Local Subscription Establishment for Wireless Connectivity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users of wireless communication systems face limitations when traveling outside their cellular service provider's network coverage, often forced to choose between non-cellular services or costly roaming options, lacking alternatives for maintaining connectivity.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for user equipment (UE) to initiate a local subscription establishment procedure with an access network outside the home network, allowing authorization for local subscriptions, enabling secure connections and independent credentials without relying on roaming agreements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users utilize roaming service to connect with local network outside home network coverage, then connectivity is maintained, but costly roaming fees are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a local network subscription mechanism as an intermediary solution between the home network and foreign networks. Instead of directly roaming through expensive agreements, the UE establishes a local subscription with the foreign network, acting as an independent intermediary that bypasses traditional roaming fee structures while maintaining reliable connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the traditional monolithic roaming subscription into separate local subscriptions that can be independently established with different foreign networks. This allows the UE to have multiple independent local subscriptions rather than relying on a single home network roaming agreement, enabling flexible selection of networks based on cost and coverage.
2Loss of energy
If users choose non-cellular service connection outside home network coverage, then connectivity is maintained, but service quality and reliability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the cellular network subscription system universal by enabling the UE to establish subscriptions with multiple different foreign networks, not just the home network. This multi-functionality allows the UE to maintain high-quality cellular service across different networks, replacing the need to fall back to lower-quality non-cellular options.
3Adaptability or versatility
If UE establishes local subscription with foreign network, then connectivity alternatives are increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the UE autonomously manages its local subscriptions. The UE can independently establish, maintain, and switch between local subscriptions with different foreign networks without requiring complex manual configuration or intervention, thereby reducing the perceived complexity for the user while maintaining high adaptability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If UE initiates local subscription establishment procedure, then independent credentials are obtained, but authentication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the UE with the capability to initiate local subscription procedures and by having foreign networks pre-ready to accept such subscriptions. This preparation in advance simplifies the actual authentication process, as the frameworks and protocols are already established, reducing the complexity experienced during the actual connection establishment.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing user equipment (UE) subscription establishment with networks outside of a home network. A UE may determine whether it is authorized to operate in an unsubscribed state and/or to initiate a local subscription establishment procedure with a non-home network. A home network operator may authorize the UE to operate in an unsubscribed state and/or to initiate a local subscription establishment procedure at non-home networks. When authorized to do so, the UE may initiate a subscription establishment procedure.