IP Library Granted Patent US 9,608,904
Granted Patent B2
US 9,608,904 · App. 14/135,994 · Granted Mar 28, 2017

System and method for analyzing devices accessing

Inventor: Scot Loach (Waterloo, CA)
Assignee: SANDVINE INCORPORATED ULC
H04L45/74H04L41/12H04L43/04H04L61/2514H04L67/22H04L69/167H04L69/22H04L61/6086
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,608,904
App. No.
14/135,994
Granted
Mar 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system for analyzing devices on a network are provided. The method includes: receiving at least one packet from a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE); determining identity metadata associated with the at least one packet; and analyzing the at least one packet to determine a device associated with the at least one packet. The system for analyzing devices on a network includes: a packet processor configured to receive at least one packet from a CPE; a subscriber/session identity module configured to determine identity metadata with the at least one packet; and a device tracker module configured to analyze the at least one packet to determine a device associated with the at least one packet.

Claims (47)

1. A method for analyzing devices on a network comprising:

receiving, at the network, at least one packet from a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) from a device located behind the CPE;

determining identity metadata associated with the at least one packet;

applying device tracking by analyzing a network layer and transport layer of the at least one packet;

performing correlation procedures based on an analysis of an application layer of the at least one packet;

determining the device associated with the at least one packet based on the device tracking and correlation; and

identifying a type of device based on the identity metadata and device tracking and correlation associated with the at least one packet.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining session data and subscriber data related to the at least one packet; and

updating a count of devices in use related to the session and associated with a subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining device metadata related to the device associated with the at least one packet.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining device metadata related to the device comprises:

identifying the device; and

classifying the device based on the device identity.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the at least one packet to determine a device associated with the at least one packet further comprises accounting the at least one packet to the device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising enforcing policy rules in real-time based on the identity metadata and device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing the at least one packet to determine a device associated with the at least one packet comprises determining whether the device is a dual-stack device and associating the at least one packet associated with the dual-stack device to a Device ID.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one packet comprises a plurality of packets.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the analyzing the plurality of packets to determine a device associated with the plurality of packets further comprises determining a plurality of IP addresses associated with a single device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the analyzing the plurality of packets includes performing Layer 7 correlation procedures on each packet.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the Layer 7 correlation procedures are selected from a group comprising: node pair correlation, signaled data correlation and application field correlation.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the analyzing the plurality of packets includes performing device matching processes on each packet.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the state of the device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

initiating an idle timer and a timeout timer for the device;

updating the state of the device to idle if the idle timer reaches a threshold; and

updating the state of the device to deleted if the timeout timer reaches a threshold, otherwise returning the state of the device to active.

15. A system for analyzing devices on a network comprising:

a packet processor configured to receive from the network, at least one packet from a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), from a device behind the CPE; and

a memory component comprising one or more modules executable by one or more processors, the one or more modules comprising:

a subscriber/session identity module configured to determine identity metadata associated with the at least one packet; and

a device tracker module configured to:

apply device tracking by analyzing a network layer and a transport layer of the at least one packet;

perform correlation procedures based on an analysis of an application layer of the at least one packet;

determine a device associated with the at least one packet based on the device tracking and correlation; and

identify a type of device based on the identity metadata and device tracking and correlation associated with at least one packet.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

the subscriber/session identity module is further configured to determine session data and subscriber data related to the at least one packet; and

the device tracker module is further configured to update a count of devices in use within the session and associated with the subscriber.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a device classification module configured to determine device metadata related to the device associated with the at least one packet.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the device tracker module is further configured to account the at least one packet to the device.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a policy module configured to enforce policy rules in real-time based on the identity metadata and device.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the device tracker module is further configured to determine whether the device is a dual-stack device and associating the at least one packet associated with the dual-stack device to a Device Id.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the device tracker module is further configured to determine a plurality of IP addresses associated with a single device.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: SANDVINE CORPORATION; SANDVINE INCORPORATED ULC; SANDVINE LTD.; SANDVINE TECHNOLOGIES (CANADA) INC.
To: SANDVINE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047750/0077 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: PNI CANADA ACQUIRECO CORP.; SANDVINE CORPORATION
To: PNI CANADA ACQUIRECO CORP.
Reel/Frame 047750/0326 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 7, 2018
From: PNI CANADA ACQUIRECO CORP.
To: SANDVINE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048897/0558 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2013
From: LOACH, SCOT
To: SANDVINE INCORPORATED ULC
Reel/Frame 031827/0475 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150180774A1 · Jun 25, 2015