Area-Based Domain Name Gateway Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

The high maintenance costs for operators in managing gateway information for user equipment roaming across different locations, due to the large quantity of user equipment and excessive number segments, result in increased costs for configuring and maintaining domain names in DNS, MME, or SGSN.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that determine gateway information by generating a domain name based on area information, reducing the need for extensive domain name configuration and maintenance, by obtaining device information from a second device and querying a correspondence to identify the gateway information corresponding to the domain name, which includes area-specific information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If domain names are generated according to user equipment number segments, then gateway information can be determined accurately, but the quantity of domain names to be configured and maintained increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway information determination accuracyVSAvoidquantity of domain names
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the domain name configuration by introducing area information as an intermediate layer. Instead of creating unique domain names for each user equipment number segment, the system divides the naming space into area-based domains that serve multiple users within the same geographic or logical area, thereby reducing the total number of domain names while maintaining accurate gateway determination through area-specific routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces area information as an intermediary between user equipment number segments and gateway identification. This intermediary layer allows multiple number segments to map to the same area-based domain name, which then resolves to appropriate gateway information, thus reducing the quantity of domain names while preserving determination accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If all number segments are configured in DNS or local host files, then complete gateway information coverage is achieved, but maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegateway information coverageVSAvoidmaintenance cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple number segment configurations into unified area-based domain names. By combining the gateway information determination function across multiple number segments under a single area-based domain name, the system maintains complete gateway information coverage while significantly reducing the number of individual configurations that require maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes area-based domain names universal by designing them to serve multiple user equipments within the same area. A single area-based domain name can handle gateway determination for numerous number segments, giving it multi-functional capability that reduces maintenance burden while ensuring complete coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If unique domain names are created for each user equipment, then precise service routing is enabled, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice routing efficiencyVSAvoiddomain name configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a one-to-one mapping dimension (each user equipment gets a unique domain name) to a many-to-one mapping dimension (multiple user equipments share area-based domain names). This dimensional change in the naming structure reduces configuration complexity while preserving service routing efficiency through area-specific gateway determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3226482B1Method and apparatus for determining gateway information
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3226482B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3226482B1 patent drawingFigure 4~8

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for determining gateway information. A first device obtains first information of user equipment, where the first information of the user equipment is used to indicate an area in which the user equipment subscribes to a service, and the first device determines gateway information corresponding to a first domain name, where the first domain name includes the first information of the user equipment. The first domain name includes the first information of the user equipment, and the first information is used to indicate the area in which the user equipment subscribes to the service. Compared with a method in which a number segment is used to generate a domain name, this reduces a quantity of domain names that need to be configured and maintained, and reduces maintenance costs of an operator.