Centralized Subscriber Database for Number Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current number portability solutions in PSTN networks face limitations due to varying switching equipment, resource-intensive intelligent network requirements, and inefficient detour routes, restricting mobility and scalability of number portability services.
Innovation Solution
A communications network system with a centralized subscriber database that maps logical and physical numbers, enabling seamless number conversion and re-routing across multiple networks, thereby facilitating flexible number plans and mixed services, including short message communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If NP service requires accessing the call to an intelligent network and converting the number before continuing with the subsequent process, then number portability is achieved, but a great number of detour routes are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the NP functionality into two parts: a centralized NP database that stores the mapping between logical and physical numbers, and local switching offices that perform number conversion by querying the database. This segmentation eliminates the need for calls to detour through intelligent network nodes, as each switching office can independently perform number portability functions by querying the centralized database.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized NP database as an intermediary between switching offices and the intelligent network. The database stores the mapping relationships and provides number conversion services to switching offices, eliminating the need for direct intelligent network access and reducing detour routes while maintaining NP functionality.
2Reliability
If NP service is implemented with an intelligent network, then number conversion is achieved, but a great deal of resources of the intelligent network are occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the number conversion functionality from the intelligent network and places it in a centralized NP database. The database stores the mapping between logical and physical numbers and provides conversion services to switching offices, thereby reducing the resource burden on the intelligent network while maintaining number conversion capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dedicated NP database that copies and stores the number mapping information that would otherwise need to be managed by the intelligent network. This separate database structure allows number conversion to occur independently from intelligent network operations, reducing resource occupation while maintaining conversion accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If various types of switching equipment are used in switching offices, then network flexibility is achieved, but some types are unable to insert access codes automatically, limiting NP service application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal NP database that serves all types of switching offices regardless of their specific capabilities. The database provides a standardized interface for number conversion that works with diverse switching equipment, making the NP service universally applicable across the network while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized NP database acts as an intermediary that handles the complex number conversion logic, allowing switching offices with limited capabilities to still provide NP services. The database receives conversion requests from any switching office type, performs the lookup, and returns the appropriate physical number, thereby enabling NP service across diverse equipment without requiring each switch to have advanced triggering capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a communications network system including more than one type of communications network and a centralized subscriber database connected with the more than one type of communications network. The centralized subscriber database is able to process calls accessed via a communications network based on the subscriber data and send back the processing result of the calls to the communications network, which will re-route the calls based on the processing result thereof. Based on the above communications network system, this invention also discloses methods for flexible number plan, various simple services, smooth transfer of PHS subscribers to a 3G network, and short message communications based on flexible number plan.