System and method for service restoration in a network

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system (108) and a method (400) for restoring a service in a network. The method (400) includes automatically restoring (402), by a processing engine (208), the service associated with a user equipment (UE) (104) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network. The method (400) includes. For automatically restoring the service, the method (400) includes terminating (406), by the processing engine (208), a current network session corresponding to the UE (104) by sending a termination command to, via a HSS, at least one network function based on a network type; and establishing (408), by the processing engine (208), a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVICE RESTORATION IN A NETWORKRESERVATION OF RIGHTS

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to intellectual property rights such as, but are not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, Integrated Circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred as owner). The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the owner.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of telecommunication networks. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for service restoration in a network.DEFINITION

[0003] As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used to indicate otherwise.

[0004] The term ‘paging’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a procedure used by a network to contact a user equipment (UE) that is in an idle or inactive state. Paging is typically initiated when there is incoming data or a service request (e.g., voice call or message) directed to the UE. Paging involves sending a paging message over the radio interface to locate and establish communication with the UE.

[0005] The term ‘application function / application server’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a network function / server that acts as a bridge between applications and the 5G core network for enabling services such as voice, text, image, and video calls / session control, messaging, and emergency services such as voice calls to emergency numbers. The examples of application function / application server include Telecom Application Servers (TAS), Messaging Application Servers, and Emergency Call Handling servers.

[0006] The term ‘Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a component in an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service that handles session control functions, including call setup, management, and teardown. The P-CSCF plays a critical role in initiating service restoration procedures for voice and multimedia services by acting as the application function. In an embodiment, for the automatic service restoration use case, the IMS has been described where the P-CSCF acts as the application function. However, the present disclosure is not limited to IMS services, any operator-trusted service or function can implement this mechanism for automatic service restoration.

[0007] The term ‘Home Subscriber Server (HSS)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a central database that stores user subscription data and policy- related information. The HSS is responsible for managing user profiles and performing authentication, authorization, and registration of subscribers.

[0008] The term ‘Unified Data Management (UDM)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a component in a Fifth Generation (5G) core network that manages subscriber profile data, authentication, session context, and policy control. In the context of service restoration, the UDM may be triggered via the HSS to de-register or re-register the UE and facilitate session re-establishment in 5G networks.

[0009] The term ‘Mobility Management Entity (MME)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a network node in a Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) network that manages the mobility of UEs, including session management, paging, and handovers. The term ‘Access Point Name (APN) used hereinafter in the specification refers to a gateway that allows mobile devices to connect to a cellular network and access the internet or other networks. It essentially acts as a translator between a mobile device and the mobile carrier's network for connecting the mobile device to right network resources.

[0010] The term ‘Data Network Name (DNN)’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a unique identifier in 5G that specifies which data network a user's device should connect to, similar to an Access Point Name (APN) in 4G. DNNs are crucial for routing traffic to specific network slices, enabling tailored network configurations, QoS levels, and security policies for different services and applications.

[0011] The term ‘APN / DNN Session’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a session initiated by the UE involving an Access Point Name (APN) in 4G networks and a Data Network Name (DNN) in 5G networks. The APN / DNN session represents a gateway through which the UE connects to external data networks. The APN / DNN session is established to facilitate data transfer between the UE and the network.

[0012] The term ‘called party’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a subscriber or endpoint that is the intended recipient of a communication session initiated by another party. In the IMS service, the called party is the UE or user profile that is being dialed or contacted for voice or multimedia services.

[0013] The term ‘calling party’ used hereinafter in the specification refers to a subscriber or endpoint that initiates a communication session. In the IMS service ortelecommunication networks, the calling party is the UE or user profile that places the call or sends a session initiation request to the called party.

[0014] These definitions are in addition to those expressed in the art.BACKGROUND

[0015] The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0016] In the field of telecommunications, particularly in Internet Protocol (IP)Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, ensuring reliable call services is critical for user satisfaction and network efficiency. IMS networks facilitate the delivery of voice, video, and multimedia services over IP networks, and their performance directly impacts the quality of service experienced by users. However, users frequently encounter issues where IMS call services fail, leading to significant disruptions in communication.

[0017] In telecommunication networks, users frequently encounter issues such as call drops, notification failures, and voice connectivity problems. A common scenario involves a called party being reachable for paging / calling while the calling party repeatedly receives notifications indicating the called party is reachable, or instances where the calling party may hear the called party's voice, but the call is not connected, and the called party cannot hear anything. In some cases, the UE remains reachable through paging but becomes unresponsive due to internal issues at the UE or at Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network end, resulting inincomplete or failed call setup attempts. These issues often persist until the user manually toggles airplane mode on and off, which is both inconvenient and temporary.

[0018] Existing solutions aim to maintain and restore the IMS call services. The IMS call failure is observed by users when a Called party is reachable for paging but the calling party receives "called party reachable" notification repeatedly, but the data calling applications work fine. In some cases, the calling party sees the called party voice is audible but call is not connected and called party is not able to hear anything. Thess issues continue till the time user does a manual airplane mode on and off.

[0019] To address call failures, these solutions often involve network-based mechanisms, such as redundancy protocols, failover systems, and error correction techniques. Additionally, some approaches focus on user-end interventions, such as manually toggling airplane mode or restarting the device, to temporarily resolve call connectivity issues.

[0020] Regardless of these efforts, the existing solutions exhibit several limitations. For example, the network-based mechanisms may be complex and costly to implement, requiring large infrastructure changes and maintenance. Further, the user-end interventions, while simpler, are not user-friendly and may lead to frustration due to a need for manual actions. Moreover, these solutions do not provide a permanent solution to the issues causing the IMS call failures, resulting in recurring problems and inconsistent service quality.

[0021] Therefore, there is a need for a system and a method that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.OBJECTIVES OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0022] Some of the objectives of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

[0023] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that addresses call failures in an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) application by triggering the core network to detach and reattach a user equipment (UE), thereby minimizing service disruption and enhancing the user experience.

[0024] Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that reduces call failures in the network by implementing an automatic service restoration mechanism that detects service issues and initiates the UE detachment and reattachment, ensuring continuous service availability.

