Soft Switch Logical Trunk Group Allocation for NGN Traffic Wholesale

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) methods for traffic wholesale are inefficient due to physical segmentation limitations, leading to waste, long adjustment times, and high labor costs, especially as network capacity and complexity increase in Next Generation Networks (NGN).

Innovation Solution

Implementing logic segmentation using trunk groups in the NGN environment, establishing relationships between trunk groups, trunk gateways, and physical circuits, allowing dynamic allocation of logical resources on a soft switch to achieve flexible traffic resource management without modifying physical devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If physical segmentation is used in traditional PSTN for traffic wholesale, then device capacity is relatively small and trunks can be directly distributed to lessees, but when lessees expand or reduce traffic, physical devices must be redistributed which wastes E1/T1 lines and takes a long time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic wholesale efficiencyVSAvoiddevice adjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies logical segmentation by dividing physical trunks into virtual trunk groups (VTGs) on the soft switch. Each VTG can be independently allocated to different lessees without physical device redistribution. This logical segmentation enables flexible traffic wholesale while eliminating the need for physical device reconfiguration when traffic demands change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation by allowing the soft switch to dynamically create, modify, and delete virtual trunk groups based on real-time traffic demands. Lessees can expand or reduce their allocated trunks without physical intervention, and the system automatically adjusts the mapping between virtual and physical resources, eliminating adjustment delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If physical device distribution is used for traffic wholesale, then trunks can be directly allocated to lessees, but different manpower must be allocated to different lessees for maintenance which increases labor costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice maintenance easeVSAvoidmaintenance personnel required
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The soft switch acts as an intermediary between physical trunk devices and multiple lessees. It manages all trunk allocations, modifications, and maintenance operations centrally, eliminating the need for dedicated maintenance personnel for each lessee. The soft switch's control plane automatically handles resource management while the data plane ensures service delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional PSTN physical segmentation is used, then traffic wholesale is simple, but as network capacity increases in NGN, the shortcomings become more prominent and require new segmentation methods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacity scalabilityVSAvoidsegmentation method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical segmentation system with a software-based logical segmentation system. Instead of physically dividing trunks for different lessees, the soft switch creates virtual trunk groups through software configuration. This substitution enables NGN scalability while simplifying the overall system architecture despite increased network capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2621154B1System and method for achieving call traffic wholesale based on soft switch
Publication Date: 2020.03.04 ZTE CORP
  • EP2621154B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2621154B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention discloses a system for achieving traffic wholesale based on soft switch, which includes a soft switch and one or more trunk gateways connecting with the soft switch via an IP network, wherein: logical resources of the soft switch include one or more trunk groups, and each trunk group includes a plurality of trunk circuits; each trunk gateway corresponds to one or more trunk groups, and part or all of physical circuits of the trunk gateways establish a corresponding relationship with the trunk circuits of corresponding trunk groups; the soft switch is configured to: allocate the logical resources including the trunk groups and the trunk circuits of the trunk groups to lessees, and set charging and service configurations for the trunk groups allocated to the lessees. The invention also discloses a method and a soft switch device for achieving traffic wholesale based on soft switch. In the case that the soft switch has large capacity, the invention can rapidly achieve segmentation, and can rapidly achieve capacity expansion, reduction or change logically, without needing the modification of physical devices.