Telecom Charging Collection Function Scalable Transformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data processing systems in telecommunications networks face challenges in handling diverse notification formats from Charging Trigger Functions (CTFs), requiring each recipient system to adapt to a single output format from the Charging Collection Function (CCF), which can be resource-intensive and impractical, especially when dealing with legacy systems.
Innovation Solution
A scalable transformation function within the CCF transforms data from notifications into multiple usage detail reports in different formats, allowing flexible output to various recipient systems without requiring them to change their formats, enabling separate scaling of transformation functionality from CTFs and call-handling elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each recipient system adapts to a single output format from the CCF, then system compatibility is maintained, but resource consumption increases and deployment becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (transformation function or adapter layer) between the CCF and recipient systems. This intermediary automatically transforms the single output format from the CCF into the specific formats required by different recipient systems, eliminating the need for each system to adapt individually and reducing overall resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The CCF is designed to produce a universal output format that can be transformed into multiple specific formats through the intermediary. This multi-functional approach allows one output mechanism to serve multiple recipient systems with different format requirements, improving resource efficiency while maintaining compatibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the CCF outputs reports in multiple formats directly, then recipient system compatibility improves, but the complexity of the CCF increases
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing the transformation function as a separate intermediary component, the patent isolates the format diversity complexity from the CCF core. The CCF maintains its simplicity by producing a single universal format, while the intermediary handles the complexity of multiple format transformations, thus reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the CCF that generates data in a universal format, and the transformation function that handles format conversion. This segmentation separates concerns and reduces the complexity burden on the CCF while still achieving multi-format output capability.
3Productivity
If transformation functionality is integrated with CTFs, then data processing is streamlined, but scaling becomes coupled and less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data processing architecture by separating the CTFs (which generate notifications) from the transformation function (which converts formats). This segmentation allows independent scaling of each component - CTFs can be scaled based on notification generation needs, while the transformation function can be scaled based on output format requirements, providing flexible independent scaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The transformation function acts as an intermediary layer between CTFs and recipient systems, decoupling their scaling relationships. This allows CTFs and transformation functionality to scale independently based on their respective workload demands, improving system flexibility and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Data is processed in a telecommunications network. First and second notifications are received, via an input interface, from first and second Charging Trigger Functions, CTFs, in the telecommunications network. The first and second notifications relate to network resource usage in the telecommunications network. A scalable transformation function is used to transform data derived from the first and second notifications into a first usage detail report in a first detail report format and a second usage detail report in a second, different detail report format. The first and second usage detail reports are output, via an output interface, to at least one recipient system.