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vCon (Virtual Conversation) Standard - LLM Context

What is a vCon?

A vCon is a standardized JSON container for storing and exchanging real-time human conversation data. It supports multiple communication types: phone calls, video conferences, SMS, MMS, emails, web chat, and more. vCons enable consistent storage, analysis, and interchange of conversational data across different platforms and services.

Core Structure

Every vCon has exactly 5 main sections:

  1. metadata - conversation context and identifiers

  2. parties - participant information

  3. dialog - actual conversation content

  4. analysis - derived insights (transcripts, sentiment, etc.)

  5. attachments - supplemental files

vCon States

  • unsigned - initial/intermediate state during collection

  • signed - verified with JWS digital signature for immutability

  • encrypted - secured with JWE for sensitive data

Complete JSON Schema

Top-Level vCon Object Properties

{
  "vcon": "0.0.2",                    // REQUIRED: syntax version
  "uuid": "string",                   // REQUIRED: globally unique identifier 
  "created_at": "Date",               // REQUIRED: creation timestamp (RFC3339)
  "updated_at": "Date",               // OPTIONAL: last modification timestamp
  "subject": "string",                // OPTIONAL: conversation topic/subject
  "parties": [],                      // REQUIRED: array of Party objects
  "dialog": [],                       // OPTIONAL: array of Dialog objects
  "analysis": [],                     // OPTIONAL: array of Analysis objects  
  "attachments": [],                  // OPTIONAL: array of Attachment objects
  "redacted": {},                     // OPTIONAL: Redacted object (mutually exclusive with appended/group)
  "appended": {},                     // OPTIONAL: Appended object (mutually exclusive with redacted/group)
  "group": []                         // OPTIONAL: array of Group objects (mutually exclusive with redacted/appended)
}

Party Object Properties

{
  "tel": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: telephone number (E.164 format preferred)
  "stir": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: STIR PASSporT in JWS Compact form
  "mailto": "string",                 // OPTIONAL: email address
  "name": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: participant name
  "validation": "string",             // OPTIONAL: identity validation method used
  "jcard": "object",                  // OPTIONAL: jCard object for contact info
  "gmlpos": "string",                 // OPTIONAL: GML position (lat/long)
  "civicaddress": {                   // OPTIONAL: civic address object
    "country": "string",              // OPTIONAL: country code
    "a1": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: national subdivision (state/province)
    "a2": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: county/parish/district
    "a3": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: city/township
    "a4": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: city division/borough
    "a5": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: neighborhood/block
    "a6": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: street/group of streets
    "prd": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: leading street direction
    "pod": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: trailing street suffix
    "sts": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: street suffix
    "hno": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: house number
    "hns": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: house number suffix
    "lmk": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: landmark
    "loc": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: additional location info
    "flr": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: floor
    "nam": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: name/description
    "pc": "string"                    // OPTIONAL: postal code
  },
  "timezone": "string",               // OPTIONAL: timezone identifier
  "uuid": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: unique participant identifier
  "role": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: participant role (agent, customer, supervisor, etc.)
  "contact_list": "string"            // OPTIONAL: reference to contact list
}

Dialog Object Properties

{
  "type": "string",                   // REQUIRED: "recording", "text", "transfer", or "incomplete"
  "start": "Date",                    // REQUIRED: start time (RFC3339)
  "duration": "number",               // OPTIONAL: duration in seconds (UnsignedInt or UnsignedFloat)
  "parties": [],                      // REQUIRED: array of party indices or arrays for multi-channel
  "originator": "number",             // OPTIONAL: index of originating party (if not first in parties)
  "mediatype": "string",              // OPTIONAL: MIME type (required for inline, optional if in HTTP header)
  "filename": "string",               // OPTIONAL: original filename
  
  // Content (for types other than "incomplete" and "transfer")
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline content (mutually exclusive with url)
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: "base64url", "json", or "none"
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference (mutually exclusive with body)
  "content_hash": "string|string[]",  // REQUIRED with url: SHA-512 hash for integrity
  
