M-IMSI Addressing for M2M Terminal Scalability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) system in cellular wireless networks is limited in supporting the rapid growth of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, as it was designed to accommodate both human-to-human and M2M terminals, leading to scalability issues and hindrances in efficient wide-scale deployment of mobile radio access technology.
Innovation Solution
A system and method are introduced to accommodate M2M terminals using a machine international mobile subscriber identity (M-IMSI), which includes a processor and memory configured to process attach requests, authenticate M2M terminals, and communicate with a machine home server (MHS) for unique identification and authentication, enabling a scalable addressing scheme by reusing the IMSI structure with a hierarchical M-IMSI format.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the current IMSI structure is used to support M2M terminals, then existing network infrastructure can be utilized, but the system cannot scale to support the projected massive growth of M2M terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The IMSI structure is segmented into distinct components: a standard portion for H2H terminals and an extended M-IMSI portion for M2M terminals. This segmentation allows the network to differentiate between terminal types and allocate appropriate address space, enabling support for massive numbers of M2M terminals while preserving existing H2H terminal functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the IMSI address space by adding an additional dimension - the M-IMSI extension. This creates a hierarchical addressing structure where the base IMSI remains unchanged for legacy compatibility, while an extended dimension provides additional capacity for M2M terminal identification, effectively increasing the total addressable space from billions to trillions of terminals.
2Quantity of substance
If a new addressing scheme is developed specifically for M2M terminals, then scalability is improved, but complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extended IMSI structure serves multiple functions: it maintains compatibility with existing H2H terminal operations while simultaneously providing dedicated addressing for M2M terminals. The same network infrastructure and signaling protocols handle both terminal types, eliminating the need for separate complex M2M-specific network elements and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The M-IMSI extension acts as an intermediary layer between the existing IMSI system and the requirements for massive M2M terminal support. It bridges the gap by extending the addressing capability without disrupting the existing IMSI-based architecture, allowing gradual integration and minimizing complexity increases.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the IMSI capacity is increased to support more terminals, then scalability improves, but the risk of identity confusion between H2H and M2M terminals increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the extended IMSI structure are assigned different qualities or characteristics appropriate for their intended use. The base IMSI portion maintains its original properties for H2H terminals, while the extended M-IMSI portion is specifically designed with properties suited for M2M terminal identification, such as larger address space and M2M-specific allocation rules, thereby preventing identity confusion.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided to accommodate an attach request for machine-to-machine (“M2M”) terminals including a machine international mobile subscriber identity (“M-IMSI”) in communication networks. In one embodiment, an apparatus of the system is operable to process the M-IMSI attach request from the M2M terminal. The apparatus includes a processor and memory including computer program code configured to receive the attach request from the M2M terminal including a machine identity type and an assigned M-IMSI from the M2M terminal, check an identity type of the attach request and transmit the attach request to a machine home server (“MHS”) if the identity type is the M-IMSI. The processor and memory including computer program code of the apparatus are also configured to receive an authenticate response from the MHS indicating acceptance or rejection of the attach request and provide the authenticate response to the M2M terminal.