Telecom Data Record Enrichment via Handset Type Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data records in telecommunications networks, such as Call Detail Records (CDRs), lack essential information like handset type, which is crucial for network operators to understand customer usage patterns and improve services, as this information is not available over the IP user links in GPRS networks.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that enrich data records by creating and maintaining a table mapping subscriber identifiers with handset type identifiers, using a data record enrichment module to add missing handset type information to data records, even if it's not directly available, by utilizing IMSI and User Agent string data from WAP connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data records are generated from IP user links in GPRS networks, then data transmission capability is improved, but handset type information becomes unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary enrichment system that sits between the data record generation and analysis processes. This system captures User Agent strings from IP packets, extracts handset type information, and enriches the data records with this extracted information, thereby recovering the lost handset type data without affecting the IP-based data transmission capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by proactively capturing and storing User Agent string information from IP packets before the data records are finalized. The enrichment system pre-processes the IP traffic data to extract handset identifiers and makes this information available for later enrichment of data records, ensuring the information is preserved rather than lost
2Device complexity
If traditional CDR structures are used, then network infrastructure complexity is reduced, but data record information completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data record enrichment process into distinct functional modules: a capture module that collects User Agent strings from IP packets, an extraction module that parses handset type information, and an enrichment module that integrates this information into data records. This segmentation allows the system to add functionality without significantly increasing overall infrastructure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The enrichment system acts as an intermediary layer that processes data records after they are generated but before they are stored or analyzed. This intermediary approach allows information enrichment without requiring fundamental changes to the traditional CDR structure or core network infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for enriching data records based on messages monitored on a telecommunications network having an Internet Protocol (IP) portion includes a data record enrichment module for receiving data records from a data record builder. The data records include at least a subscriber identifier field and a handset type identifier field and the data enrichment module stores a table mapping subscriber identifiers with the handset type identifiers. When a received data record includes a subscriber identifier and a handset type identifier, the table is updated appropriately and when the received data record includes the subscriber identifier but does not include the handset type identifier, the data record enrichment module checks the table for the handset type identifier mapped to the subscriber identifier and adds the corresponding handset type identifier, if it is present in the table, to the handset type identifier field in the data record.