Location Mapping Service for IMS Billing Region Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy location-based billing methods are inadequate for IP-based traffic in integrated Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) cores, as they cannot directly derive Cell Global Identification (CGI) information to determine billing regions for IMS sessions, which are typically switched via wireless access points without CGI association.
Innovation Solution
A Location Mapping Service (LMS) is introduced to estimate the location of mobile devices during IMS sessions, determining a CGI to associate with the session, and providing it to the legacy core network for billing region determination, using geolocation servers and tables correlating physical locations with billing CGIs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If legacy location-based billing methods are used for IMS sessions, then billing can be performed using existing infrastructure, but CGI information cannot be derived for IP-based traffic switched via wireless access points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Location Mapping Service (LMS) as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between IMS core and legacy billing systems. The LMS receives location information from the IMS core and translates it into CGI format that the legacy billing system can process, thereby enabling billing compatibility without requiring the IMS core to natively generate CGI information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanism of deriving CGI from cell site identifiers in the legacy system with a new mechanism in the IMS system. Instead of using cell site-based CGI derivation, the system uses IP address-based location mapping through the LMS, substituting the mechanical CGI generation process with an IP-to-location-to-CGI translation process
2Adaptability or versatility
If IMS core is integrated with legacy core network, then existing voice and data services can be maintained, but location-based billing becomes inadequate for IP-based traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the billing function into two independent parts: the IMS core handles IP-based session management and location tracking, while the legacy billing system handles charging calculations. The LMS acts as a translator between these segments, allowing each component to operate independently with its native protocols while maintaining accurate location-based billing through the translation layer
3Productivity
If CGI information is not available for IMS sessions, then location-based billing cannot be implemented, but billing region determination is required for accurate charging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the LMS pre-establish location mappings between IP addresses and CGI information before billing is required. The system maintains a mapping database that correlates IP address ranges with geographic locations and corresponding CGI identifiers, so that when billing is needed, the translation can be performed immediately without real-time location determination
Data Source
AI summary
A location mapping service ("LMS") that allows the integrations of an IMS core with the location-based billing methods of a legacy core network. The LMS uses the estimated location of a mobile device during an IMS session in order to determine a Ceil Global Identification ("CGI") to associate with the session. The LMS then provides the determined COS to the legacy core network, so that a billing gateway may determine the billing region to associate with the IMS session. The LMS thereby facilitates location-based billing for IMS sessions in the absence of actual CGI information.