Method for statistical object identification

Abstract

The present invention provides a mechanism to activate an original object ( 12 S) so that statistical objects ( 14 S) generated from the original object can be recognized using statistical object identification. An object activation agent ( 48 ) with a clock ( 47 ) and at least one original object ( 12 S) communicates the original object ( 12 S) and time from the clock ( 47 ) to an object activation service ( 50 ). The object activation service ( 50 ) provides and communicates keying information ( 61 ) and expiration criterion ( 63 ) for at least one of said original objects ( 12 S) back to the object activation agent ( 48 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising the steps of:
 an object activation agent ( 48 ) having access to a clock ( 47 ) and having at least one original object ( 12 S);   said object activation agent ( 48 ) communicating said original object ( 12 S) and time from said clock ( 47 ) to an object activation service ( 50 ); and   said object activation service ( 50 ) providing and communicating keying information ( 61 ) and expiration criterion ( 63 ) for at least one of said original objects ( 12 S) to said object activation agent ( 48 ).   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , where
 said original object ( 12 S) is obtained from an external service.   
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , where
 said object activation service ( 50 ) determines if network address translation was performed between said object activation agent ( 48 ) and said object activation service ( 50 ).   
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , where
 said object activation service ( 50 ) communicates said determination of network address translation to said object activation agent ( 48 ).   
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 providing an SOI policy service ( 40 ), an SOI Insertion Policy service ( 42 ) and a network resource ( 66 );   said object activation agent ( 48 ) communicating said keying information ( 61 ), and expiration criterion ( 63 ) for each of the said original objects ( 12 S) to said SOI insertion service ( 40 );   said network client ( 66 ) sending a message ( 68 ) to said network resource ( 62 );   said message ( 68 ) being communicated through said SOI insertion service ( 42 );   said SOI insertion service ( 42 ) selecting one of said original objects ( 12 S) and generating a statistical object ( 14 S) using said keying information ( 61 ) associated with said selected original object ( 12 S);   said SOI insertion service ( 42 ) inserting said statistical object ( 14 S) into said message ( 68 ) and forwarding said message ( 68 ) to said network resource ( 62 );   
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 said object activation agent ( 48 ) communicating said keying information ( 61 ), and said expiration criterion ( 63 ) for each of said original objects ( 12 S) to an SOI identification service ( 40 );   said SOI Policy service ( 40 ) generating a plurality of statistical objects ( 14 S) using said keying information ( 61 ) for each of the said original objects ( 12 S).   
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 said SOI Policy service ( 40 ) ceasing generation of statistical objects ( 14 S) after said expiration criterion ( 63 ) has been met;   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited as  claim 6  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of time; 
 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 7  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of statistical objects ( 14 S); 
 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 7  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of messages ( 68 ); 
 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 said object activation agent ( 48 ) communicating said keying information ( 61 ), and said expiration criterion ( 61 ) for each of said original objects ( 12 S) to an SOI resolution service ( 46 );   said SOI resolution service ( 46 ) generating a plurality of statistical objects ( 14 S) using said keying information ( 61 ) for each of the said original objects ( 12 S).   
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 said identity fault resolution service ( 46 ) ceasing generation of statistical objects ( 14 S) after said expiration criterion ( 63 ) has been met;   
     
     
         13 . A method as recited as  claim 11  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of time; 
 
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 11  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of statistical objects ( 14 S); 
 
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 11  in which:
 said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is expressed as a function of messages ( 68 ); 
 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising the steps of:
 An SOI Policy service ( 40 ) receiving a statistical object ( 14 S) associated with a message ( 68 )   using statistical object identification, determining that said received statistical object ( 14 S) is not present in a plurality of statistical object ( 14 S); and   sending said statistical object ( 14 S) and said associated message ( 68 ) to an SOI resolution service ( 46 );   
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 accumulating a statistic of failed statistical object resolutions on a per source address basis;   determining that said count of failed statistical object resolutions exceeds a threshold; and   discarding messages received from said source address until an expiration criterion is met;   
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 accumulating a statistic of failed statistical object resolutions on a per source address basis;   determining that said count of failed statistical object resolutions exceeds a threshold; and   adjusting the probability threshold for messages received from said source address until an expiration criterion is met;   
     
     
         19 . A method comprising the steps of:
 An SOI resolution service ( 46 ) receiving an original object ( 12 S), keying information ( 61 ), expiration criterion ( 63 ), a message ( 68 ) and policy information ( 60 ) from a second SOI resolution service ( 49 ); and   said SOI resolution service ( 46 ) generating statistical objects ( 14 S) from said original objects ( 12 S) until said expiration criterion ( 63 ) is satisfied;   
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising the additional steps of:
 said SOI resolution service ( 46 ) associating a source IP address contained in said message ( 68 ) with said original object ( 12 S);