Blockchain Roaming Authentication via Smart Contracts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile telecommunication roaming systems are complex and inefficient, relying on intermediaries for billing, authentication, and service management, leading to high organizational overhead and potential for manual errors in invoicing and fair usage policies.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain-based system that enables direct communication and smart contract negotiation between mobile user terminal devices and base stations for connectivity services, using public and private keys for authentication and payment, eliminating the need for intermediaries and traditional roaming agreements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional roaming systems use centralized intermediaries for billing and authentication, then security and coordination are maintained, but organizational overhead and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity and coordinationVSAvoidorganizational overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the intermediary billing and authentication functions from the traditional roaming system, replacing centralized operators with a decentralized blockchain network. Smart contracts on the blockchain handle authentication and billing directly between roaming devices and visited networks, eliminating the need for complex intermediary coordination while maintaining security through cryptographic verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service through smart contracts that automatically authenticate roaming devices and handle billing without human intervention. The blockchain network autonomously verifies device identities, enforces fair usage policies, and processes payments between networks, replacing manual intermediary operations with automated self-executing contracts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual processes are used for invoicing and fair usage policies in roaming, then flexibility in negotiation is maintained, but manual errors and inefficiency increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenegotiation flexibilityVSAvoidbilling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical processes with automated digital smart contracts on the blockchain. Billing agreements, fair usage policies, and invoicing are encoded as executable smart contract terms that automatically enforce themselves, eliminating manual errors while maintaining negotiation flexibility through customizable contract parameters that parties can agree upon beforehand.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Stability of the object's composition

If centralized databases are used for roaming management, then data consistency is maintained, but single points of failure and security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidresilience and security
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized roaming management database into a decentralized blockchain network distributed across multiple nodes. Each node maintains a copy of the roaming agreement smart contracts and billing data, eliminating single points of failure. Data consistency is maintained through cryptographic hashing and consensus mechanisms that ensure all nodes have identical, tamper-proof records.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3579494B1Blockchain based roaming
Publication Date: 2021.04.21 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
  • EP3579494B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3579494B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3579494B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and system for managing with a blockchain network a connection between at least one mobile user terminal device and at least one base station of a communication network; wherein the mobile user terminal devices comprises means for connecting to a blockchain network, means for participating in a blockchain process, and means for using at least one connectivity service from the base station; wherein the base station comprises means for connecting to the blockchain network, means for participating in the blockchain process, and means for providing at least one connectivity service to the mobile user terminal device; wherein the blockchain network has an authentication function, a payment function, and a smart contract function; wherein each of the mobile user terminal and the base station has at least one public key and at least one private key.