Roaming Data Activation Portal Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile phone users face difficulties in understanding and navigating the complex fee structures for data services when roaming, leading to hesitation in using data services due to potential high costs, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A method and network node that determine and display activation conditions for data connections based on features assigned to the mobile radio network, allowing users to easily access and confirm activation periods and fees, simplifying the process by forwarding requests to a gateway device in the home network and providing transparent information through a portal server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If complex fee structures are implemented for roaming data services, then network operators can cover costs and generate revenue, but users face difficulty understanding and navigating the fee structure leading to hesitation in using data services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (portal server and network node) that mediates between the complex billing system and the user. This intermediary translates complex fee structures into simple, transparent activation conditions (flat rates, time-limited offers) that users can easily understand and accept, while still allowing operators to implement differentiated pricing in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of fee presentation from complex differentiated structures to simplified activation conditions. By offering flat rates and time-limited offers with clearly displayed prices, the system transforms the user interface parameters while maintaining the operational parameters needed for cost recovery and revenue generation.
2Ease of operation
If transparent activation conditions are displayed to users before data connection activation, then user understanding and confidence improve, but system complexity increases due to additional network nodes and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the function of displaying and managing activation conditions from the core switching units (SGSN/GGSN) and places it in a dedicated portal server. This separation allows the core network to maintain its existing complexity while the portal server handles the user-facing transparency requirements, minimizing the impact on overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the network node and portal server to serve multiple functions: they not only display activation conditions to users but also handle the actual activation/deactivation of data connections, manage billing information, and interface with existing home network infrastructure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If home network access is used for roaming subscribers, then subscribers can access data services, but activation conditions must be determined based on switching unit features and network associations requiring additional processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary determination of activation conditions when the data connection request is first received at the switching unit. The system proactively queries the home network to obtain activation conditions before the user attempts to use data services, so that when conditions need to be displayed or confirmed, they are already available, reducing real-time processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a portal server as an intermediary that handles the complex queries and communications between the visited network switching unit and the home network. This intermediary manages the association between switching unit features and network characteristics, absorbing the processing complexity while presenting simple activation conditions to users.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves receiving a requirement of a data connection in a switching unit (106,111) of a portable radio network (101,102), and forwarding the requirement from the switching unit to a gate way device (108) of a home network. An activation operation is determined for activation of data connection in the gate way device in dependence of characteristic assigned to the switching unit, where Internet protocoladdress is assigned to a mobile terminal (104,105). An independent claim is also included for a network node for activating a package-obtaining data connection from a mobile terminal to a portable radio network in a data network.