TRUST METRIC-BASED QUERYING METHOD

Abstract

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, a network entity maintains (301) a record of at least one other network entity wherein that record comprises, at least in part, a trust metric that correlates the at least one other network entity with a particular amount of trust. A question can then be provided (302) and a query formed (303) by associating that question with a corresponding quantitative trust factor requirement. The record can then be employed to forward (304) that query to the at least one other network entity. By one approach, a network entity that receives (401) such a message comprising a question and a quantitative trust factor requirement as corresponds thereto can determine (402) whether to provide an answer responsive to that question. This can comprise forwarding (403) an answer in appropriate cases.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the trust metric-based querying method described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a schematic block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 comprises a schematic block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 comprises a Venn diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 comprises a schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 comprises a schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 12 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 13 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 14 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 15 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 16 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 17 comprises a schematic block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 18 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 19 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 20 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 21 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 22 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 23 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 24 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 25 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 26 comprises a schematic block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 27 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 28 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 29 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 30 comprises a call flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising: at a network entity: maintaining a record of at least one other network entity wherein the record comprises, at least in part, a trust metric that correlates the at least one other network entity with a particular amount of trust;providing a question;forming a query by associating the question with a corresponding quantitative trust factor requirement;using the record to forward the query to the at least one other network entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one other network entity correlates to a specific user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein using the record to forward the query to the at least one other network entity comprises using a QUESTION generic primitive to forward the query to the at least one other network entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein using the record to forward the query to the at least one other network entity comprises forming a message that comprises: an identity of a Session Initiation Protocol entity;the question;the quantitative trust factor requirement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein using the record to forward the query to the at least one other network entity comprises forming a message that comprises information regarding subsequent propagation of the message by a receiving network entity to yet another network entity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the information comprises at least one of: a specific request to propagate the message to yet another network entity;a specific number of levels by which the message can be propagated to yet another network entity;a time criteria by which to govern, at least in part, the subsequent propagation of the message.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the message further comprises: a request that an answering network entity participate in a source verification process.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a plurality of answers to the question and corresponding quantitative trust factors;using the plurality of answers and their corresponding quantitative trust factors to inform a decision.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein: providing a question comprises providing a plurality of questions; andforming a query comprises forming a query by associating each of the plurality of questions with corresponding quantitative trust factor requirements.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein providing a plurality of questions comprises splitting the question into the plurality of questions.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of providing a question and forming a query comprises using a previously provided template.

12. A method comprising: at a network entity: receiving from a forwarding network entity a message comprising a question and a quantitative trust factor requirement that corresponds to the question;determining whether to provide an answer to the forwarding network entity;upon determining to provide an answer to the forwarding network entity, forwarding the answer to the forwarding network entity.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether to provide an answer to the forwarding network entity comprises determining whether an answer can be provided that has a corresponding quantitative trust factor that at least equals the quantitative trust factor requirement.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether to provide an answer to the forwarding network entity comprises: forwarding a message to yet another network entity;receiving an answer to the question from the yet another network entity;determining whether to use the answer from the yet another network entity.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein forwarding the message to yet another network entity comprises: maintaining a record that comprises the yet another network entity wherein the record comprises, at least in part, a trust metric that correlates the yet another network entity with a particular amount of trust;comparing the quantitative trust factor requirement with the trust metric that correlates to the yet another network entity to obtain a comparison result;using the comparison result to determine whether to forward the message to the yet another network entity.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein forwarding the answer to the forwarding network entity comprises using an ANSWER generic primitive to forward the answer to the forwarding network entity.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether to provide an answer to the forwarding network entity comprises: determining whether to forward a message to yet another network entity as a function, at least in part, of information contained in the message.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the information comprises at least one of: a specific request to propagate the message to yet another network entity;a specific number of levels by which the message can be propagated to yet another network entity.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein forwarding the answer to the forwarding network entity comprises forming the answer using a previously provided template.