Network Element Credit Check for Mobile Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 4G communication networks, mobile terminals often fail to register due to insufficient credit or budget, leading to unclear failure reasons for users and unnecessary network resource allocation, resulting in repeated registration attempts and inefficient resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
A method that separates the credit check procedure from the mandatory session management, allowing for direct credit status queries without triggering a session management process, enabling users to address credit issues and reducing network resource allocation during registration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the standardized registration procedure is followed, then the mobile terminal can be authenticated and located, but network resources are unnecessarily allocated and registration fails due to credit issues without clear indication to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the registration procedure into two independent parts: a mobility management part (authentication and location) and a credit check part. This allows the network to perform only the mobility management part when credit status is unknown, avoiding unnecessary resource allocation for session management while still enabling successful registration indication to the user
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs credit status checking before completing the full registration procedure. By checking credit status in advance and indicating the result to the user before full session management is initiated, the system prevents unnecessary network resource allocation while providing clear feedback to the user about potential registration failures
2Loss of information
If the credit check is performed during the standardized procedure, then budget validation is achieved, but the user receives unclear failure reasons and cannot rectify the issue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the network element sends a registration indication message to the user equipment that includes both the result of the credit check and the specific reason for any failure. This clear feedback allows the user to understand the problem (insufficient credit) and take appropriate action (recharge), while the indication is sent efficiently without requiring full session management setup
3Loss of energy
If the full session management procedure is executed, then network resources are allocated, but registration fails and resources are wasted when credit is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the credit status check and provides clear failure indication to the user before the full session management procedure is completed. This preliminary action allows the user to understand the credit issue and rectify it (e.g., by recharging) before attempting registration again, avoiding wasted network resource allocation and enabling the user to successfully complete registration after fixing the credit problem
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for providing a registration to a communication network (70) for a mobile terminal (10), preferably during a mobility management procedure (80), comprising the steps of: - receiving a registration request (201, 301; 401) of the mobile terminal (10) at a network element (40) of the communication network (70), wherein the registration request (201, 301, 401) comprises registration information of the mobile terminal (10) and/or a user of the mobile terminal (10); - sending a query (203, 303, 403) from the network element (40) to a credit database (60), wherein the query (203, 303, 403) comprises at least partially the registration information from the registration request (201, 301, 401); - evaluating by the credit database (60) whether the mobile terminal has a valid budget based on the at least partially registration information of the query (203, 303, 403) and sending a query answer (205, 305, 405) as a result of the evaluation (204, 304, 404) to the network element (40), wherein for a negative result the query answer (205, 305, 405) comprises at least one reason of rejection; and - sending a request answer (207, 307, 407) from the network element (40) to the mobile terminal (10) in response to the registration request (201, 301, 401), wherein the registration request (201, 301, 401) is acknowledged or wherein the registration request (201, 301, 401) is rejected together with the at least one reason of rejection. The invention further relates to a network element for providing a registration to a communication network for a mobile terminal, preferably during a mobility management procedure, which is particularly adapted to perform the method steps according to the invention performed by such a network element.