Outage Notification Targeting Based on Network Equipment Usage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telecommunications networks face inefficiencies in notifying customers of service outages due to unavailability of equipment, often resulting in resource waste and customer confusion when generic messages are sent to all users, regardless of their affected status.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses historical and current customer usage data to determine the probability of service outage impact on individual customers, allowing targeted notifications based on equipment usage patterns and frequency, thereby optimizing resource use and clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If generic service outage notifications are sent to all users, then all customers receive information about potential service interruptions, but system resources are wasted and customers experience confusion when receiving unnecessary notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the customer base into two distinct groups: affected customers and non-affected customers. This segmentation is achieved by analyzing equipment usage data to determine which customers will actually experience service interruptions. By dividing the notification process into targeted segments, the system avoids sending unnecessary notifications to all customers, thereby reducing system resource consumption while maintaining high notification accuracy for those who need the information.
2Loss of information
If generic service outage notifications are sent to all users, then information is provided to potential affected customers, but customer clarity deteriorates due to receiving irrelevant notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different notification experiences to different customer groups based on their equipment usage patterns. Affected customers receive targeted notifications with specific information about their service interruptions, while non-affected customers receive no notifications at all. This localized approach ensures that information is delivered effectively to those who need it while maintaining customer clarity by avoiding irrelevant notifications that would cause confusion.
3Productivity
If historical customer usage data is analyzed to target notifications, then resource efficiency improves by notifying only affected customers, but system complexity increases due to data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing equipment usage data and customer equipment associations before service outages occur. The system maintains historical records of which customers use which network equipment, allowing for rapid identification of affected customers when an outage is predicted. This preliminary data collection and organization reduces the complexity of real-time decision-making, as the system only needs to query pre-existing data rather than perform complex analysis during the notification process.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for selecting customers to notify of a service interruption or outage are described. A network may receive an interruption notification indicating when a service interruption is to occur. In some examples, the interruption notification may also include a particular set of equipment, such as a base station, that will experience the interruption, such as being taken offline for maintenance or a power outage affecting the base station. A notification module determines which customers will be affected by the service interruption and transmits a notification to the customers, informing the customers of the service interruption.