SCEF as DRA Feature for IoT Service Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current SCEF services are costly and require significant independent capital expenditures, monitoring, and maintenance for mobile network operators, especially with the increasing number of IoT devices that do not implement IP protocols, necessitating an alternative deployment solution.
Innovation Solution
Implementing SCEF services as a Diameter Routing Agent (DRA) feature with a cellular device connectivity service module that determines whether to invoke IoT service handling based on message attributes and forwards messages to a Service Capability Server (SCS) or Application Server (AS), potentially hosted in the cloud or on-premises, to provide seamless access to IoT devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SCEF services are deployed as on-premises equipment, then service capability exposure function is provided, but capital expenditures, monitoring, and maintenance burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud service provider as an intermediary that hosts SCEF services on behalf of mobile network operators. The cloud-based SCEF acts as a mediator between the operators and the actual service delivery, eliminating the need for operators to deploy and maintain complex on-premises SCEF equipment while ensuring service reliability through professional cloud infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the SCEF functionality in the cloud environment. Instead of requiring physical SCEF equipment at operator premises, the service is replicated and delivered through cloud-based virtualization, allowing multiple operators to access identical SCEF capabilities without duplicating hardware infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If SCEF services are provided as on-premises equipment, then service functionality is available, but operational costs and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based SCEF implementation enables operators to access service capabilities without direct operational involvement in SCEF management. The cloud provider's automated infrastructure performs monitoring, maintenance, and service management automatically, allowing operators to consume SCEF services through simplified interfaces without bearing operational burdens.
3Reliability
If traditional on-premises SCEF deployment is used, then service capability is provided, but cost and complexity issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based SCEF platform provides universal service capability that can be shared across multiple mobile network operators. A single cloud infrastructure delivers SCEF services to numerous operators simultaneously, distributing the capital expenditure burden and providing each operator with reliable service delivery without requiring individual investments in dedicated SCEF equipment.
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AI summary
A system for providing a service capability exposure function (SCEF) as a Diameter routing agent (DRA) feature includes a DRA including a plurality of message processors. The system further includes a cellular device connectivity (CDC) service module operatively associated with the DRA for providing SCEF services as a feature of the DRA, the SCEF services including determining whether to invoke Internet of things (loT) service handling based on content of received messages and for forwarding messages requiring loT service to a service capability server (SCS) or an application server (AS) for receiving the loT service handling.