Subscription Profile Pool Management for eSIM Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current subscription profile handling methods are inflexible and inefficient for bulk communication devices, leading to signaling overhead and delays in deploying eSIMs, especially in scenarios where multiple devices require temporary subscriptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for managing a pool of subscription profiles, where a subscription management entity handles requests from communication devices, binds device identifiers to subscription profiles, and maintains a constant pool size by replenishing profiles when deleted, allowing for efficient download and reuse of temporary subscriptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If subscription profiles are ordered and prepared individually for each communication device, then each device can have a dedicated subscription, but many extra or unused subscriptions must be maintained and paid for
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a pool of subscription profiles that can be shared across multiple communication devices. Instead of dedicating one subscription profile to each device, a single pool serves multiple devices, making the subscription system universal and multi-functional. This reduces the total number of subscriptions needed while ensuring availability when devices are actively used.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state of subscription profiles between 'available' and 'in-use' dynamically. When a device is rented, a profile is allocated from the pool; when returned, the profile returns to the available state. This parameter change allows the same subscription profiles to be reused across different devices and time periods.
2Quantity of substance
If subscriptions are ordered on a per-use basis for rented devices, then unused subscriptions are not maintained, but additional overhead is required for each rental and time delay occurs before the device can be rented
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares subscription profiles in advance by creating a pool of pre-configured profiles before devices are rented. This preliminary action eliminates the need for last-minute subscription ordering and preparation, reducing time delays while avoiding the maintenance of excessive unused subscriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The rental system automatically manages subscription profile allocation and release. When a device is rented, the system automatically allocates a profile from the pool; when returned, it automatically releases the profile back to the pool. This self-service mechanism reduces manual overhead for each rental transaction.
3Productivity
If a pool of subscription profiles is maintained for bulk communication devices, then subscription allocation is optimized and signaling overhead is minimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a subscription management entity as an intermediary between the MNO entity and communication devices. This intermediary manages the pool of subscription profiles, handling allocation, release, and tracking operations. By centralizing these functions in a dedicated intermediary, the system achieves efficient subscription deployment without distributing complex management logic across multiple entities.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided mechanisms for handling download of a subscription profile from a pool of subscription profiles. The subscription profiles of the pool of subscription profiles are served by an MNO entity. A method is performed by a subscription management entity. The subscription management entity manages the pool of subscription profiles. The pool of subscription profiles has its own pool identifier. The method comprises obtaining a request from a communication device for download of one of the subscription profiles from the pool of subscription profiles. The method comprises enabling download to the communication device of one of the subscription profiles from the pool of subscription profiles. The method comprises filling up the pool of subscription profiles so that total number of subscription profiles in the pool of subscription profiles remains unchanged.