[0025] Yet another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method that enhances the subscriber experience by automatically restoring services without requiring manual intervention, such as toggling airplane mode on and off, thereby providing a more efficient and user-friendly solution.

[0026] Other objectives and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, a method for restoring a service in a network is described. The method includes automatically restoring, by a processing engine, the service associated with a user equipment (UE) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network. To automatically restore the service, the method further includes terminating, by the processing engine, a current network session corresponding to the UE by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS), at least one network function based on a network type. The method further includes establishing, by the processing engine, a new network session corresponding to the UE to restore the service.

[0028] In an embodiment, the at least one service issue comprises one of a call failure issue, a call drop issue, a notification failure issue, and a voice connectivity issue.

[0029] In an embodiment, the service is automatically restored by the session restoration unit when the UE is determined to be reachable through paging but unresponsive to a service initiation procedure.

[0030] In an embodiment, the at least one network function includes at least one of a unified data management (UDM) and a mobility management entity (MME).

[0031] In an embodiment, the method includes determining, by the HSS, a network type for the UE. The network type is at least one of a first network type and a second network type.

[0032] In an embodiment, when the determined network type is the first network type, to terminate the current network session, the method includes instructing, by the HSS, to the MME associated with the HSS to clear the current network session of the UE for de-registering the UE with the network.

[0033] In an embodiment, when the network type is the second network type, to terminate the current network session, the method includes instructing, by the HSS, to the UDM for de-registering the UE with the network.

[0034] In an embodiment, the establishment of the new network session is initiated by the UE. To establish the new network session, the method includes triggering, by the session restoration unit, the UE to re-register with the network to establish the new network session.

[0035] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for restoring a service in a network is disclosed. The system includes an application function. The applicationfunction includes a processing engine configured to automatically restore the service associated with a user equipment (UE) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network. To automatically restore the service, the processing engine is configured to terminate a current network session corresponding to the UE by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS) at least one network function based on a network type. The processing engine is further configured to establish a new network session corresponding to the UE to restore the service.

[0036] In another exemplary embodiment, a user equipment (UE) to de-register and re-register with a network for restoring a service is disclosed. The UE includes steps of: de-registering, by the UE, from a current network session in response to a disconnect request received from the network and, re-registering, by the UE, with the network to establish a new network session corresponding to the UE, and restoring, by the UE, the service upon successful establishment of the new network session.

[0037] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for restoring a service in a network. The method includes automatically restoring, by a processing engine, the service associated with a user equipment (UE) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network. To automatically restore the service, the method further includes terminating, by the processing engine, a current network session corresponding to the UE by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS), at least one network function based on a network type. The method further includes establishing, by the processing engine, a new network session corresponding to the UE to restore the service.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosed methods and systems in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. Components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Some drawings may indicate the components using block diagrams and may not represent the internal circuitry of each component. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that disclosure of such drawings includes disclosure of electrical components, electronic components or circuitry commonly used to implement such components.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture of a system for restoring a service in a network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary process flow for restoring the service in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 3B illustrates another exemplary process flow for restoring the service in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of a method for restoring the service in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates an example computer system in which or with which the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0045] The foregoing shall be more apparent from the following more detailed description of the disclosure.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS100 - Network architecture102 - Users104, 304A, 304B - User Equipment (UE)106 - Network108 - System200 - Block Diagram202 - Processor(s)204 - Memory206 - Interface(s)208 - Processing engine210 - Session restoration unit212 - Database300 A, 300B - Process flow302 A, 302B - Application function306 A, 306B - Home Subscriber Server (HSS)308 A, 308B - Unified Data Management (UDM)310A, 310B - Fourth Generation (4G) Core network312A, 312B - Fifth Generation (5G) Core network400 - Flow chart500 - Computing system510 - External Storage Device520 - Bus530 - Main Memory540 - Read Only Memory550 - Mass Storage Device560 - Communication Port570 - ProcessorDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. Several features described hereafter can each be used independently of one another or with any combination of other features. An individual feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or might address only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above might not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein. Example embodiments of the present disclosure are described below, as illustrated in various drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings.

[0047] The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth.

[0048] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0049] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0050] The word “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to beconstrued as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive like the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.

[0051] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0052] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be noted that the terms “mobile device”, “user equipment”, “user device”, “communication device”, “device” and similar terms are used interchangeably for the purpose of describing the invention. These terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or imply any specific functionality or limitations on the described embodiments. The use of theseterms is solely for convenience and clarity of description. The invention is not limited to any particular type of device or equipment, and it should be understood that other equivalent terms or variations thereof may be used interchangeably without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

[0053] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the disclosure, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0054] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. The first generation of wireless communication technology was analog, offering only voice services. Further, text messaging and data services became possible when the second-generation (2G) technology was introduced. The third generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized the wireless communication with faster data speeds, improved network coverage, and security. Currently, fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, offering significantly faster data speeds, lower latency, and the ability to connect many devices simultaneously. Further, sixth generation (6G) successor to 5G is expected to provide significantly high data speed with reduced latency, which may offer improved connectivity for a vast number of devices concurrently. The capabilities of 6G enable new types of applications and services, such as advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), holographic communications, and more immersive digital experiences. These advancements represent a significant leap forward from previousgenerations, enabling enhanced mobile broadband, improved Internet of Things (loT) connectivity, and more efficient use of network resources. The 6G technology promises to build upon these advancements, pushing the boundaries of wireless communication even further. While the 5G technology is still being rolled out globally, research and development into the 6G are rapidly progressing, with the aim of revolutionizing the way we connect and interact with technology.

[0055] Conventionally, a network management platform has relied heavily on user intervention to resolve these disruptions. Users commonly employ methods such as manually toggling airplane mode or restarting the device (UE). However, these solutions do not provide a smooth user experience and often lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. Further, such solutions do not address cases where the UE is reachable via paging but remains unresponsible or in a non-functional session state within the network.

