Roaming Subscription Generator for Mobile Network Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for charging roaming subscribers in mobile communication networks face delays and connectivity issues due to the need for real-time signaling and transmission of subscription profiles between home and visited networks, which can be unreliable and require additional standards.
Innovation Solution
Creating a temporary user subscription within the visited network, allowing roaming subscribers to access services without requiring communication with the home network, using charging information such as credit card details or vouchers to set an account balance for service usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time signaling is used to transmit subscription profiles between home and visited networks, then service authorization is achieved, but delays and connectivity issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching charging information (account balance, charging rules) from the home network before the roaming subscriber actually consumes services. This allows the visited network to have charging data ready in advance, eliminating real-time signaling delays during service usage while maintaining authorization reliability
2Loss of information
If subscription profiles are transmitted between networks, then charging information is obtained, but inter-network communication requirements increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential charging information (account balance, charging rules) from the complete subscription profile and transmits only this extracted data to the visited network. This reduces the information transmission burden and simplifies inter-network communication while ensuring charging information availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a local copy of the necessary charging information in the visited network's HSS, eliminating the need for continuous real-time communication with the home network. This copy mechanism reduces communication complexity while maintaining information availability for charging operations
3Measurement precision
If home network communication is required for roaming services, then accurate charging is achieved, but connection problems affect service continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary fetching of charging information before service consumption, storing it locally in the visited network. This ensures service continuity can be maintained during roaming even when home network connections are intermittent, while charging accuracy is preserved through pre-obtained authoritative charging data
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a solution for charging a subscriber roaming in a mobile communication network. In the invention, a temporary user subscription is created for the roaming subscriber and an account balance is set for the temporary user subscription allowing the subscriber to use services attached to the temporary user subscription while roaming in the packet data based mobile communication network.