Handling Faulty Mobile Registration via Alternative Field Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Faulty registrations in mobile communication devices for wireless packet data service networks often result in missing or mismatched subscriber information, leading to double billing issues between network provisioning systems and carriers, which is undesirable.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that select and search for alternative identification fields in faulty registrations within a list of registrations, associating the faulty registration with a matching record to identify the subscriber, and create a 'dummy' registration if no match is found within a search limit, preventing billing errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the registration is faulty with missing or mismatched subscriber information, then the provisioning system cannot correctly identify the subscriber, but creating a dummy registration may lead to double billing issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubscriber identification accuracyVSAvoidregistration handling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by searching for matching registrations using available identification fields before creating a dummy registration. The provisioning system attempts to associate the faulty registration with an existing correct registration by searching with alternative identification fields, only creating a dummy registration if no match is found within the search limit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary matching process that acts as a mediator between the faulty registration and the subscriber identification system. Instead of directly creating a dummy registration or failing to identify, the system uses alternative identification fields as intermediaries to find matching registrations, thereby preventing double billing while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the system searches extensively for matching registrations, then subscriber identification accuracy improves, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregistration matching accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by limiting the search to a predetermined number of alternative identification fields rather than exhaustively searching all possible fields. This predetermined limit balances the need for accurate matching with the constraint of processing time, avoiding excessive searching while maintaining sufficient precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If the system creates a dummy registration for faulty registrations, then service continuity is maintained, but billing accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice activation speedVSAvoidbilling accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by preventing the harmful effect of double billing before it occurs. Instead of creating a dummy registration that would lead to billing errors, the system first attempts to match the faulty registration with an existing correct registration using alternative identification fields, thereby preemptively avoiding the billing accuracy problem while maintaining service activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP1892984B1Handling a faulty registration for a mobile communications device
Publication Date: 2009.01.21 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP1892984B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1892984B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1892984B1 patent drawingFigure 3(i)

AI summary

A method and system for handling a faulty registration for a subscriber with a mobile communication device in a communications network. A faulty registration comprises a registration missing identification information or having a field that is missing an identifier or other form of information e.g. a billing identification, an IMSI, etc... . The method and system comprise selecting another field or property in the faulty registration, which is populated with an identifier or identification information, and searching the selected field or property in a list of registrations for matching identification information. Associating the faulty registration with an existing registration for a subscriber based on matching the identification information. According to another aspect, the system and method comprise generating a new registration for the customer with the faulty registration if a matching registration is not located or search criteria are not satisfied. According to another aspect, the system and method comprise creating a record associated with the faulty registration.