[0056] In response to these challenges, the present disclosure provides a system and a method for automatically restoring service in the network. The present disclosure utilizes an application function within the network to identify at least one service disruption and initiate a restoration process. In an embodiment, when the UE is determined to be reachable via paging but unresponsive to service initiation, the IMS service platform may trigger a de-registration (e.g., detach) request towards a Home Subscriber Server (HSS). This leads to the clean-up of the existing UE session in the 4G / 5G core network. By automatically de-registering (e.g., detach) and then reregistering (e.g., reattach) the UE on the network, the present disclosure ensures continuous and reliable service for the users. This approach not only reduces call failures but also enhances the overall subscriber experience by minimizing service disruption time and eliminating the need for manual intervention.

[0057] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network architecture (100) of a system (108) for restoring service in a network (106) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the network architecture (100) may include one or more computing devices or user equipments (UEs) (104-1, 104-2... 104-N) associated with one or more users (102-1, 102-2... 102-N) in an environment. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more users (102-1, 102-2... 102- N) may be individually referred to as the user (102) and collectively referred to as the users (102). Similarly, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more UEs (104-1, 104-2... 104-N) may be individually referred to as the UE (104) and collectively referred to as the UEs (104). A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the terms “computing device(s)” and “user equipment” may be used interchangeably throughout the disclosure. Although three UEs (104) are depicted in FIG. 1 , however, any number of the UEs (104) may be included without departing from the scope of the ongoing description.

[0059] In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include smart devices operating in a smart environment, for example, an Internet of Things (loT) system. In such an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but is not limited to, smart phones, smart watches, smart sensors (e.g., mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, etc.), networked appliances, networked peripheral devices, networked lighting system, communication devices, networked vehicle accessories, networked vehicular devices, smart accessories, tablets, smart television (TV), computers, smart security system, smart home system, other devices for monitoring or interacting with or for the users (102) and / or entities, or any combination thereof. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may include, but is not limited to, intelligent, multisensing, network- connected devices, which can integrate seamlessly with each other and / or with a central server or a cloud- computing system or any other device that is network-connected.

[0060] In an embodiment, the UE (104) may include, but is not limited to, a handheld wireless communication device (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart phone, a phablet device, and so on), a wearable computer device(e.g., a head-mounted display computer device, a head-mounted camera device, a wristwatch computer device, and so on), a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or another type of portable computer, a media playing device, a portable gaming system, and / or any other type of computer device with wireless communication capabilities, and the like. In an embodiment, the user equipment (104) may include, but is not limited to, any electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical, or an equipment, or a combination of one or more of the above devices such as virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, laptop, a general-purpose computer, desktop, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device, wherein the UE (104) may include one or more in-built or externally coupled accessories including, but not limited to, a visual aid device such as a camera, an audio aid, a microphone, a keyboard, and input devices for receiving input from the user (102) or the entity such as touch pad, touch enabled screen, electronic pen, and the like. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the UE (104) may not be restricted to the mentioned devices and various other devices may be used.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 1, the UE (104) may be configured to de-register and re-register with the network (106) for restoring a service. In particular, the UE (104) may de-register from a current network session in response to a disconnect request received from the network, wherein the disconnect request corresponds to detach with reattach or deregister with register. (106). Further, the UE (104) may re-register with the network (106) to establish a new network session corresponding to the UE (106). Further, the UE (104) may restore the service upon successful establishment of the new network session.

[0062] In an embodiment, the network (106) may include at least one of a Fourth Generation (4G) network, 5G network, 6G network, or the like. The network (106) may enable the UE (104) to communicate with other devices in the network architecture (100) and / or with the system (108). The network (106) may include a wireless card or some other transceiver connection to facilitate this communication. In another embodiment, the network (106) may be implemented as, or include any of a variety of different communication technologies such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network, a mobile network, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet- switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, or some combination thereof. In another embodiment, the network (106) includes, by way of example but not limitation, at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or a combination thereof, etc. one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, some combination thereof, or so forth.

[0063] Although FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of the network architecture (100), in other embodiments, the network architecture (100) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the network architecture (100) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the network architecture (100).

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram (200) of the system (108) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system (108) may be configured to restore service in the network. Examples of services that may be restoredby the system (108) include, but are not limited to, voice calling services, data services, messaging services, and multimedia services.

[0065] In an aspect, the system (108) may include one or more processor(s) (202). The one or more processor(s) (202) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, edge or fog microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, one or more processor(s) (202) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory (204) of the plug and play integration system (108). The memory (204) may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service. The memory (204) may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as Random-Access Memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0066] In an embodiment, the system (108) may include an interface(s) (206). The interface(s) (206) may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I / O devices, storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) (206) may facilitate communication of the system (108). The interface(s) (206) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the system (108). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, a processing engine (208) and a database (212).

[0067] The processing engine (208) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine (208). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented inseveral different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine (208) may be processor-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing engine (208) may include a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing engine (208). In such examples, the plug and play integration system (108) may include the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the plug and play integration system (108) and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine (208) may be implemented by an electronic circuitry.

[0068] The processing engine (208) may be configured to perform restoration of the service in the network (106). In an embodiment, the processing engine (208) may be implemented as an application function. The application function is a network component that is responsible for initiating automatic service restoration procedures in response to a detected or reported service issue associated with the UE (104). The application function operates in coordination with other core network elements to ensure that service continuity is maintained and that any anomalies in the ongoing session are automatically resolved without requiring manual intervention by the end user.

[0069] In an embodiment, for the sake of explanation, the present disclosure describes the use of the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as a service layer, where the Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) acts as the application function. The P- CSCF is the first point of contact within the IMS network for the UE and plays a critical role in call / session establishment, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling, and service anchoring. In an embodiment, the P-CSCF monitors SIP traffic and detectsservice issues when uplink SIP packets are not received by the P-CSCF. When such a situation is detected, the P-CSCF, acting as the application function, triggers a deregistration procedure via the Home Subscriber Server (HSS), which clears the existing network session and allows the UE to re-register and restore service automatically.

