Network Entity Protocol Translation for Roaming Supplementary Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of multi-mode mobile devices face challenges in accessing supplementary services while roaming between networks with different radio access technologies (RAT) and core networks, as these networks use distinct methods and protocols for invoking and providing these services.
Innovation Solution
A network entity with a receiver, converter, and output is implemented to receive an invocation message from a mobile device in a supported transport protocol, extract it, and send it to the home network using the appropriate protocol for the home network to invoke supplementary services, enabling seamless access to supplementary services across different networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different core networks use different methods and protocols for supplementary services, then each network can optimize its own service delivery, but users experience inconsistency and complexity when roaming between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity acts as an intermediary between the visiting core network and the home core network. It receives supplementary service invocation requests from the visiting network, translates them into the appropriate protocol format, and forwards them to the home network. This mediator approach enables seamless roaming while maintaining protocol independence between different network types.
Solution Approach 2:
The network entity provides universal functionality by supporting multiple transport protocols (SMS, USSD, DTMF) and multiple invocation methods simultaneously. It can handle different types of supplementary service requests through a single unified interface, making the system adaptable to various network configurations without requiring separate handling mechanisms for each protocol.
2Reliability
If users invoke supplementary services using network-specific methods, then service functionality is maintained, but user interface consistency is lost across different networks
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity serves as a transparent intermediary that preserves service functionality while abstracting away protocol differences from the user. Users interact with a consistent interface regardless of which network they are roaming on, while the network entity handles the protocol translation in the background to ensure the home network receives the correct invocation format.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multi-mode devices roam between different RAN/CN types, then service coverage is expanded, but call processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity reduces call processing complexity for multi-mode devices by introducing a mediator that handles protocol translation. The device only needs to communicate using the visiting network's native protocol, while the network entity manages the complexity of converting to the home network's protocol, thereby simplifying the device's call processing requirements.
4Productivity
If supplementary services use different transport mechanisms in different networks, then network optimization is achieved, but interoperability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity provides universal interoperability by supporting multiple transport mechanisms (SMS, USSD, DTMF) through a single unified interface. It can receive supplementary service requests via any of these mechanisms from the visiting network and appropriately translate and forward them to the home network, ensuring seamless interoperability while preserving the efficiency of native transport mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A network entity, method and system for providing supplementary services to a mobile device while roaming. The network entity comprises a receiver, a converter and an output. The receiver is for receiving a first message from a mobile device being provided roaming service by a first network, the first message being in a transport protocol supported by the first network and having embedded therein an invocation message based on for invocation of at least one supplementary service offered by a second network. The converter is for extracting the invocation message from the first message. The output is for sending the invocation message to the second network using a protocol used by the second network to invoke supplementary services.