Apparatus Failure Influence Range Recognition for IP Telephony Billing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems fail to accurately and promptly bill for calls where the control plane is normal but the user plane is suspected of being abnormal, leading to manual calculations and reduced accuracy and efficiency in billing.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus failure influence range recognition system that receives apparatus failure information, user information, and call details to calculate and subtract call charges for affected calls, automatically identifying and excluding charges for calls influenced by apparatus failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual calculation with user declaration is used for suspected abnormal calls, then billing accuracy can be maintained through human judgment, but operational efficiency and promptness deteriorate due to manual processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebilling accuracyVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic self-service by autonomously detecting apparatus failures, identifying affected calls, and calculating subtracted call charges without requiring manual user declarations or human intervention, thereby maintaining billing accuracy while dramatically improving operational efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of human judgment and calculation is replaced with an automated information processing system that uses apparatus failure information, user information, and call details information to automatically determine billing adjustments, achieving both accuracy and efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If manual calculation with user declaration is used for suspected abnormal calls, then billing can be adjusted for accuracy, but promptness deteriorates due to delayed manual processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebilling accuracyVSAvoidbilling promptness

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by proactively detecting apparatus failures and automatically identifying affected calls in real-time, calculating subtracted call charges immediately without waiting for user declarations, thereby achieving both billing accuracy and promptness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system autonomously performs the entire billing adjustment process including failure detection, call identification, and charge calculation without human intervention, eliminating delays associated with manual processing while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If no detection system exists for calls with normal C plane but suspected abnormal U plane, then system complexity remains low, but billing accuracy deteriorates for suspected non-provision of service

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidbilling accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the billing detection process by specifically targeting calls with normal C plane but suspected abnormal U plane, using apparatus failure information to identify these specific cases and apply appropriate subtracted call charges, thereby improving billing accuracy for suspected non-provision of service

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces apparatus failure information as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between normal C plane status and suspected U plane abnormalities, enabling automatic identification and billing adjustment for affected calls without requiring complex overall system redesign

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If manual calculation is used for suspected abnormal calls, then operational procedures remain simple, but accuracy and promptness deteriorate due to manual processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidbilling accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11489968B2Device failure influence range grasping apparatus, device failure influence range grasping method, and program

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP

AI summary

Provided are an apparatus failure influence range recognition apparatus, an apparatus failure influence range recognition method, and a program capable of billing for a proper call charge for a call suspected of non-provision of a service. An apparatus failure influence range recognition apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive apparatus failure information which is failure information of an element constituting a network, user information which is information regarding a user of a service, and call details information of an IP telephone, and a calculation unit configured to calculate, by linking the apparatus failure information, the user information, and the call details information with each other, a subtracted call charge with respect to a call charge for a suspected call influenced by an apparatus failure.