LTE Subscriber Identifier Lookup via URL Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communication devices often request services without associated identifiers, posing challenges for servers to validate identity and provide premium services, as they lack subscriber identifiers or network access identifiers, leading to difficulties in verifying active subscriptions.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a server searches for subscriber or network access identifiers in service requests, and if not found, composes a new URL redirecting the device to an identifier network element, which references a system of record to obtain the identifier, and then submits a new service request to the server, enabling identity validation and premium service provision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a server receives a service request from a mobile communication device without a subscriber identifier, then the server cannot validate the device's identity or verify active subscriptions, but introducing identifier lookup mechanisms increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an identifier network element as an intermediary component between the mobile communication device and the server. This intermediary handles the identifier lookup and retrieval operations, allowing the server to focus on service processing while the intermediary manages the complexity of querying subscriber profiles and obtaining identifiers from network elements. The intermediary pattern resolves the contradiction by centralizing the complex identifier retrieval logic separate from the server's core service validation function.
2Reliability
If the server implements comprehensive identifier searching and redirection mechanisms, then identity validation improves, but the service request processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing identifier retrieval and subscription verification before the server processes the actual service request. The identifier network element queries subscriber profiles and obtains necessary identifiers in advance, so that when the server receives the service request, the identification work is already complete. This preliminary processing of identification tasks reduces the processing time for the main service validation operation while maintaining comprehensive verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the service request processing into distinct phases: identifier retrieval phase (handled by the identifier network element), subscription verification phase, and service processing phase (handled by the server). By segmenting these functions across different network elements, each component can optimize its specific task independently, reducing overall processing time compared to a monolithic approach where the server handles all operations sequentially.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mobile devices request services without identifiers, then service accessibility is improved, but security and premium service provision become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The identifier network element serves as a mediator that maintains service accessibility for devices without identifiers while enabling security validation. The intermediary retrieves identifiers from network elements and subscriber profiles, allowing the server to provide both free and premium services with proper validation. This mediator approach enables the system to accommodate devices that initially lack identifiers while still maintaining security through proactive identifier retrieval and subscription verification.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of assigning a subscriber identifier to a mobile communication device using a long term evolution (LTE) network. The method comprises when no subscriber identifier is found and a source internet protocol (IP) address of the original service request is within a predefined IP address block, composing, by the server, a new URL with the original URL nested inside the new URL, wherein the additional part of the new URL from the original URL redirects the mobile communication device to an identifier network element, responding to the original service request, by the server, to a client application on the mobile communication device with the new URL, and referencing, by the identifier network element, a system of record (SoR) for a subscription profile based on a source IP address of a second service request in response to receiving the second service request from the mobile communication device.