Border Cell Interconnection Management System

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Solution Overview

Problem

In border regions, mobile devices unpredictably switch to expensive foreign networks due to overlapping cellular coverage, leading to unforeseen roaming charges, and existing solutions are either delayed in notification or require device modifications, lacking user-friendliness and effectively addressing border location area issues.

Innovation Solution

A system connected to a Home Location Register/Visitor Location Register and Mobile Switching Center checks for border cells/location areas and sends timely, user-friendly messages, such as voice or web page alerts, to inform subscribers before establishing or disabling connections, ensuring they are aware of their network selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the system sends SMS notifications to inform subscribers about border cell location, then the subscriber receives information about network selection, but the notification is delayed and may not be received in time before connection establishment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation delivery to subscriberVSAvoidnotification timing
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control means checks whether the mobile equipment is located in a border cell/location area before an interconnection is established or disabled. This preliminary check allows the system to send notifications in advance, ensuring the subscriber receives information about potential roaming charges before the connection is set up, rather than after delayed SMS delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the system checks every interconnection request for border cell location, then the subscriber is accurately informed about network selection, but the system complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork selection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control means acts as an intermediary component between the Mobile Switching Center and the message system. It receives interconnection setup requests from the MSC, checks border cell status, and coordinates with the message system to send notifications. This intermediary approach centralizes the complexity in a dedicated component while maintaining simplicity in the overall system architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the system provides detailed border cell information to subscribers, then users can make informed decisions about connections, but the message system complexity and information processing increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser decision-makingVSAvoidmessage system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control means extracts only the essential information needed for user decision-making - specifically whether the mobile equipment is located in a border cell or location area - and passes this to the message system. This extraction approach provides users with sufficient information to make informed decisions without overwhelming the message system with excessive data processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2526725B1Method and system for managing an interconnection in a border cell
Publication Date: 2018.05.23 SYNAPSE INT
  • EP2526725B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2526725B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2526725B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a system (10) operable to manage an interconnection when a mobile equipment (12) of a subscriber is located in a border cell, or a border location area. The system (10) comprises a control means (14) connected to a Home Location Register (16)/ Visitor Location Register (18), and to a Mobile Switching Center (20). The control means (14) is operable to, prior an interconnection is established, check in the Home Location Register (16)/ Visitor Location Register (18), or the Mobile Switching Center (20) if the current cell (22), or the current location area (30) of the mobile equipment (12) for the interconnection is a border cell (22B), or a border location area (30B). If it is determined that it is a border cell (22B), or a border location area (30B), the control means (14) is operable to set up a connection between a message system (24), comprised in the system (10), and the mobile equipment (12). The message system (24) is operable to send a message to the mobile equipment (12) informing the subscriber about the situation with the border cell (22B), or the border location area (30B) prior the interconnection is established or disabled.