Mobile Device Emergency SMS Routing via Local Message Center
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for routing emergency SMS messages from mobile devices while roaming are complex, costly, and may introduce delays due to the need for the home network to forward messages to local emergency services, which can be inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Storing both home and emergency message center addresses in the mobile device's memory, such as a SIM card, and using these addresses to route emergency messages directly to local emergency message centers within the visited network, either by including the emergency message center address in the message or setting an indicator to prioritize emergency routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If emergency SMS messages are routed through the home network SMS-SC, then message routing is simple and consistent, but routing delays occur and local emergency response is slowed
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device pre-stores multiple message center addresses (home network SMS-SC and visited network SMS-SC) in its memory before needing to send an emergency message. When an emergency message is detected, the device immediately selects the appropriate visited network SMS-SC address without requiring real-time network queries or complex routing decisions, thus achieving fast local routing while keeping the device logic simple.
2Loss of time
If emergency SMS messages are forwarded from home network to local network, then centralized control is maintained, but forwarding costs increase and response time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device proactively stores the visited network SMS-SC address in its memory before an emergency occurs. This preliminary storage eliminates the need for real-time message forwarding through the home network, directly routing emergency messages to the local SMS-SC and thereby reducing both response time and network forwarding costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency message routing function is extracted from the home network SMS-SC and performed locally by the mobile device itself. The device independently determines and uses the visited network SMS-SC address, removing the home network from the emergency message path and eliminating unnecessary forwarding operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile device stores multiple message center addresses, then local emergency routing is enabled, but device memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The message center address storage structure is designed to serve multiple purposes: it stores both home network SMS-SC and visited network SMS-SC addresses, allowing the device to handle both regular messages (routed to home SMS-SC) and emergency messages (routed to visited SMS-SC). This multi-functional storage approach enables network adaptability without requiring separate dedicated storage for each purpose, optimizing memory utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a first message center address associated with a home message center and a second message center address associated with an emergency message center are stored in memory of the mobile device. A user input request for communicating a short message is received through a user interface of the mobile device. If the user input request is identified as being for an emergency message, the second message center address is read from the memory and provided in a message center address field of the short message. The short message having the second message center address in the message center address field is then transmitted by the mobile device to the wireless network. The network identifies the second message center address in the message center address field and, in response, causes the short message to be sent to the emergency message center which is local to the network.