[0070] It should be noted that the term application function is not limited to the P-CSCF within IMS. The present disclosure is applicable to any operator-trusted application function, including, but not limited to, IMS-based application functions (such as a Serving-CSCF (S-CSCF), Interrogating-CSCF (I-CSCF), and Breakout Gateway Control Function (BGCF)), and non-IMS application functions (such as Policy Control Function (PCF) in 5G networks, Charging Trigger Function (CTF), Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF), and NEF (Network Exposure Function), which can monitor application-level behavior or service status).

[0071] Similarly, the types of services that may utilize the automatic restoration mechanism described in the present disclosure are not limited to voice or multimedia calls in IMS. Other applicable services include, but are not limited to, Rich Communication Services (RCS), Video Calling over IP (ViLTE), Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT), VoWiFi / VoLTE services, Enterprise VoIP services, and Private 5G / IMS networks supporting industry-specific communication applications.

[0072] The processing engine (208) may include a session restoration unit (210). The session restoration unit (210) may be configured to automatically restore the service associated with the UE (104) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network (106).

[0073] In an embodiment, the least one service issue may occur either internally at the UE (104) or at the IMS network end, which is not allowing the call to be set up. The at least one service issue may arise due to a variety of operational anomalies, such as signaling delays, session inconsistencies, or stalled call setupprocedures. The at least one service issue may include, but is not limited to, a call failure issue (where the UE fails to establish a voice or video session despite being reachable), a call drop issue (where an ongoing call is abruptly terminated), a notification failure issue (where service notifications are not delivered or acknowledged), or a voice connectivity issue (such as one-way audio where only one party hears the other). Such issues often compromise the end-user experience and may require prompt recovery actions to restore normal service operation. The session restoration unit (210), therefore, is configured to respond to these service issues by initiating session de-registration and re-registration processes to bring the UE (104) back to a stable and functional state within the network (106).

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one service issue may be detected by the application function based on monitoring data traffic between the UE (104) and the network (106). Specifically, the application function is configured to monitor uplink packet flow from the UE (104) as part of its service continuity checks. A service issue is identified when the application function fails to receive expected uplink packets from the UE (104) for a predefined duration, indicating that the UE (104) may be in a stalled or unresponsive state, even though it remains reachable through mechanisms such as paging. This absence of uplink traffic suggests that the session is no longer functioning correctly, which may lead to a variety of observable service disruptions.

[0075] In an embodiment, the service is automatically restored by the session restoration unit (210) when the UE (104) is determined to be unresponsive (i.e., unresponsive to a service initiation procedure) but reachable through paging. This scenario typically arises when the network may successfully page the UE, indicating that the UE is still attached to the network and its radio connection is active, but the UE fails to respond to service-level signaling, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE messages in the case of IMS services. The SIP INVITE message is a requestused to initiate a multimedia session, such as a voice or video call, in IP-based communication network (e.g., IMS network). Such a condition may be due to internal application faults, signaling path corruption, or temporary anomalies at the UE or IMS network end that prevent proper session setup. Rather than relying on us er- initiated corrective actions like toggling airplane mode, the session restoration unit (210) identifies this degraded state and triggers a controlled de-registration of the UE (104) through the network. This allows the UE (104) to automatically re-register and reestablish a new session, thereby restoring the service without any manual intervention and improving overall service reliability.

[0076] To automatically initiate the restoration of the service, the session restoration unit (210) may first terminate a current network session corresponding to the UE (104). This may be done by sending a termination command (e.g., Registration- Termination-Request (RTR)), via a home subscriber server (HSS), to at least one network function based on a network type. The current network session refers to an active communication link between the UE (104) and the network (106), which includes all ongoing data exchanges, voice calls, video calls, and messaging activities associated with that particular session and the like. In an embodiment, the HSS is a central database that stores user subscription data and policy-related information. The HSS is responsible for managing user profiles and performing authentication, authorization, and registration of subscribers.

[0077] In an example, the at least one network function includes at least one of a unified data management (UDM) and a mobility management entity (MME). The term UDM refers to a component in the 5G core network that manages subscriber profile data, authentication, session context, and policy control. In the context of service restoration, the UDM may be triggered via the HSS to de-register or re-register the UE and facilitate session re-establishment in the 5G networks. The term MME refers to a network node in a Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE)network that manages the mobility of UEs, including session management, paging, and handovers.

[0078] In an embodiment, to terminate the current network session, the HSS may determine the network type for the UE (104) (i.e., the network type to which the UE is connected). The network type may be, for example, but not limited to, a 4G network type and a 5G network type.

[0079] In an embodiment, when the determined network type is the 4G network type, in such a scenario for terminating the current network session, the session restoration unit (210) of the processing engine (208) i.e. the application function (P- CSCF in case of IMS service), is configured to send a termination command to the HSS via an interface (e.g., Cx interface). Once the termination command is sent, the session restoration unit (210) in communication with the HSS may instruct the MME associated with the HSS to clear the current network session of the UE (104) to detach the UE (104) from the network. The Cx interface is a communication protocol used between the HSS and the P-CSCF to manage subscriber information, authentication, and authorization in the network.

[0080] In an embodiment, when the determined network is a 5G network type, the session restoration unit (210) is configured to send the termination command to the HSS to terminate the current network session. The HSS may then communicate to instruct the UDM to de-register the UE (104) with the network (106). In other words, if the user is connected over the 5G network, the HSS may further communicate to the UDM for the subscriber de-registration in the 5G network.

[0081] In an embodiment, a service platform (IMS service platform or an application function) may determine a need to clear a user's SIP registration. This function initiates the de-registration procedure and resides in the service platform. In an embodiment, in case the UE (104) is unresponsive but reachable through paging, orany internal issue at the UE (104) or IMS network end is not allowing the call to be set-up, the IMS service platform may initiate the UE de-registration procedure towards HSS which may further clear-up the existing UE session in 4G / 5G core network and the UE (104) connects to the network again automatically to restore the service.

