Presence Server Policy Interfaces for Wireless Service Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks lack interfaces between the presence server and critical nodes like PCRF, OCS, and EIR, leading to inadequate management of service capabilities and billing for mobile devices, especially when roaming, resulting in potential high costs for operators due to uncontrolled data usage.
Innovation Solution
Establishing interfaces between the presence server and PCRF, OCS, and EIR nodes to determine and enforce subscriber plans, device type restrictions, and data throttling, allowing the presence server to accurately provide and limit services based on these factors, thereby controlling service offerings and usage within the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the presence server provides all capabilities of the second mobile device to the first mobile device, then the service capability information is complete, but the operator cannot control service usage and billing, leading to uncontrolled data usage costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service capability information into two parts: available capabilities (provided by presence server) and permitted capabilities (controlled by policy server). This segmentation allows the system to provide complete capability information while simultaneously enabling control over which services can actually be used, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a policy server as an intermediary between the presence server and mobile devices. The policy server receives capability information from the presence server, applies policy rules to determine permitted services, and returns the filtered capability set. This intermediary mechanism enables both complete capability disclosure and controlled service usage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If interfaces are established between the presence server and PCRF, OCS, and EIR nodes, then service control capability is improved, but the network architecture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the policy server a universal component that handles multiple policy control functions across different network scenarios (roaming, domestic, different service types). By consolidating these control functions in a single multi-functional server with standardized interfaces, the system achieves high adaptability while avoiding the complexity of multiple specialized control nodes.
3Ease of operation
If the presence server determines services based on device capabilities alone, then service provisioning is simple, but data usage during roaming is uncontrolled, resulting in high costs for operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the policy server pre-determine permitted services based on subscriber profiles, roaming agreements, and policy rules before actual service usage. This pre-control mechanism ensures that only authorized services are permitted, preventing uncontrolled data usage and associated costs while maintaining simple service provisioning through automated policy enforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
Architecture is described for providing interfaces between a presence server and a Policy and Charging Function (PCRF) node, an Online Charging System (OCS) node, and an Equipment Identity Register (EIR) node. Techniques are also described for determining, by the presence server, various potential rules and limitations for providing services by the wireless communication network to mobile devices based upon, for example, a particular subscriber plan, roaming, restrictions based upon mobile device type, a need for throttling of data to a mobile device, specific billing rules, etc.