Location-Based Phone Number Normalization for Mobile Roaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile users face communication disruptions when traveling outside their normal service area due to differing number normalization rules across geographic locations, leading to frustration and productivity losses.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented communications system that determines a user's current location and applies suitable normalization rules from a database to normalize phone numbers or connection addresses, enabling seamless communication across different telecommunications service areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user's mobile device uses the user's home numbering plan normalization rules, then the device can successfully complete calls within the user's normal service area, but the user cannot complete calls when traveling outside their normal service area due to different local normalization rules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic normalization rules that automatically adapt to the user's current geographic location. The system determines the user's location and selects appropriate normalization rules based on the local numbering plan, allowing the mobile device to dynamically switch between different normalization standards depending on whether the user is in their home service area or traveling abroad.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of number normalization by introducing location-dependent normalization rules. Instead of using fixed home-based normalization rules, the system modifies the normalization parameters (such as country code, area code formatting, and number structure) based on the detected geographic location, enabling successful calls in both home and foreign service areas.
2Reliability
If the system implements location-based normalization rule selection, then communication reliability improves for mobile users traveling outside their service area, but the system complexity increases due to location determination and rule selection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (the enterprise communications server or normalization service) that handles the complex tasks of location determination and normalization rule selection. This intermediary acts as a mediator between the mobile device and the telecommunication network, centralizing the complexity management and keeping the mobile device itself relatively simple while ensuring reliable international call completion.
Data Source
AI summary
Architecture for normalizing phone numbers and other types of connection information for facilitating mobile communications for users outside their local service areas. When a mobile user attempts to make a connection to a destination entity while outside the user's regular service area, the current location of the user is determined by the system. A normalization rule is selected that corresponds to a local service area associated with the current location. The phone number or other type of connection data string is normalized to the standards of the local service area. The normalized data string is used to automatically complete the connection to the destination entity. In this way, communication is facilitated and simplified for mobile users while traveling abroad.