[0082] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a deregistration procedure for a service control initiated IMS terminal application (using SIP). In particular, the present disclosure provides a network initiated application deregistration procedure, which is triggered from the service platform (e.g., IMS application platform) and coordinated through S-CSCF and P-CSCF, as described in steps below:1) The S-CSCF receives de-registration information from the service platform and invokes whatever service logic procedures are appropriate. This information may include the reason for the de-registration.2) Further, the S-CSCF issues a de-registration towards the P-CSCF for this user and updates its internal database to remove the user from being registered. The reason for the de-registration shall be included, if available.3) Further, the P-CSCF informs the UE of the de-registration, and without modification forwards the reason for the de-registration, if available. Due to loss of contact with the mobile, it might be possible that the UE does not receive the information of the de registration.4) Further, the P-CSCF sends a response to the S-CSCF and updates its internal database to remove the user from being registered. If the P-CSCF has an active subscription to notifications of the status of the IMS Signalling connectivity, the P-CSCF shall cancel the subscription.5) When possible, the UE sends a response to the P-CSCF to acknowledge the deregistration. A misbehaving UE or a UE that is out of P-CSCF coverage could not answer properly to the de-registration request. The P-CSCF should performthe de-registration in any case, e.g. after the timer for this request expires. If the UE does not perform automatic re-registration due to the de-registration the user shall be informed about the de-registration and of the reason, if available.Note: steps (4) and (5) may be done in parallel: the P-CSCF does not wait for an answer from the UE before answering to the S-CSCF.6) Based on operator choice, the S-CSCF can send either Cx-Put (including Public User Identity, Private User Identity, clear S-CSCF name) or Cx-Put (including Public User Identity, Private User Identity, keep S-CSCF name). The Cx-Put is a command / request used between the S-CSCF and the HSS over the Cx interface. The Cx-Put is used to update or clear the binding of the user’s registration data in the HSS. The Cx-Put includes the public user identity, private user identity, and an indication to either retain or clear the S-CSCF name. In both cases, the Public User Identity is no longer considered registered in the S-CSCF. If the user has services related to unregistered state, the S-CSCF may send Cx-Put (Public User Identity, Private User Identity, keep S-CSCF name) in order to keep the S-CSCF name in the HSS for these services. The HSS then either clears or keeps S-CSCF name for that public user identity according to Cx-Put request.7) The HSS shall send Cx-Put Response to the S-CSCF to acknowledge the sending of Cx-Put.Note: Another trusted / secured party may also initiate the de-registration, for example, by issuing a third party SIP registration with timer set to 0 via S-CSCF.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a deregistration procedure and restoration procedure for a service control initiated IMS terminal application in response to an occurrence of a service issue in the network. In1 particular, the present disclosure provides a network initiated application deregistration procedure, which is triggered from HSS and coordinated through UDM and 5G core network, as described in steps below:The UDM receives de-registration information or delete user session request from the HSS. This information may include the reason for the de-registration. Further, the UDM issues a de-registration and restoration notification towards the 5G core network for this user and updates its internal database to remove the user from being registered. The reason for the de-registration shall be included, if available. The 5G core network issues an acknowledgement for the de-registration and restoration notification to the UDM. The 5G core network updates its internal database to remove the user from being registered. If the 5G core network has an active subscription to notifications of the status of the IMS Signalling connectivity, the 5G core shall cancel the subscription. The 5G core network informs the UE of the de-registration, and without modification forwards the reason for the de-registration, if available. The 5G core network also informs the UE to register again to restore the services. When the UE re-registers with the 5G core network and a new session is established between the UE and HSS through 5G core network to restore the services.In an exemplary embodiment, the processing engine 208 may terminate the current network session corresponding to the UE via a signaling path including HSS. In an aspect, he session termination procedures specify the signalling path between the S- CSCF assigned to perform the session termination service. This signalling path is determined at the time of UE registration and remains fixed for the life of the registration. A UE always has a proxy (P-CSCF) associated with it. This P-CSCF performs resource authorization for the sessions to the UE and may have additional functions in handling of priority sessions. The P-CSCF is determined by the CSCF discovery process. As a result of the registration procedure, the P-CSCF knows theaddress of the UE. The assigned S-CSCF, knows the name / address of the P-CSCF (depending on the location of S-CSCF and P-CSCF).

[0084] Once the termination process is completed, the session restoration unit (210) is configured to establish a new network session corresponding to the UE to restore the service. In an embodiment, the establishment of the new network session is initiated by the UE (104). In particular, to establish the new network session, the session restoration unit (210) triggers the UE (104) to re-register with the network to establish the new network session. In other words, the UE (104) reattaches (in case of 4G) or re-registers (in case of 5G) to the network to restore the service. In an embodiment, the application function may trigger the core network (4G / 5G) to detach the user (UE 104) and attach again as a fresh one, so that such call failure issues may be avoided proactively, and even the user's service disruption time can be minimized.

[0085] In an alternative embodiment, the present disclosure is applicable to emergency services provided through the network (106). Emergency services such as voice calls to emergency numbers (e.g., 112, 911) are mission-critical and require highly reliable connectivity between the UE (104) and the network (106). In such scenarios, even a temporary service disruption, such as the inability of the UE (104) to establish a call or degraded SIP signaling between the UE (104) and the IMS core, can lead to life-threatening consequences. The application function (such as P-CSCF for IMS services) is configured to monitor the connectivity status of UEs engaged in or attempting to initiate emergency communication. Upon detection of a service issue, such as a failed emergency call setup despite successful paging, the session restoration unit may trigger an immediate de-registration of the UE session via the HSS. This enables the UE (104) to re-attach to the network and reinitiate the emergency service with minimal delay. By integrating the service restoration mechanism into emergency service workflows, the present disclosure enhances network resilience and ensures regulatory compliance for uninterrupted access to emergency services.

[0086] In an embodiment, after the termination of the current network session, the processing engine 208 set up a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service. In an example, the new session setup is an emergency session. For the emergency session set up, the UE (104) may translate any user indicated emergency number to an emergency service URN, i.e. a service URN with a top-level service type of "sos". The term ‘sos’ refers to a top-level emergency service identifier in a Uniform Resource Name (URN) used in IMS networks. The ‘sos’ indicates that the session being established pertains to an emergency communication. Examples include generic emergency calls (urn: service: sos) and more specific services such as police, fire, or ambulance.

