Switching Office Service Trigger Induction via Intermediate Signaling Node
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Solution Overview
Problem
The administrative burden on network operators is high due to the need for each switching office in the network to be provisioned and maintained with a current, up-to-date list of all subscribers subject to a particular IN/AIN service, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate signaling node modifies the call setup message to include service trigger induction information, allowing the destination switching office to activate the service trigger without requiring a current list of all subscribers, thus reducing the administrative overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each switching office is provisioned with a current list of all subscribers subject to a particular IN/AIN service, then the service trigger can be accurately activated at the switching office, but the administrative burden and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the subscriber list management function from the switching office and relocates it to the service switching point (SSP). The switching office no longer needs to maintain local copies of subscriber lists, as this information is now managed centrally at the SSP. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining trigger activation accuracy while eliminating the administrative burden of distributed list maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the SSP acts as a mediator between the service trigger management system and the switching office. The SSP receives trigger activation requests, manages the subscriber lists, and communicates with the switching office only when trigger activation is required. This intermediary approach allows the switching office to activate triggers accurately without needing to maintain local subscriber lists, thus reducing administrative complexity.
2Reliability
If switching offices maintain up-to-date subscriber lists, then service triggers can be properly activated, but the time and resources required for provisioning and maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the SSP pre-process and validate trigger activation requests before forwarding them to the switching office. The SSP maintains the subscriber lists and pre-determines which triggers should be activated, so that when a call arrives at the switching office, the trigger activation can occur immediately without requiring the switching office to consult or update local subscriber lists. This eliminates the time-consuming process of maintaining distributed subscriber lists while ensuring reliable trigger activation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the switching office has access to complete subscriber information, then service triggers can be accurately determined, but the network complexity and administrative overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network functions by separating subscriber list management from trigger activation execution. The SSP handles the complex function of maintaining and querying subscriber lists, while the switching office handles the simpler function of receiving and executing trigger activation requests. This segmentation allows the switching office to determine service triggers accurately without needing to maintain complex subscriber information locally, thus reducing network provisioning complexity while preserving adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for inducing the activation of a service trigger at a switching office in a communications network are disclosed. According to one method, a call setup message associated with a call is received. It is then determined whether service trigger induction is required for the call. In response to determining that service trigger induction is required for the call, the call setup message is modified to include service trigger induction information and the modified call setup message is directed to a destination switching office. At the destination switching office, a service trigger is activated based on the service trigger induction information in the modified call setup message.