Geographic Zone Billing for Shared Home Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier networks face double billing issues as data-plan-enabled devices within range of a home network device are separately billed despite using the same network resources, leading to increased consumption and discouragement of device purchases.
Innovation Solution
A billing adaptor system determines geographic proximity of data-plan-enabled devices to a home network device or primary device, adjusting billing rates to zero or reduced rates based on geographic zones, eliminating the need for separate invoicing and optimizing routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If data-plan-enabled devices are separately billed even when within range of home network device, then billing accuracy for individual devices is maintained, but double billing occurs and network resource utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing location-based billing differentiation. Devices within the geographic zone of the home network device receive preferential billing treatment (reduced or zero rates), while devices outside the zone are billed at standard rates. This spatial differentiation resolves the contradiction by locally adjusting billing precision based on physical location, eliminating double billing for devices already served by the home network while maintaining accurate billing for roaming devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a billing adaptor system as an intermediary component that sits between the network billing system and the customer. This intermediary monitors device locations, determines whether devices are within the home network's geographic zone, and automatically adjusts billing rates accordingly. The billing adaptor resolves the contradiction by mediating between individual device billing requirements and home network resource sharing, preventing double billing while maintaining billing accuracy.
2Loss of energy
If billing system monitors and adjusts rates for all devices, then double billing is eliminated, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the billing system into distinct functional components: a monitoring application that tracks device locations, a billing adaptor that processes billing information, and integration with existing carrier billing systems. This segmentation allows the system to add location-based billing adjustment capabilities without completely redesigning the existing billing infrastructure, thus improving billing efficiency while limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The billing adaptor system is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a location monitoring component and a billing adjustment component. By combining these functions in a single system element, the patent avoids the need for separate complex systems for each function, thereby improving billing efficiency while keeping the added complexity manageable through consolidation of responsibilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If geographic zone billing is implemented, then customer satisfaction improves, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by determining geographic zones based on the home network device's location without requiring precise real-time tracking of every device's exact position. The system uses the home network device's known location to define a service zone, and devices within this zone receive preferential billing. This approach provides sufficient billing adaptability based on approximate location information without demanding excessive measurement precision, thus resolving the contradiction between billing versatility and location precision requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises obtaining a location of the device registered with a carrier network in association with a subscription account, wherein the subscription account comprises a home network subscription plan associated with a home network device registered with the carrier network, wherein the device is registered with the carrier network under a data plan separate from the home network subscription plan, determining a location of the home network device and a geographic zone around the home network device based on the device, and transmitting an instruction to a billing system in the carrier network to adapt the data plan associated with the device to a reduced billing rate when the location of the device is within the geographic zone around the home network device.