[0087] When an initial request for a dialog or a standalone transaction, or an unknown method transmitted as part of UE detected emergency call procedures, is initiated:- in event other than reception of a 380 (Alternative Service) response to an initial request for a dialog, or a standalone transaction, or an unknown method as defined in standard procedures; or- upon reception of a 380 (Alternative Service) response to an initial request for a dialog, or a standalone transaction, or an unknown method as defined in standard procedures, and the 380 (Alternative Service) response does not contain a Contact header field containing a service URN with a top-level service type of "sos",

[0088] In an embodiment, the Request-Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) of the initial request for a dialog or the standalone transaction, or the unknown method transmitted as part of UE detected emergency call procedures shall include one of the following service URNs:- "urn:service:sos", "urn:service:sos. ambulance", "urn:service:sos. police", "urn:service:sos.fire", "urn: service: sos. marine", "urn: service: sos. mountain", "urn:service:sos. ecall. manual", "urn:service:sos.ecall.automatic". IftheUE can determine the type of emergency service, the UE shall use an emergency service URN with a sub-service type corresponding to the type of emergency service. - as derived from the information about emergency service URNs provided with local emergency numbers.NOTE 1 : A service URN with a top-level service type of "sos" is used only when the user intends to establish an emergency call.NOTE 2: In countries where a type of emergency service is required, due to national regulations, an emergency call request with emergency service URN "urn:service:sos" can fail.

[0089] In an embodiment, when an initial request for a dialog or a standalone transaction, or an unknown method transmitted as part of UE detected emergency call procedures is initiated upon reception of 380 (Alternative Service) response to an initial request for a dialog, or a standalone transaction, or an unknown method as defined in procedures, and if the 380 (Alternative Service) response contains a Contact header field containing a service URN with a top-level service type of "sos", the UE shall set the Request-URI of the initial request for a dialog or the standalone transaction, or the unknown method transmitted as part of UE detected emergency call procedures to the service URN of the Contact header field of the 380 (Alternative Service) response.

[0090] In an embodiment, in the event the UE receives a 380 (Alternative Service) response to an INVITE request. The INVITE request refers to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) method used to initiate multimedia sessions such as voice or video calls in the IMS network. The response may include an IM CN subsystem XML body that contains an <ims> element with a version attribute, and an alternative-service> child element. The <alternative-service> child element includes a <type> child element set to "emergency". Upon receiving this response, the UE shall automatically send an ACK request to the P-CSCF as per normal SIP procedures and terminate the session. In addition, if the 380 (Alternative Service) response includes a P-Asserted-Identity header field with a value equal to the value of the last entry on the Path header field value received during registration:- the UE may also provide an indication to the user based on the text string contained in the child element of the child element of the element.NOTE 3: Emergency numbers which the UE does not detect, will be treated as a normal call.NOTE 4: The last entry on the Path header field value received during registration is the value of the Session Initiation Protocol Uniform Resource Identifier (SIP URI) of the P-CSCF. The SIP URI refers to a standardized identifier used to address and route SIP messages within IP-based networks, such as the IMS network. In the IMS network, the SIP URI is used to identify network elements (e.g., P-CSCF, S-CSCF) and subscribers, enabling proper routing of SIP signaling messages during registration, call setup, and service invocation procedures.

[0091] In an embodiment, if there are multiple registration flows associated with the registration, then the UE has received from the P-CSCF during registration multiple sets of Path header field values. The last entry of the Path header field value corresponding to the flow on which the 380 (Alternative Service) response was received is checked. If the UE supports the emerg-request timer (emergency request timer), the UE shall start the emerg-request timer when sending the initial INVITE request for emergency service. The UE shall stop the timer upon receipt of any 18x provisional SIP response. When the emerg-request timer expires, the UE shall considerthat the emergency service request has failed and apply the procedures related to emergency service request failure. In an embodiment, the database (212) may include data that may be either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processor(s) (202) or the processing engine (208).

[0092] Although FIG. 2 shows an exemplary block diagram (200) of the system (108), in other embodiments, the system (108) may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the system (108) may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the system (108).

[0093] FIG. 3 A illustrates an exemplary process flow (300A) for restoring the service in the network (106), in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 A is explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1, and 2.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 3 A, an APN / DNN session is established by the UE (304A) either a 4G core network (310A) or a 5G core network (312A) (at step 314A). In an example, the UE (304 A) is already connected to either the 4G core network (310A) or the 5G core network (312A). An operator-controlled application (e.g., an application function (302 A)) monitors a service corresponding to the UE (304A). Upon detecting at least one service issue (at step 316A), such as a call failure, a call drop, a notification failure, or a voice connectivity issue, the application function (302A) may initiate the service restoration process by sending a Registration-Termination-Request (RTR) command to a HSS (306 A) (at step 318A). The RTR is a diameter command sent over the Cx interface from the application function (302A) (e.g., P-CSCF or S- CSCF) to the HSS (306A). The primary purpose of RTR command is to terminate the registration of a user (i.e., de-register the UE (304A) from the network). The RTR command includes identifiers such as the public user identity, private user identity, and reason for termination (de-registration).

[0095] Further, the HSS (306A) may respond with a Registration-Termination- Answer (RTA) (320A), confirming a receipt of the RTR (at step 318A). In an embodiment, the RTA is the diameter response sent by the HSS (306 A) to acknowledge the RTR. The RTA indicates whether the termination request was successfully processed.

[0096] If the UE (304A) is connected to the 4G core network (322A), the HSS (306A) may send a Delete-Subscriber-Data-Request (DSR) to the MME of the 4G core network (310A) to clear the current network session (at step 324A). DSR involves protocols and procedures defined within telecommunications standards that ensure the secure and effective deletion of subscriber-related information from various network elements and databases. The Delete-Subscriber Data-Request (DSR) command, indicated by the Command-Code field set to 320 and the 'R' bit set in the Command Flags field, is sent from HSS or CSS to MME or SGSN.