  // Additional properties
  "disposition": "string",            // REQUIRED for "incomplete" type: reason for failure
  "party_history": [],               // OPTIONAL: array of party join/leave events
  "campaign": "string",               // OPTIONAL: campaign identifier
  "interaction_type": "string",       // OPTIONAL: type of interaction
  "interaction_id": "string",         // OPTIONAL: interaction identifier
  "skill": "string",                  // OPTIONAL: required skill for handling
  "application": "string",            // OPTIONAL: application/platform used
  "message_id": "string",             // OPTIONAL: unique message identifier
  
  // Transfer-specific properties (only for "transfer" type)
  "transferee": "number",             // Party index for transferee role
  "transferor": "number",             // Party index for transferor role  
  "transfer_target": "number",        // Party index for transfer target role
  "original": "number",               // Dialog index for original conversation
  "consultation": "number",           // Dialog index for consultation (optional)
  "target_dialog": "number"           // Dialog index for target conversation
}

Analysis Object Properties

{
  "type": "string",                   // REQUIRED: "summary", "transcript", "translation", "sentiment", "tts"
  "dialog": "number|number[]",        // OPTIONAL: index(es) of related dialog objects
  "mediatype": "string",              // OPTIONAL: MIME type of analysis data
  "filename": "string",               // OPTIONAL: filename for analysis data
  "vendor": "string",                 // OPTIONAL: vendor/product name that generated analysis
  "product": "string",                // OPTIONAL: specific product name
  "schema": "string",                 // OPTIONAL: data format/schema identifier
  
  // Content
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline analysis data (mutually exclusive with url)
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: encoding method
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference (mutually exclusive with body)
  "content_hash": "string|string[]"   // REQUIRED with url: integrity hash
}

Attachment Object Properties

{
  "type": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: semantic type of attachment
  "purpose": "string",                // OPTIONAL: purpose of attachment
  "start": "Date",                    // REQUIRED: timestamp when attachment was exchanged
  "party": "number",                  // REQUIRED: index of party who contributed attachment
  "mediatype": "string",              // OPTIONAL: MIME type
  "filename": "string",               // OPTIONAL: original filename
  "dialog": "number",                 // REQUIRED: index of related dialog
  
  // Content
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline attachment data (mutually exclusive with url)
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: encoding method
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference (mutually exclusive with body)
  "content_hash": "string|string[]"   // REQUIRED with url: integrity hash
}

Redacted Object Properties

{
  "uuid": "string",                   // REQUIRED: UUID of unredacted version
  "type": "string",                   // REQUIRED: type of redaction performed
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline unredacted vCon (encrypted)
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: encoding method
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference to unredacted vCon
  "content_hash": "string|string[]"   // REQUIRED with url: integrity hash
}

Appended Object Properties

{
  "uuid": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: UUID of original vCon version
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline original vCon
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: encoding method
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference to original vCon
  "content_hash": "string|string[]"   // OPTIONAL with url: integrity hash
}

Group Object Properties

{
  "uuid": "string",                   // REQUIRED: UUID of vCon to aggregate
  "body": "string",                   // OPTIONAL: inline vCon (JSON form)
  "encoding": "string",               // REQUIRED with body: must be "json"
  "url": "string",                    // OPTIONAL: external reference to vCon
  "content_hash": "string|string[]"   // REQUIRED with url: integrity hash
}

Party History Object Properties (for Dialog.party_history)

{
  "party": "number",                  // REQUIRED: index of party
  "event": "string",                  // REQUIRED: "join", "drop", "hold", "unhold", "mute", "unmute"
  "time": "Date"                      // REQUIRED: timestamp of event
}

Security Features

  • JWS Signing - ensures integrity and authenticity using RS256 (recommended)

  • JWE Encryption - protects sensitive content using RSA-OAEP + A256CBC-HS512 (recommended)

  • Content Hashing - SHA-512 hashes for external file integrity (mandatory for external refs)

  • Versioning - maintains history of changes and redactions via uuid references

Signed vCon Structure (JWS)

