IMS Service Configuration XML Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service configurations via the Ut interface do not have a mechanism to limit the conditions accessible by subscribers, leading to confusion as users can view and attempt to change all service settings, including those that are not changeable, resulting in user frustration.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating informational elements within the XML document structure to identify changeable and unchangeable service conditions, allowing only changeable conditions to be displayed on the user terminal's Graphical User Interface (GUI), ensuring that only permissible settings are presented to the user for modification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If all service conditions are displayed and made accessible to subscribers via the Ut interface, then users have complete access to service settings, but users can view and attempt to change unchangeable conditions leading to confusion and frustration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to service settingsVSAvoiduser confusion
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The service conditions are segmented into two distinct categories: changeable conditions and unchangeable conditions. This segmentation is achieved by marking conditions with appropriate indicators (e.g., read-write vs. read-only attributes) in the XML configuration documents. The user interface then presents these segmented conditions differently, allowing users to access and modify only the changeable conditions while displaying unchangeable conditions in a non-editable manner, thereby preventing user confusion and frustration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If all service conditions are presented for modification, then users have full control over services, but users may attempt to change unchangeable conditions resulting in configuration errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser controlVSAvoidconfiguration errors
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-identifying and marking which service conditions are changeable and which are unchangeable before presenting them to the user. This is accomplished through XML schema definitions and configuration documents that specify the modifiability status of each condition. The user interface uses this pre-established information to enable or disable editing capabilities accordingly, preventing users from attempting to modify unchangeable conditions and thus avoiding configuration errors before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the XML document structure includes informational elements identifying changeable conditions, then only modifiable settings are presented to users, but the XML document structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interface clarityVSAvoidXML document structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages existing universal standards and protocols to manage the increased XML document complexity. Specifically, it utilizes the XCAP (XML Configuration Access Protocol) and existing XML schema definition language (XSD) capabilities to define and enforce the structure, validation rules, and modifiability attributes of service conditions. These universal standards provide a framework that handles the complexity of annotated XML documents without requiring custom parsing or processing logic, thereby maintaining ease of operation while accommodating the enhanced document structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2204035B1IP multimedia subsystem service configuration
Publication Date: 2015.07.08 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2204035B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2204035B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2204035B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A method of controlling the presentation of user changeable IP Multimedia Subsystem service conditions at a user terminal, where service conditions are defined within an XML document maintained within the IP Multimedia Subsystem network. The method comprises including within the XML document one or more informational elements identifying those conditions that the user can change and, upon receipt of the XML document or a fragment thereof at the user terminal, interpreting said informational element(s) and presenting to the subscriber only those conditions that can be changed.