[0097] The MME may respond with a Delete-Subscriber-Data- Answer (DSA), confirming a deletion of the subscriber data (at step 326 A). The UE (304 A) may then be detached from the network (at step 328A) and reattached to the network again (at step 330A), initiating a new registration and establishing a new network session. Further the UE (304A) may create the necessary PDN connections such as IMS connections to restore the service automatically without any manual user intervention.

[0098] If the UE (304A) is connected to the 5G core network (332A), the HSS (306A) may further communicate with a UDM (308 A) to deregister the subscriber UE (304A) by sending a deregistration notification (at step 336A). The UDM (308A) may acknowledge with a deregistration notification acknowledgment (at step 338A).

[0099] Subsequently, the UDM (308 A) interacts with the registered Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) to deregister the UE (304A) from the network and ask the UE to re-register again (at step 340A), establishing a new network sessionand restoring the service. Upon establishing the new network session, the UE (304A) may register with the network and create the necessary PDU sessions to restore the service automatically without any manual user intervention.

[0100] FIG. 3B illustrates another exemplary process flow (300B) for restoring the service in the network, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3B is explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 A.

[0101] The process for restoring the service where when an APN / DNN session by the UE (304B) either a 4G core network (310B) or a 5G core network (312B) (at step 314B) is established. In an example, the UE (304B) is already connected to either the 4G core network (310B) or the 5G core network (312B). The application function (302B) detects a service issue (at step 316B) and sends a Service- Assignment-Request (SAR) restoration indication to the HSS (306B), (at step 318B). The HSS (306B) acknowledges this request with a Service- Assignment- Answer (SAA) (at step 320B).

[0102] For the UE in the 4G core network (322B), the HSS (306B) sends an Insert-Subscription-Data-Request (IDR) to the MME, indicating a P-CSCF restoration (at step 324B). The IDR refers to a diameter message sent by the HSS (306B) to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) (in 4G / LTE networks). In an embodiment, the IDR is used to provision or update subscription data of a user in the MME. In particular, the IDR may be used to push updated subscriber data to the MME after a de-registration or session termination. Further, the IDR may be used to trigger P-CSCF restoration when the UE needs to re-register with the network. The MME responds with an Insert- Subscription-Data- Answer (IDA) (at step 326B), confirming the insertion of subscription data. The IDA is a diameter protocol message or a response to the IDR message sent by the HSS (306B) to the MME. In an embodiment, the IDA is used by the MME (in 4G) to confirm the successful processing of the IDR message from the HSS (306B). Following this, the IMS Packet Data Network (PDN) is released (at step328B) and re-established, prompting the UE (304B) to re-register with the network (at step 33 OB).

[0103] For the UE in the 5G core network (332B), the HSS (306B) communicates with the UDM (308B) to delete the user IMS session (at step 334B) by transmitting signaling delete user session. Notifications for P-CSCF restoration (336B) are similarly sent to the 5G core network, specifically to the registered AMF, followed by P-CSCF restoration indication acknowledgment (at step 338B). Additionally, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session is released with reactivation (at step 340B) by AMF to the UE (304B), ensuring that the UE (304B) re-establishes the IMS PDU session with the network, thus restoring the service.

[0104] The process flows (300 A, 300B), as illustrated in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, depict how the network, through operator-controlled application domains, detects service issues and initiates the service restoration process. By triggering UE detach and reattach sequences (in 4G core network) or deregistration and registration processes (in 5G core network), the service disruptions are minimized, enhancing the user experience.

[0105] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of a method (400) for restoring the service in the network, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2, 3 A, and 3B. Each step of the method (400) may be performed by the session restoration unit (210) of the processing engine (208) (analogous to application function (302A, 302B)).

[0106] In order to restore the service in the network (106), the method (400) at step 402 includes automatically restoring, by a session restoration unit (210), the service associated with the UE (104) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network (106). The at least one service issue includes one of a call failure issue, a call drop issue, a notification failure issue, and a voice connectivity issue. Inan embodiment, the session restoration unit (210) is configured to automatically restore the service when the UE is determined to be unresponsive but reachable through paging.

[0107] In some embodiments, for automatically restoring the service, the method (400), at step 404 includes terminating, by the session restoration unit (210), a current network session corresponding to the UE (104) by sending a termination command to, via HSS, at least one network function based on a network type. The at least one network function includes at least one of the UDM and the MME.

[0108] In some embodiments, for terminating the current network session, the HSS is configured to determine the network type for the UE (104). The network type is at least one of a 4G network type and a 5G network type.

[0109] In some embodiments, when the determined network type is the first network type, the method (400) for terminating the current network session includes instructing, by the HSS, to the MME associated with the HSS to clear the current network session of the UE for de-registering the UE with the network.

[0110] In some embodiments, when the network type is the second network type, the method (400) for terminating the current network session includes instructing, by the HSS, to the UDM for de-registering the UE with the network (106).

[0111] Upon terminating the current network session, the method (400), at step 406 includes establishing, by the session restoration unit (210), a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service. In an embodiment, the establishment of the new network session is initiated by the UE (104). For establishing the new network session, the method (400) includes triggering, by the session restoration unit (210), the UE (104) to re-register with the network (106) to establish the new network session.

[0112] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system (500) in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 5, the computer system (500) may include an external storage device (510), a bus (520), a main memory (530), a read-only memory (540), a mass storage device (550), a communication port (560), and a processor (570). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system (500) may include more than one processor (570) and communication ports (560). The processor (570) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0114] In an embodiment, the communication port (560) may be any of an RS- 232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fibre, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. The communication port (560) may be chosen depending on the network (106), such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the computer system (500) connects.

[0115] In an embodiment, the memory (530) may be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. Read-only memory (540) may be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) instructions for the processor (570).

[0116] In an embodiment, the mass storage (550) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which may be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g., an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays).

[0117] In an embodiment, the bus (520) communicatively couples the processor(s) (570) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus (520) may be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB) or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects the processor (570) to the computer system (500).

