100  may be expanded by including additional endpoint devices, access networks, network elements, application servers, etc. without altering the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The above IP network is described only to provide an illustrative environment in which packets for voice, data and multimedia services are transmitted on networks. The current disclosure discloses a method and apparatus for providing a virtual individual server service within an exemplary communication network illustrated in  FIG. 1  and as described above. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a high level block diagram of one or more virtual individual servers (VIS)  202   1  to  202   n  (hereinafter also referred to as VIS  202 ). In one embodiment, the VIS  202  may reside in one or more application servers  112 . It should be noted that the VIS  202  may be a part of the application server  112  or may be implemented as part of one or more different pieces of hardware or network elements within the network “cloud” (e.g., the IMS core network  110  illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). 
     In one embodiment, a communications network service provider may provide VIS  202  as an additional service to subscribers of the communications network. The VIS  202  provides an alternative to users desiring to sign up with third-party service providers of online social networking services, back up storage, locate me services and the like. In other words, by providing a VIS  202  to users from the communication network service provider, no third-party services are required. By avoiding third-party services, privacy concerns associated with information stored by the third party services are avoided. 
     As discussed above, when a user signs up with a third-party service provider of online social networking services, back up storage, locate me services and the like, security risk is a large concern due to the centralized nature of the third-party service provider. For example, if a hacker maliciously attacks the third-party service, the hacker would obtain access to private or personal information of all users that are signed up with third-party service. The mass amounts of information potentially available to the hacker make the centralized third-party service an attractive target. In addition, the user is typically required to sign agreements before signing up with the service that allow the third-party service provider to sell or disseminate the user&#39;s personal information or uploaded content. 
     However, the VIS  202  provides a user access to various applications such as online social networks, personal email server applications, a personal location server application, a personal back up and synchronization application, a personal web server application, an incoming connection manager application and the like, without sacrificing privacy concerns. It should be noted that each one of the above applications utilizes one or more pieces of personal information or content associated with the user or subscriber. For example, personal information or content may include content uploaded to the VIS  202  by the user or subscriber (e.g., videos, pictures, audio files and the like), location of the user, personal emails, personal blogs, etc. The VIS  202  allows applications to use the personal information associated with a user or subscriber without raising privacy concerns typically associated with signing up with third-party services, as discussed above. 
     In other words, the VIS  202  should be distinguished from general cloud computing that allows users to run general applications or process data in a distributed processing format. Rather, the VIS  202  provides a user or a subscriber the ability to share and use personal information or content without sacrificing privacy of the user or subscriber. In other words, by signing up for the VIS  202 , the user or subscriber owns their own VIS  202 . This provides the user or subscriber full control of their respective VIS  202 . 
     In one embodiment, the VIS  202  is a logical partition of processing power and memory within a network cloud (e.g. the IMS core network  110  in  FIG. 1 ). In other words, each VIS  202  is logically separated from each other VIS  202 . A user only has access to their own VIS  202  even though each VIS  202  may be located on the same application server  112 . Each individual user or subscriber is provided their own VIS  202 . In other words, no two users share a VIS  202 . 
     For example, if seven people subscribe to a VIS service, there would be seven separate VIS  202 , i.e., one for each subscriber, as illustrated in  FIG. 2  by VIS  202   1 - 202   7 . Any number of VIS  202  may be created, e.g., up to VIS  202 . 
     The VIS  202  provides each user complete control of processing and applications executed within their own respective VIS  202 . In addition, the VIS  202  removes the processing and memory burden from the subscriber&#39;s personal endpoint device, e.g., a mobile endpoint device, home computer and the like. 
     Another advantage of the VIS  202  is that the VIS  202  is maintained by the communications network service provider. As a result, the subscriber&#39;s VIS  202  has more uptime and is maintained 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. For example, if a server running a subscriber&#39;s VIS  202  fails, the service provider may simply move the subscriber&#39;s VIS  202  to another server that is operating properly. 
     In addition, as noted above, the VIS  202  provides the user or the subscriber complete control over their privacy. For example, the user determines who has access to their own VIS  202 .  FIG. 2  illustrates one example of this concept. As a result, the user or subscriber may use the VIS  202  without relinquishing control over their personal or private information or content. 
