Roaming Status Determination for MMS Billing Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Determining the roaming status of a user device when sending or receiving multimedia messages across different cellular networks is complex, involving multiple devices and networks, which complicates accurate billing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a roaming status determination component that receives and updates the roaming status of user devices in real-time, generating call details records to accurately bill accounts based on the network used during message transmission or receipt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used to determine roaming status for MMS billing, then billing accuracy can be achieved, but the process complexity increases significantly due to involvement of multiple devices and networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a roaming status determination component as an intermediary system that centralizes the collection and management of roaming status information from multiple network elements. This component receives roaming status data from various sources (user devices, base stations, core network elements) and provides a unified view for billing purposes, thereby reducing the complexity of coordinating multiple devices and networks while maintaining billing accuracy
2Reliability
If real-time roaming status updates are implemented, then billing accuracy improves, but the system complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the roaming status determination component continuously receives updates about user device roaming status from network elements and user devices themselves. This feedback loop ensures that the billing system always has current roaming status information without requiring complex manual intervention, thereby improving billing reliability while managing system complexity through automated information collection and processing
Data Source
AI summary
A first device may receive an indication that a multimedia message service (MMS message) message has been sent from a first user device to a second user device; obtain, from a second device, the roaming status of the first user device at a time that the MMS message was sent by the first user device; generate a call details record (CDR) indicating the obtained roaming status of the first user device at the time the MMS message was sent by the first user device; and store or output the CDR to a billing system that charges an account, associated with the first user device, for sent MMS message. An amount charged by the billing system may be based on the roaming status of the first user device at the time at which MMS message are sent by the first user device.