IMS CSCF Time Zone Handling for Fraud Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
IMS networks lack mechanisms to handle and transport time zone information, making it difficult to provide services and charging models that account for users' current or home time zones, leading to potential fraud and inefficient resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
Implement methods and apparatuses within CSCF and HSS nodes to retrieve, store, and transmit time zone information across IMS network nodes, using SIP signaling headers like P-Charging-Vector to support time zone-based services and charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If IMS network uses only UTC time without time zone information, then the system maintains simplicity and time zone agnosticism, but it cannot provide time zone-based services or accurate time-based charging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces time zone information as an intermediary element that bridges UTC time and local time zones. This intermediary carries time zone identification data through SIP signaling messages between network nodes, enabling time zone-based services without fundamentally changing the UTC-based IMS timekeeping architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by obtaining and storing time zone information during user registration before any service execution. The HSS stores time zone data in the user profile, and the S-CSCF retrieves and stores it locally during registration, so that time zone-based services can be immediately provided when needed without additional real-time queries.
2Productivity
If time zone information is not transported between IMS nodes, then the network architecture remains simple, but services like communication diversion and time-based charging cannot function accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes use of existing SIP signaling messages and information elements that already traverse the IMS network for other purposes. By adding time zone information to these existing universal message structures (such as SIP headers or information elements), the system enables time zone-based services without creating separate dedicated signaling paths.
3Reliability
If time zone information is not stored in network nodes, then storage resources are conserved, but fraud prevention and accurate charging cannot be implemented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing time zone information at specific network nodes where it is most needed for their functions. The HSS stores time zone information in user profiles for centralized management, while the S-CSCF also stores it locally for immediate service execution and charging decisions, ensuring each node has the information appropriate to its role.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concern methods and apparatuses for transporting and using time zone information in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem, IMS, network. When a cali session control function, CSCF, node (115, 125) receives (501 ) a request message related to a user equipment, UE, the CSCF node (115, 125) retrieves (502) and (503) stores time zone information associated with the UE. The time zone information is sent (504) by the CSCF node (115, 125) to at least one other IMS network node, which is then able to support time zone based services and/or charging associated with the UE. The CSCF node (115, 125) may optionally create (505) an Attribute Value Pair, AVP, including the stored time zone information and send (506) a charging message including the AVP to a charging node, to enable usage of the time zone information in charging.