ENUM Country Code Identification via IP Address Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

In international ENUM systems, determining a country code prefix for E.164 telephone numbers without a specified prefix is challenging, as this information is crucial for identifying the correct gateway for communication, especially when the same number is valid in multiple countries.

Innovation Solution

The system receives an E.164 telephone number and associated country of origin information, including an IP address, to determine and append the country code identifier, using a mapping table or parameter values to ensure correct ENUM processing and response.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the ENUM server receives an E.164 telephone number without a country code prefix, then the system can process international numbers more flexibly, but the ENUM server cannot identify the correct gateway to which to respond

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in processing international numbersVSAvoidability to identify correct gateway
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway performs preliminary action by determining the country code prefix based on the IP address of the media gateway controller before submitting the ENUM query. This pre-determination ensures that the ENUM server receives complete numbering information, enabling it to reliably identify the correct gateway while still accepting queries with or without country code prefixes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The IP address of the media gateway controller serves as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between the gateway and the ENUM server. By using the IP address to determine the country code prefix, the system indirectly provides the ENUM server with the necessary information to identify the correct gateway, even when the E.164 number itself lacks a country code prefix.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the same E.164 telephone number is valid in multiple countries, then the system can support international number portability, but the ENUM server cannot determine which country's gateway to contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for international number portabilityVSAvoiddifficulty in determining correct country
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The IP address of the media gateway controller acts as an intermediary that resolves the ambiguity of numbers valid in multiple countries. The gateway uses this IP address to determine the appropriate country code prefix, providing the ENUM server with the information needed to contact the correct country-specific gateway, thereby maintaining support for international number portability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the gateway's determination of the country code prefix based on IP address information. This feedback mechanism ensures that even when the same E.164 number is valid in multiple countries, the ENUM server receives the correct country-specific information needed to route the query to the appropriate gateway.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2062424B1Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a country code identifier in an international ENUM system
Publication Date: 2016.09.21 TEKELEC INC
  • EP2062424B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2062424B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2062424B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a country code identifier in an international ENUM system are disclosed. According to one method, a message is received that includes a telephone number and information associated with a country of origin of the telephone number. A country code identifier may be determined for the telephone number based on the information associated with the country of origin of the telephone number. Further, the country code identifier may be appended to the telephone number of the received message.