Profile Modification Timeout Mechanism for Critical Situations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing profile modification methods in telecommunications networks are inefficient during critical situations, such as emergency calls, as they do not effectively manage profile changes and can lead to unnecessary exchanges between devices and microcircuits, wasting resources.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the reception of a request to deactivate a profile, followed by a timeout mechanism that ensures the profile remains active during critical situations, allowing emergency call centers to maintain connection data, and only deactivates the profile after a predetermined time has passed, thereby avoiding unnecessary profile activations and conserving resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the profile is deactivated immediately upon receiving a deactivation request, then the profile modification is completed quickly, but the device loses connectivity during critical situations such as emergency calls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofile modification speedVSAvoidconnectivity reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary check by sending a first message to the device to verify if a critical situation exists before proceeding with profile deactivation. This preliminary action prevents premature deactivation that would compromise connectivity reliability during emergency calls or other critical situations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The profile deactivation process is made dynamic through a timeout mechanism. If the device responds indicating a critical situation, the deactivation is delayed until the timeout expires, allowing the system to adapt its behavior based on real-time conditions rather than following a rigid immediate deactivation protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the system continuously checks for critical situations before profile modification, then connectivity reliability is maintained, but unnecessary exchanges between device and microcircuit increase energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnectivity reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The device itself is responsible for detecting and reporting its critical situation status to the microcircuit. Instead of the microcircuit continuously polling the device, the device autonomously monitors its own state and provides this information when queried, reducing unnecessary communication exchanges and energy consumption while maintaining connectivity reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the device responds to the first message by indicating whether a critical situation exists. This feedback allows the microcircuit to make informed decisions about profile deactivation timing, avoiding continuous checking while ensuring connectivity is maintained when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the profile is deactivated during an ongoing emergency call, then the profile modification is applied, but the emergency call center loses the ability to contact the device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofile modification efficiencyVSAvoidemergency communication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Before deactivating the profile, the system sends a preliminary inquiry message to the device to check for ongoing emergency calls or other critical situations. This preliminary action ensures that profile modification does not proceed until it would be safe to do so, preventing loss of emergency communication capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The timeout mechanism acts as a cushioning measure that protects against premature profile deactivation. By introducing a time delay after detecting a critical situation, the system ensures that even if the device fails to respond or the situation persists longer than expected, the profile remains active long enough to maintain emergency communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentEP3146700B1Method, device, and microcircuit for profile modificaiton
Publication Date: 2018.09.12 IDEMIA FRANCE SAS
  • EP3146700B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3146700B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3146700B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention concerns a method for modifying the profile in a device (D) comprising a communication module for communicating on a communication network, the device (D) being provided with a microcircuit storing connection data used by the communication module and associated with a profile, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: reception, by the microcircuit and via the communication module, of a request to deactivate (E6) the profile; transmission, by the microcircuit, of a first message (E10) to the device (D); transmission, by the device (D) and to the microcircuit, of a response (E14) indicative of the existence of a critical situation; following the receipt of said response (E14) by the microcircuit, implementation of a time delay mechanism (E18); upon expiry of the time delay (E18), transmission, by the microcircuit and to the device (D), of a second message (E22) resulting in the deactivation of the profile. An associated device and microcircuit are also described.