     For example, the subscriber of VIS  202   1  may define an overlay network that is illustrated via lines  210  that include VIS  202   2 , VIS  202   4  and VIS  202   5 . The subscriber of VIS  202   4  may define an overlay network that is illustrated via lines  212  that include VIS  202   2 , VIS  202   6  and VIS  202   7 . The subscriber of VIS  202   5  may define an overlay network that is illustrated via lines  214  that include VIS  202   2 , VIS  202   3 , VIS  202   6  and VIS  202   7 . In other words, referring to the overlay network defined by lines  210 , personal information and uploaded content of the subscriber of VIS  202   1  may only be accessed by the subscribers granted permission or authorized by the subscriber of VIS  202   1 , namely VIS  202   2 , VIS  202   4  and VIS  202   5  in the example illustrated in  FIG. 2 . It should be noted that the service provider of the VIS  202  does not have access to share or disseminate the personal information or uploaded content of the subscriber of VIS  202   1  without the permission of the subscriber of VIS  202   1 . 
     Moreover, the VIS  202  provides a less attractive target for malicious attacks by hackers than a centralized repository of personal information of millions of users typically found in third-party service providers of online social networks or data back-up and synchronization. To illustrate, if a hacker attacks VIS  202   1 , the hacker would only obtain information associated with the subscriber of the VIS  202   1 . The hacker would need to again attempt to hack into VIS  202   2  to obtain personal information associated with the subscriber of the VIS  202   2  and so forth. In one embodiment, each VIS  202  may have a unique security key, password or authentication that is determined by each respective subscriber of VIS  202   1  to  202   n . As a result, the hacker may find it more desirable to try and hack a more centralized database of information rather than attempting to individually hack each VIS  202   1  to  202   n . 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates a block diagram of various types of information that may be stored in the VIS  202 . In one embodiment, the VIS  202  may store user content  204 , one or more applications  206 , user defined security policies  208  and an operating system  220 . The user content  204  are content uploaded to the VIS  202  by the user and includes, for example, video files, pictures, audio files, documents, hyperlinks and the like. 
     As discussed above, the user or subscriber of the VIS  202  has complete control over what applications are run on the subscriber&#39;s respective VIS  202 . In one embodiment, the applications  206  may include an online social network (OSN) application, a personal email server application, a personal location server application, a personal back up and synchronization application, a personal web server application and an incoming connection manager application. Notably, each application uses one or more pieces of personal or private information associated with the user or subscriber. 
     The OSN application may allow the subscriber of the VIS  202  to share uploaded content with other subscribers. For example, the VIS  202   1  to VIS  202   n  may also operate as an OSN. For example, the subscriber of VIS  202   1  may search for other subscribers having a VIS  202 , the subscriber of VIS  202   1  may invite subscribers of the other VIS  202   2  to VIS  202   n  to be part of their overlay network represented by lines  210  and so forth. 
     However, unlike an OSN operated by a third-party service provider, each subscriber&#39;s information and uploaded content is de-centralized and stored on a separate VIS  202 . In other words, all of the subscribers&#39; information and uploaded content are not in a centralized location. Moreover, each subscriber maintains complete control over privacy of the information stored in their VIS  202 . In other words, by using the VIS  202 , the service provider of the communications network offering the VIS as an additional service does not have the authority to sell or disseminate the information or uploaded content of the subscriber of the VIS  202 . 
     The personal location server application allows a user to track and store their location information on their respective VIS  202 . However, by using the VIS  202 , privacy concerns are alleviated because only other users predetermined by the subscriber are allowed to access the location information stored on the subscriber&#39;s VIS  202 . 
     The personal backup and synchronization server application allows a subscriber to use the VIS  202  for privacy-preserving backup and synchronization of personal information (e.g., calendar entries, address book entries, to-do lists, and so forth) that is generated and consumed on both mobile devices and personal computers. The personal web server application allows the VIS  202  to play the role of a general purpose, but privacy-preserving web server for sharing, for example, blogs, photos, videos generated and consumed on both mobile devices and personal computers. The personal email server application allows the VIS  202  to play the role of a privacy-preserving email server to clients running on both mobile devices and personal computers, thus freeing people from their current reliance on third-party email services. 
