Location-Based Policy Enhancement for Telecommunications

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network architectures fail to fully leverage location-based policy attributes to manage resource utilization effectively, leading to inefficiencies in providing high-quality service to demanding users and incentivizing desired behavior in telecommunications networks.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for location-based policy enhancement, which involves receiving location information from user devices, analyzing it to determine if the device is within a specific geographic region associated with a policy enhancement offer, and generating a signaling message to modify policy attributes such as bandwidth allocation, communicated to a policy control function.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If network providers employ policy schemes to limit resource utilization, then resource management efficiency is improved, but service quality for demanding users deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource management efficiencyVSAvoidservice quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing location-specific policy enhancements where users receive differentiated service attributes based on their geographic location. The system modifies policy attributes (such as bandwidth allocation, priority levels, or service rates) specifically for users within designated geographic regions, allowing providers to offer enhanced service quality to certain locations while maintaining standard resource management elsewhere. This resolves the contradiction by enabling localized service quality improvements without compromising overall resource management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If network providers offer high quality of service to resource-hungry applications, then user satisfaction is improved, but network resource utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of serviceVSAvoidnetwork resource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making policy attributes dynamic and location-dependent rather than static. The system continuously evaluates user location and automatically adjusts service attributes in real-time based on geographic context. Users can dynamically transition between different service levels as they move between geographic regions, allowing the network to optimize resource utilization dynamically while maintaining high quality of service where needed. This resolves the contradiction by enabling flexible, context-aware resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If network providers implement location-based policy schemes, then behavioral incentive capability is improved, but system complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebehavioral incentive capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (location-based policy enhancement module) that mediates between the core network infrastructure and location-based policy enforcement. This intermediary handles the complexity of location tracking, geographic region matching, and policy attribute modification, shielding the rest of the network system from complex location-based logic. The intermediary translates geographic location data into appropriate policy adjustments, enabling sophisticated behavioral incentives while containing system complexity within a dedicated module.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8812020B2Methods, systems, and computer readable media for location-based policy enhancement
Publication Date: 2014.08.19 TEKELEC INC
  • US8812020B2 patent drawing
  • US8812020B2 patent drawing
  • US8812020B2 patent drawing

AI summary

According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for location-based policy enhancement. The method includes receiving a message containing location information identifying a current geographic location for a user device. The method also includes analyzing the location information to determine if the user device is located in a geographic region associated with a location based policy enhancement offer. The method further includes in response to determining that the user device is located in the geographic region associated with the location-based policy enhancement offer, generating a signaling message containing instructions to modify a policy attribute associated with the user device, wherein the policy attribute corresponds to the location-based policy enhancement offer. The method further includes communicating the signaling message to a policy control function associated with the user device.