Roaming List Steering via Control Plane Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional over-the-air (OTA) interfaces for network selection are unreliable and cumbersome, particularly when user equipment (UE) is roaming, leading to inferior network selection and network congestion due to interference from visitor networks and limited dynamic control by home network operators.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that involves receiving a registration message from a UE in a visitor network, querying a steering controller to obtain a customized roaming list based on network usage data, and pushing this list to the UE using control plane interfaces, thereby bypassing SMS interception and enabling dynamic network steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional OTA interface via SMS protocol is used to provide roaming list, then network selection can be performed, but the interface is unreliable and can be intercepted by visitor networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control plane interface as an intermediary between the home network and UE for delivering roaming lists. This intermediary bypasses the traditional SMS path that is vulnerable to interception by visitor networks, ensuring reliable and secure delivery of network selection information through a trusted communication channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional SMS-based mechanical delivery system with a control plane interface system. This substitution eliminates the vulnerabilities of the SMS protocol (interception, blocking) while maintaining the core function of delivering roaming lists, achieving more reliable network selection information transfer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional OTA interface is used, then roaming list can be provided, but dynamic alteration of network lists is not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic roaming list updates through the control plane interface. The home network can dynamically alter and push updated roaming lists to UEs in real-time based on network conditions, user preferences, and roaming agreements, enabling adaptive network selection rather than static pre-configured lists.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the home network receives information about UE location, network conditions, and connection status, then uses this feedback to dynamically adjust and update the roaming lists pushed to UEs. This enables continuous optimization of network selection based on current conditions.
3Ease of operation
If UE connects to visitor network based on static roaming list, then network connectivity is achieved, but inferior network selection and congestion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of network selection by delivering customized roaming lists that incorporate user preferences, historical behavior, and real-time network conditions. This transforms static, one-size-fits-all network selection into dynamic, personalized selection that optimizes for quality and reduces congestion on overloaded networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively pushing updated roaming lists to UEs before they attempt to connect to suboptimal networks. This preliminary guidance prevents UEs from selecting congested or inferior networks in the first place, improving overall network selection quality and reducing congestion.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for intelligent steering of roaming of user equipment. More particularly, the methods include receiving, from a user equipment (UE) located in a visitor network, a registration message to register with a home network, the registration message including an identifier of the UE. The methods also include querying, by one or more processors, a steering controller using the identifier of the UE to obtain a roaming list customized for the UE. The methods also include pushing, by one or more processors, the roaming list to the UE.