Carrier ENUM Gateway for Real-Time Number Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ENUM system for mapping telephone numbers to Internet addresses is prone to inaccuracies and lacks real-time updating, particularly for Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) subscribers, leading to issues like 404-Not-Found errors and confusion in routing and billing, and is not equipped to handle wireless number portability effectively.
Innovation Solution
A carrier ENUM gateway that interfaces with a subscriber database to provide real-time ENUM responses, acting as a secondary or primary lookup directory, ensuring accurate mapping by consulting internal AAA systems and forwarding queries to public ENUM directories as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a publicly accessible ENUM provider database is used to map telephone numbers to Internet addresses, then the system is easily accessible and queries can be processed, but the information becomes inaccurate over time and 404-Not-Found errors occur because the database is not directly linked to service provider networks for real-time updating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier ENUM gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the public ENUM provider database and the service provider network. This gateway receives ENUM queries, consults the subscriber database for real-time information, and returns accurate responses. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by maintaining easy public access while ensuring data accuracy through direct linkage to the carrier's subscriber database.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into multiple components: the public ENUM provider database for general accessibility, the carrier ENUM gateway for real-time processing, and the subscriber database for authoritative information storage. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function - public accessibility is maintained through the ENUM provider, while accuracy is ensured through the carrier gateway's direct access to real-time subscriber data.
2Device complexity
If the ENUM provider database is maintained as a static database requiring regular maintenance and cooperation from carriers, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot deal with wireless number portability (WNP) ported numbers in real time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static ENUM database model into a dynamic system where the carrier ENUM gateway continuously queries the subscriber database for real-time information. This dynamic approach enables the system to handle wireless number portability in real-time by always retrieving current data from the active subscriber database rather than relying on static, periodically updated records.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the carrier ENUM gateway continuously monitors and retrieves updated subscriber information from the subscriber database in response to ENUM queries. This feedback loop ensures that the most current information about ported numbers and subscriber status is always available, enabling real-time processing without requiring complex manual maintenance procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If MVNO service profile identifiers are not properly identified in the ENUM system, then the main carrier hosting the MVNO is identified with dedicated SPID, but this leads to confusion in routing and billing for content service providers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the carrier ENUM gateway examine the specific characteristics of each ENUM query to determine whether it pertains to an MVNO or a traditional carrier. Based on this local analysis, the gateway retrieves and returns the appropriate service profile identifier and routing information from the subscriber database, ensuring that MVNO-specific information is preserved and correctly associated with each query rather than being lost in the generic carrier mapping.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for obtaining an internet address associated with a telephone number is disclosed. In an embodiment of the present invention, a wireless carrier network includes a subscriber database and an ENUM gateway. The ENUM gateway receives an ENUM query related to a subscriber of the wireless carrier from a third party, consults the subscriber database in response to the received ENUM query, and provides an ENUM response to the ENUM query to the third party after consulting the subscriber database.