{
  "payload": "string",                // Base64url encoded unsigned vCon
  "signatures": [{                    // Array of signature objects
    "header": {                       // Unprotected header
      "alg": "RS256",                 // SHOULD be RS256
      "x5c": ["string"],              // REQUIRED: certificate chain OR x5u
      "x5u": "string",                // REQUIRED: cert chain URL OR x5c
      "uuid": "string"                // SHOULD be provided: vCon UUID for convenience
    },
    "protected": "string",            // Base64url encoded protected header
    "signature": "string"             // Base64url encoded signature
  }]
}

Encrypted vCon Structure (JWE)

{
  "unprotected": {                    // Unprotected header
    "cty": "application/vcon+json",   // SHOULD be application/vcon+json
    "enc": "A256CBC-HS512",           // SHOULD be A256CBC-HS512
    "uuid": "string"                  // SHOULD be provided: vCon UUID
  },
  "recipients": [{                    // Array of recipient objects
    "header": {                       // Per-recipient header
      "alg": "RSA-OAEP"               // SHOULD be RSA-OAEP
    },
    "encrypted_key": "string"         // Base64url encoded encrypted key
  }],
  "iv": "string",                     // Base64url encoded initialization vector
  "ciphertext": "string",             // Base64url encoded encrypted signed vCon
  "tag": "string"                     // Base64url encoded authentication tag
}

Common Media Types

Dialog

  • text/plain - plain text messages

  • audio/x-wav - WAV audio files

  • audio/x-mp3 - MP3 audio files

  • audio/x-mp4 - MP4 audio files

  • audio/ogg - OGG audio files

  • video/x-mp4 - MP4 video files

  • video/ogg - OGG video files

  • multipart/mixed - multipart content (emails)

Content Encoding Options

  • base64url - Base64url encoded binary data

  • json - Valid JSON object

  • none - Valid JSON string, no encoding needed

Implementation Guidelines

  • Follow JSON schema strictly for compliance

  • Use proper timestamps (RFC3339/ISO 8601 format)

  • Ensure UUIDs are globally unique (prefer version 8 with domain-based generation)

  • Implement proper signing/encryption for production use

  • Maintain referential integrity between sections

  • Always use HTTPS for external file references

  • Validate content hashes for external files using SHA-512

Python Development Notes

  • Use uuid library for generating UUIDs (version 8 recommended)

  • datetime.isoformat() for RFC3339 timestamps

  • json module for serialization/deserialization

  • cryptography library for JWS/JWE operations

  • hashlib for SHA-512 content hash generation

  • Validate against vCon JSON schema before processing

  • Use requests with SSL verification for external file retrieval

Key Considerations

  • vCons can reference previous versions (redaction/append history via uuid)

  • Media content can be embedded (body + encoding) or referenced externally (url + content_hash)

  • Privacy and compliance requirements vary by jurisdiction

  • Large media files should typically be stored as external references

  • Ensure proper escaping of JSON content in dialog sections

  • Support both single-channel and multi-channel audio recordings

  • Handle participant join/leave events in party_history for complex conversations

  • Maintain chain of custody through signing and encryption across security domains

Validation Rules

  • At most one of: redacted, appended, or group parameters in top-level object

  • Dialog objects of type "incomplete" or "transfer" MUST NOT have body/url content

  • Dialog objects of other types SHOULD have body+encoding OR url+content_hash

  • External references (url) MUST include content_hash for integrity

  • Signed vCons MUST include x5c OR x5u in header for certificate chain

  • Party indices in dialog.parties must reference valid parties array elements

  • Dialog indices in analysis.dialog must reference valid dialog array elements

UUID Generation (Version 8 Recommended)

# Recommended UUID generation approach
import hashlib
import uuid
from datetime import datetime

def generate_vcon_uuid(domain="example.com"):
    """Generate version 8 UUID for vCon with domain-based uniqueness"""
    timestamp = int(datetime.utcnow().timestamp() * 1000)  # milliseconds
    domain_hash = hashlib.sha1(domain.encode()).digest()[:8]  # 62 bits
    
    # Construct version 8 UUID (implementation details vary)
    # Use standard uuid library with custom generation
    return str(uuid.uuid4())  # Fallback to uuid4 if version 8 not available
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