Traffic analysis for HTTP user agent based device category mapping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9755919-B2
Application number	US-201414254189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 22, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A traffic analysis system monitors data traffic in a communication network. In the data traffic, flows are detected which are based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). For each of the flows, a data record is created. The data record comprises at least a User Agent identifier from a message header of a HTTP message of the flow and a device identifier of a user equipment transmitting the flow. The data records are analyzed to determine a mapping of at least one User Agent identifier in the data records to a corresponding device category.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for analyzing data traffic in a communication network, the method comprising:
monitoring data traffic in the communication network;
detecting flows in the data traffic which are based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol;
for each of the flows, creating a data record comprising:
a User Agent identifier from a message header of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol message of the flow, and
a device identifier of a user equipment transmitting the flow;

analyzing the data records to determine a mapping of at least one User Agent identifier in the data records to a corresponding device category; and
on the basis of the mapping, controlling access of user equipments to the communication network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data record is created to further comprise:
a user identifier used for access of the user equipment to the communication network.

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:
wherein said analyzing of the data records is accomplished on the basis of data records which differ with respect to the included user identifier.

4. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:
wherein said analyzing of the data records comprises assigning the data records a relevance which depends on the number of data records with the same User Agent identifier but different user identifier.

5. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:
wherein the user identifier is based on an International Mobile Subscriber identity.

6. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:
wherein the user identifier is anonymized.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data record is created to further comprise:
an amount of data transmitted in the flow.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said analyzing of the data records comprises assigning the data records a relevance which depends on the included amount of data.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device identifier comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device category is defined in terms of a device type, a device model, a device manufacturer, and/or a device operating software.

11. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
on the basis of the mapping, detecting tethering activity of a user equipment connected to the communication network.

12. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
on the basis of the mapping, providing device information to a network-based service.

13. A node for a communication system, the node comprising:
at least one interface for monitoring data traffic in the communication network; and
at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
detect flows in the data traffic which are based on the Hypertext Transfer Protocol;
for each of flows, create a data record comprising:
a User Agent identifier from a message header of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol message of the flow, and a device identifier of a user equipment transmitting the flow;

analyze the data records to determine a mapping of at least one User Agent identifier in the data records to a corresponding device category; and
on the basis of the mapping, control access of user equipments to the communication network.

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M
• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Kersch Péter
• Nemeth Gabor
• Toka László

Classifications

• H04L43/028

  by filtering · CPC title

• H04M15/62

  based on trigger specification · CPC title

• H04L67/22

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M15/41

  Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR] · CPC title

• H04L43/04 Primary

  Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation · CPC title