Relay Server Rerouting Calls During Subscriber Network Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
When a subscriber server fails due to severe disasters or other failures, subscribers accommodated in that server, as well as those using number portability across different networks, are unable to receive incoming calls, as existing systems lack a reliable mechanism to reroute calls effectively.
Innovation Solution
A relay server with a detection unit that identifies server failures and a relay unit that reroutes call connection requests to alternative networks based on pre-stored connection attempt network information, ensuring that incoming calls are redirected to the correct network even if the primary subscriber server is down.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If subscriber information is inquired to a destination subscriber server for number portability, then subscribers can receive incoming calls across different networks, but when the subscriber server stops due to failure or disaster, subscribers become unable to receive incoming calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay server as an intermediary component between the calling party and the subscriber server. When the subscriber server is unavailable, the relay server detects this failure and relays the incoming call to alternative networks where the subscriber may be accommodated. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by providing a backup communication path that maintains reliability while preserving number portability across different networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing multiple network paths and preparing relay mechanisms before failures occur. The relay server is configured in advance with knowledge of alternative networks, and the system proactively sets up detour paths so that when a subscriber server fails, the call can be immediately redirected without interruption to service.
2Reliability
If a detour path is used for connection when a failure occurs in a connection path, then connection can be maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the path selection and failure detection logic from the complex network infrastructure and concentrates it in a dedicated relay server. This separation of concerns simplifies the overall system architecture by isolating the complexity of managing multiple connection paths into a single specialized component, while the rest of the network can operate with simpler, more straightforward connection handling.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay server 31 includes: a detection unit 31A that detects a failure of a subscriber server 21; and a relay unit 31B that relays call connection requests 51, 52, and 53 to another network in which corresponding subscribers may possibly be accommodated according to connection attempt network information indicating networks to attempt a call connection, when a failure of the subscriber server 21 is detected by the detection unit 31A.