[0118] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, joystick, and cursor control device, may also be coupled to the bus (520) to support direct operator interaction with the computer system (500). Other operator and administrative interfaces may be provided through network connections connected through the communication port (560). The components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system (500) limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0119] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for restoring a service in a network. The method includes automatically restoring, by a processing engine, the service associated with a user equipment (UE) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network. To automatically restore the service, the method further includes terminating, by the processing engine, a current network session corresponding to the UE by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS), at least one network function based on a network type. The method further includes establishing, by the processing engine, a new network session corresponding to the UE to restore the service.

[0120] The method and system of the present disclosure may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above-described order for the steps of the method is for illustration only, and the steps of the method of the present disclosure are not limited to the order specifically described above unless specifically stated otherwise. Further, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may also be embodied as programs recorded in a recording medium, the programs including machine-readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers a recording medium storing a program for executing the method according to the present disclosure.

[0121] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be implemented merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

[0122] The present disclosure offers significant technical advancements in restoring services within a telecommunications network. These advancements overcome the limitations of existing solutions by enabling autonomous detection and resolution of service issues without requiring manual intervention from the user. The disclosure involves an application function-based mechanism that detects service disruptions and automatically initiates session termination and restoration procedures. The automatic service restoration enables seamless de-registration and re-registration of the UE with the network, even when the UE is reachable only through paging but is otherwise unresponsive. By utilizing IMS-based application functions such as P-CSCF,the present disclosure enhances service continuity, reduces call failures, and significantly improves user experience by eliminating the need for manual troubleshooting, such as toggling airplane mode. Unlike conventional approaches where such de-registration is initiated manually or by UE behavior, the application function autonomously initiates the de-registration based on internal detection of service issues at the UE or IMS network end that is not allowing the call to be set up. This automation enables faster recovery, reduces user frustration, and improves service continuity.ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0123] The present disclosure provides a method and a system for restoring a service in a network.

[0124] The present disclosure addresses call failures in an IMS application by triggering the core network to detach and reattach a user equipment (UE), so that call failure issues may be avoided proactively, and the user's service disruption time may be minimized.

[0125] The present disclosure reduces call failures in the network by implementing an automatic service restoration mechanism that detects service issues and initiates the UE detachment and reattachment, ensuring continuous service availability.

[0126] The present disclosure enhances a subscriber experience by automatically restoring services without requiring manual intervention, such as toggling airplane mode on and off, thereby providing a more efficient and user-friendly solution.

[0127] The present disclosure enables deregistration in 4G and 5G both in single request to ensure continuous and reliable service for the users.

[0128] The present disclosure enables the UE to re-attach to the network and reinitiate the emergency calls with minimal delay. By integrating the service restoration mechanism into emergency service workflows, the present disclosure enhances network resilience and ensures regulatory compliance for uninterrupted access for users with the emergency services.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method (400) for restoring a service in a network (106), the method (400) comprising: automatically restoring (402), by a processing engine (208), the service associated with a user equipment (UE) (104) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network, wherein the automatically restoring comprises: terminating (404), by the processing engine (208), a current network session corresponding to the UE (104) by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS) (306A, 306B), at least one network function based on a network type; and establishing (406), by the processing engine (208), a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service.

2. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one service issue comprises one of a call failure issue, a call drop issue, a notification failure issue, and a voice connectivity issue.

3. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service is automatically restored by the processing engine (208), when the UE (104) is determined to be unresponsive but reachable through paging.

4. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one network function includes at least one of a unified data management (UDM) (308A, 308B) and a mobility management entity (MME).

5. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network type is determined by the HSS (306A, 306B), and the network type is at least one of a first network type and a second network type.

6. The method (400) as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the determined network type is the first network type, terminating the current network session comprises: instructing, by the HSS (306A, 306B), to the MME associated with the HSS (306A, 306B) to clear the current network session of the UE (104) for deregistering the UE (104) with the network.

7. The method (400) as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the network type is the second network type, terminating the current network session comprises: instructing, by the HSS (306A, 306B), to the UDM (308A, 308B) for de- registering the UE (104) with the network.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the establishment of the new network session is initiated by the UE, and wherein establishing the new network session comprises: triggering, by the processing engine (208), the UE (104) to re-register with the network to establish the new network session.

9. A system (108) for restoring a service in a network, the system (108) comprising: an application function, wherein the application function comprises: a processing engine (208), configured to automatically restore the service associated with a user equipment (UE) in response to an occurrence of at least one service issue in the network, wherein toautomatically restore the service, the processing engine (208), is configured to: terminate a current network session corresponding to the UE (104) by sending a termination command to, via a home subscriber server (HSS) (306A, 306B) at least one network function based on a network (106) type; and establish a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service.

10. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one service issue comprises one of a call failure issue, a call drop issue, a notification failure issue, and a voice connectivity issue.

11. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing engine (208), is configured to automatically restore the service when the UE (104) is determined to be unresponsive but reachable through paging.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one network function includes at least one of a unified data management (UDM) (308A, 308B) and a mobility management entity (MME).

13. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the HSS (306A, 306B) is configured to determine a network (106) type for the UE, wherein the network type is at least one of a first network type and a second network type.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the determined network type is the first network type, for terminating the current network session, the processing engine (208), is configured to:instruct, by the HSS (306A, 306B), to the MME associated with the HSS (306 A, 306B) to clear the current network session of the UE (104) for deregistering the UE (104) with the network.

15. The system (108) as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the determined network is the second network type, for terminating the current network session, the processing engine (208), is configured to: instruct, by the HSS (306A, 306B), to the UDM (308A, 308B) for deregistering the UE (104) with the network.

16. The system (108) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the establishment is initiated by the UE (104), and wherein to establish the new network session, the processing engine (208), is configured to: trigger the UE (104) to re-register with the network to establish the new network session.

17. A user equipment (UE) ( 104) to de-register and re-register with a network ( 106) for restoring a service, the UE (104) comprises steps of: de-registering, by the UE (104), from a current network session in response to a disconnect request received from the network (106) , and re-registering, by the UE (104), with the network (106) to establish a new network session corresponding to the UE (104) to restore the service, wherein the service is restored upon successful establishment of the new network session.

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