Dynamic Roaming Service Configuration via Billing Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roaming subscribers in wireless communications systems face additional fees and limited service access when outside their home network, with existing technologies requiring involvement from third-party service providers for configuration and lacking transparency in service changes.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic configuration system that allows a home wireless service provider to initialize settings for unlimited service on a per-switch basis, enabling unlimited voice, text, and data services for roaming subscribers without requiring changes to third-party infrastructure, and allowing temporary or event-based service provision through multiple roaming partner switches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If roaming subscribers use third-party service providers for service access, then service availability is improved, but service cost increases due to additional fees and charges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the billing and service configuration functions from the third-party roaming partner network and relocates them to the home network's billing system. This allows the home network to directly control service provisioning and billing for roaming subscribers, eliminating the need to pay roaming partners for service configuration and enabling more favorable billing terms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a messaging system that directly connects the home network's billing system with roaming partners' switching systems. This intermediary messaging infrastructure enables the home network to remotely configure and control service parameters on roaming partners' networks without requiring manual intervention or paying premium fees, thus reducing service costs while maintaining availability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If roaming service configuration involves third-party service providers, then service access is enabled, but system complexity increases due to multiple coordination points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service configuration and billing control functions from the complex multi-party roaming architecture and consolidates them in the home network's billing system. This centralization simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex coordination between multiple billing and configuration systems across different networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the home network's billing system automatically discovers available roaming services and configures them on partner networks through automated messaging. This eliminates the need for manual configuration and reduces system complexity by enabling autonomous service provisioning without human intervention or complex coordination protocols.
3Reliability
If unlimited service is provided to roaming subscribers, then service quality is improved, but billing system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic service configuration where the billing system can flexibly adjust service parameters and provisioning levels based on real-time conditions, subscriber profiles, and roaming partner capabilities. This dynamic approach allows the system to provide unlimited service when appropriate while automatically adapting to different scenarios, managing complexity through flexibility rather than rigid configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in messaging between the billing system and roaming partners to control service levels. By dynamically modifying service parameters (such as enabling unlimited service flags, adjusting quality of service levels, or changing billing rates) through standardized messaging protocols, the system can provide high-quality unlimited service without hardcoding complex billing rules, thus managing complexity through parameter-based control.
4Loss of information
If service configuration is centralized in the home network, then transparency is improved, but control flexibility over roaming partners decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs standardized messaging protocols as intermediaries between the home network's billing system and roaming partners' switching systems. These messaging interfaces maintain transparency by providing complete visibility into service configuration and billing decisions while preserving control flexibility by allowing the home network to send diverse configuration commands through a standardized channel, adapting to different roaming partner capabilities without sacrificing transparency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus are presented for enabling unlimited roaming service on a roaming partner switch. In one aspect, a method includes configuring a billing system corresponding to a home wireless service provider to authorize a subscriber device to receive unlimited roaming service on a roaming partner switch; receiving, by the home wireless service provider, a registration request from the roaming partner switch identifying the subscriber device; registering the subscriber device in the billing system as an unlimited roaming service subscriber device; and providing unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device. Further, a call request associated with the subscriber device can be received from the roaming partner switch and billing associated with the call request can be suspended.