Mobile Switching Center Protocol Conversion for Payment Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile network infrastructure is inefficient and unreliable for processing transactions due to the need for significant infrastructure investment, limited bandwidth, and reliance on third-party service providers, which hinders the integration of additional consumer information from powerful mobile devices.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize mobile network protocol encapsulation and location-aware headers to facilitate faster, more secure, and flexible payment communications by converting transaction messages between protocols and incorporating location-aware data into network headers, allowing direct access to consumer information for enhanced authentication and fraud analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If payment processing hardware and software are installed at each mobile network base station, then transaction processing capability is improved, but infrastructure investment and maintenance complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing capabilityVSAvoidinfrastructure investment and maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a gateway mobile switching center as an intermediary component that mediates between the mobile network and payment processing network. This gateway handles protocol conversion and transaction routing centrally, eliminating the need to install payment processing hardware at every base station. The gateway acts as a mediator that enables transaction processing through existing mobile network infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway mobile switching center serves multiple functions: it acts as a mobile switching center for call routing, a protocol conversion gateway for message translation, and a transaction processing node for payment operations. This multi-functionality allows a single infrastructure component to handle diverse operations without requiring separate specialized hardware at each base station.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If third party service providers are used to convert mobile communication messages to internet protocol messages, then transaction processing is enabled, but processing speed and efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing enablementVSAvoidmessage conversion speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the message conversion function directly into the mobile network operator's infrastructure by establishing a direct interface between the mobile network and payment processing network. This eliminates the intermediate third-party conversion step, allowing messages to be converted and routed directly without external mediation, thereby improving processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes pre-configured direct interfaces and protocol conversion capabilities within the mobile network operator's infrastructure before transactions occur. This preliminary setup of conversion mechanisms eliminates the need for real-time third-party intervention, enabling faster direct message conversion and routing when transactions occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If mobile network infrastructure is leveraged for transaction processing, then network availability is improved, but bandwidth and processing speed are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork availabilityVSAvoiddata transmission speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of using mobile network data channels for transaction messages with an electrical/signaling approach by utilizing the SS7 signaling system. This substitution allows transactions to be carried over dedicated signaling channels that have higher reliability and are optimized for control messages, bypassing the bandwidth limitations of general data channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of manufacture

If existing mobile network infrastructure is used without integration, then deployment cost is reduced, but consumer information integration capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment costVSAvoidconsumer information integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic protocol conversion capabilities that allow the system to adapt to different message formats and data types from various mobile devices. The gateway can dynamically adjust conversion parameters and handle diverse consumer information formats without requiring separate static integration for each device type, maintaining low deployment costs while achieving high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11823170B2Integrated communications network for transactions

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION

AI summary

An integrated communications network may be integrated with existing payment systems to provide for more efficient and secure payment related communications. The integrated communications network may use mobile network protocol encapsulation to provide more efficient, faster, and more robust payment related communications to a payment processor across a mobile network. The integrated communications network may implement a location-aware network communications system that may allow a payment processor to obtain additional information about a consumer using a location-aware header of a network communication.