Service Level Control System for Dynamic Subscription Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication networks lack the ability to provide flexible and differentiated service levels to users with the same subscription terms, making it difficult to incentivize more valuable users and stimulate service usage.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that uses a service level control system to collect and analyze user service usage data, applying machine learning algorithms to estimate user behavior and adapt service levels dynamically based on usage patterns, allowing for temporary changes in subscription profiles to offer improved service quality to more valuable users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If service levels are differentiated based on usage patterns, then customer satisfaction and loyalty are improved, but system complexity increases due to machine learning algorithms and dynamic adaptation mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomer satisfaction and loyaltyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by collecting service usage data and training machine learning models in advance to establish usage patterns. This allows the system to be prepared with pre-computed user valuations and service level recommendations before actual service delivery, reducing real-time complexity while maintaining high customer satisfaction through personalized service differentiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a service level control system as an intermediary between the network infrastructure and users. This intermediary layer handles the complex machine learning computations and service level adaptations, shielding the core network from complexity while enabling differentiated service quality. The control system acts as a mediator that translates usage patterns into actionable service level adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If service levels are adapted dynamically based on usage patterns, then service quality for valuable users is improved, but loss of information increases due to requirements for extensive service usage data collection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoiddata collection requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential and relevant features from extensive service usage data that are necessary for accurate user valuation and service level determination. Rather than requiring complete data sets, the machine learning model identifies and extracts key usage patterns and behavioral indicators, reducing information loss while maintaining high service quality differentiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms extensive raw service usage data into condensed parameter representations that capture essential user behavior characteristics. By changing the parameter space from detailed usage logs to aggregated behavioral metrics, the system reduces information loss while enabling precise service quality adaptation based on extracted usage patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If machine learning algorithms are applied to estimate user behavior, then service level differentiation is improved, but productivity decreases due to computational processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice level differentiationVSAvoidcomputational processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs computationally intensive machine learning computations as preliminary actions during off-peak periods or in batch processing modes. Usage patterns are identified and service level adaptations are pre-computed before being applied to actual service delivery, reducing real-time computational overhead while maintaining high adaptability in service differentiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic service level adaptation where the system adjusts service quality in real-time based on identified usage patterns, while the underlying machine learning models operate at optimized computational speeds. The dynamics principle allows the system to differentiate service levels adaptively without requiring continuous heavy computation, improving productivity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10163114B2Method and apparatus for providing differentiated service levels in a communication network
Publication Date: 2018.12.25 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • US10163114B2 patent drawing
  • US10163114B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method and apparatus for automatically adapting a service level for a service consumed by a terminal user in a communication network, using a service level control system (308,312,400). A service usage analyzer (308,402) collects information on service usage of the user, and estimates the user with respect to his/her service usage based on features of a usage pattern extracted from the collected service usage information. A subscription policy manager (312,412) then adapts the service level for service usage based on the user estimation, by adjusting or introducing a corresponding rule or policy in the user's subscription profile (304). The user will then consume the service with the new adapted service level.