Emergency Database for Telecommunications Network Availability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Central database failures in telecommunications networks lead to prolonged network outages, disrupting communication services such as mobile calls, SMS, and data services, as existing solutions are complex and costly, and do not adequately address the immediate need for service preservation during emergencies.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an emergency database functionality that uses reduced database information, including standard and specific user profiles, to provide limited but essential communication services, which can be quickly activated and located closer to where needed, reducing the complexity and cost of service restoration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a central database architecture is used to provide support for application logic and data, then data sharing and decoupling are improved, but network availability deteriorates when the database fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata sharing capabilityVSAvoidnetwork availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring emergency database functionalities at multiple network nodes before the central database fails. These pre-positioned database instances contain cached user profiles and subscription data, enabling immediate service continuation without waiting for central database restoration. The system automatically activates these pre-prepared emergency databases when failures are detected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary emergency database functionalities that act as mediators between the failed central database and the application servers. These intermediary databases cache and provide user data locally, bridging the gap during the failure period. The intermediary databases are distributed at multiple network nodes and can serve different geographic or functional regions independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the central database is made highly redundant to ensure 100% availability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedatabase availabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the emergency database functionality across multiple distributed network nodes rather than implementing a single complex redundant system. Each node maintains a simplified emergency database instance, and the overall system reliability is achieved through the distributed architecture where any single node failure does not affect others. This segments the complexity across multiple simple units rather than one complex system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by providing emergency database functionalities only at selected network nodes rather than all nodes. The system determines which nodes require emergency database capabilities based on their criticality and user base, allocating resources efficiently. This partial deployment achieves sufficient reliability without the excessive complexity of universal deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If emergency database functionality is implemented at all network nodes, then service availability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidimplementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the emergency database implementation to local requirements at each network node. Instead of uniform deployment, the system assesses local factors such as user density, criticality of services, and recovery time requirements to determine the appropriate scope and capability of emergency databases at each location. This allows optimized resource allocation matching local needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial deployment of emergency database functionalities at strategically selected network nodes rather than all nodes. The system identifies critical nodes that require emergency database capabilities based on their role in the network and their user bases, while omitting less critical nodes. This partial action achieves sufficient service availability without the excessive complexity and cost of universal deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3355555B1Method for an improved processing of network communication between a telecommunications network and at least one user equipment in a database emergency situation within the telecommunications network, system, program and computer program product
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
  • EP3355555B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3355555B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for an improved processing of network communication between a telecommunications network and at least one user equipment in a database emergency situation within the telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises -- network nodes providing a plurality of application server functionalities, as well as -- network nodes providing a high-availability central database functionality, wherein - in view of the telecommunications network providing a multitude of communication services to the user equipment and in a first, normal, mode of operation of the central database functionality - at least one application server functionality requests subscriber-related information or non-subscriber-related information from the central database functionality, and the central database functionality provides such requested subscriber-related information or non-subscriber-related information to the at least one application server functionality, wherein the telecommunications network comprises at least one emergency database functionality, the emergency database functionality providing reduced database information compared to the subscriber-related information or non-subscriber-related information provided by the central database functionality, wherein in a second, emergency-related, mode of operation of the central database functionality, the at least one application server functionality fails to receive the requested subscriber-related information or non-subscriber-related information from the central database functionality and uses instead the reduced database information, provided by the emergency database functionality, wherein the method comprises the step of manually or automatically switching to or triggering the second mode of operation in case that the at least one application server functionality or a sufficiently large number of the plurality of application server functionalities fails or fail to receive the requested subscriber-related information or non-subscriber-related information from the central database functionality.