     The incoming connection manager application allows the VIS to play the role as an incoming connection manager for its associated mobile devices. In this role, the VIS  202  aggregates notifications and updates from third parties and propagates them to the mobile device only when it is convenient and energy-efficient for the mobile device. 
     In one embodiment, the user defined security policies  208  may include authentication information, e.g., a password, a encryption key and the like, trusted end point devices of the user, a predefined list of users that can access the VIS  202  of the user, and the like. In other words, the service provider of the VIS  202  has no control over who has access to information stored on a subscriber&#39;s VIS  202 . Rather, the subscribers have complete control over who has access to the information stored on their respective VIS  202 . 
     In one embodiment, the operating system  220  allows each VIS  202  to be independent from one another. In contrast, third party service providers generally allow subscribers to store information on their servers that all run on a common underlying operating system of the third party service provider. However, allowing each VIS  202  to operate an independent operating system  220  gives the individual user or subscriber complete control over what applications can be run on their own respective VIS  202  and provides another level of customization. For example, one user may want to run a Linux® operating system on his VIS  202   1  and another user may want to run a Windows® operating system on her VIS  202   2  and so forth. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method  300  for providing a virtual individual server service within a communications network. In one embodiment, one or more steps of the method  300  may be implemented by the application server  112  or a general purpose computer having a processor, a memory and input/output devices as illustrated below in  FIG. 4 . 
     The method  300  begins at step  302 . At step  304 , the method  300  receives a request from a subscriber of a communications network to subscribe to a virtual individual server service or to purchase the virtual individual server. By subscribing to the virtual individual server service or purchasing the virtual individual server, the subscriber possesses ownership rights of the virtual individual server. This is in contrast to third party service providers or cloud computing where the user is simply paying on a per use basis. As a result, the virtual individual server may move with the subscriber. For example, if the subscriber changes service providers, the virtual individual server may be ported with the individual. In one embodiment, the new user or the existing subscriber may send the request via a telephone call to the service provider, online via a computer, and the like. 
     At step  306 , the method  300  provides a virtual individual server to the subscriber in response to the request. In other words, after the new user or the existing subscriber request is processed, the service provider of the communications network provides a virtual individual server to the new user or the existing subscriber. As a result, the subscriber is assigned a virtual individual server, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, the subscriber has complete control over privacy of content or personal information they store on the virtual individual server, as discussed above. 
     At step  308 , the method  300  executes at least one application via the virtual individual server using at least one piece of personal information associated with the subscriber. For example, the subscriber may have complete control over what applications are run on the subscriber&#39;s virtual individual server, as discussed above. For example, the subscriber may use the virtual individual server to execute or run one or more applications without sacrificing privacy as required with third-party service providers. In one embodiment, the at least one application includes at least one of an online social network (OSN) application, a personal email server application, a personal location server application, a personal back up and synchronization application, a personal web server application and an incoming connection manager application. The method  300  ends at step  314 . 
     It should be noted that although not explicitly specified, one or more steps of the methods described herein may include a storing, displaying and/or outputting step as required for a particular application. In other words, any data, records, fields, and/or intermediate results discussed in the methods can be stored, displayed, and/or outputted to another device as required for a particular application. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a high-level block diagram of a general-purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the system  400  comprises a processor element  402  (e.g., a CPU), a memory  404 , e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), a module  405  for providing a virtual individual server service, and various input/output devices  406  (e.g., storage devices, including but not limited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard disk drive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, a display, a speech synthesizer, an output port, and a user input device (such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)). 
     It should be noted that the present disclosure can be implemented in software and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., using application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purpose computer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, the present module or process  405  for providing a virtual individual server service can be loaded into memory  404  and executed by processor  402  to implement the functions as discussed above. As such, the present method  405  for providing a virtual individual server service (including associated data structures) of the present disclosure can be stored on a computer readable storage medium, e.g., RAM memory, magnetic or optical drive or diskette and the like. 
     While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.