USIM Management Device Usage-Based Replacement Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial communication terminals face challenges in determining whether to replace a USIM due to environmental factors and usage, leading to increased maintenance costs and potential operational failures, as existing methods require bulk replacement of USIMs without distinguishing between functioning and non-functioning units.
Innovation Solution
A USIM management device and industrial communication terminal system that generates and transmits usage information, including counter values for data access, power cycles, impact exposure, and temperature exposure, to determine if a USIM needs replacement based on predefined reference values, allowing for targeted and timely replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bulk replacement of USIMs is performed without distinction, then operational reliability is improved, but maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces usage-based parameters (number of power cycles, data access counts, impact exposure, temperature exposure) to determine USIM replacement timing. By changing from time-based bulk replacement to parameter-based individual replacement, the system achieves both high reliability and cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different replacement criteria to individual USIMs based on their specific usage patterns and environmental exposures. Each USIM is evaluated independently with its own accumulated counter values, allowing targeted replacement only where necessary rather than uniform bulk replacement.
2Quantity of substance
If USIM replacement is delayed, then maintenance cost decreases, but operational failure risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary monitoring of usage parameters before USIM failure occurs. By continuously accumulating counter values for power cycles, data access, impact, and temperature exposure, the system predicts potential failures and schedules replacement proactively, avoiding both premature and delayed replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where usage information is continuously collected from industrial communication terminals and transmitted to the management device. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of replacement timing based on actual usage patterns, optimizing both cost and reliability.
3Measurement precision
If monitoring of usage information is implemented, then replacement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service monitoring where the industrial communication terminal automatically accumulates and reports its own usage parameters (power cycles, data access counts, impact exposure, temperature exposure) to the management device. This eliminates the need for complex external monitoring infrastructure while achieving high measurement precision.
4Quantity of substance
If individual USIM evaluation is performed, then unnecessary replacements are reduced, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary accumulation of usage parameters in counters within each industrial communication terminal before evaluation is needed. This pre-computation simplifies the detection process at the management device, which only needs to receive and compare the pre-calculated counter values against replacement thresholds.
Data Source
AI summary
A universal subscriber identity module (USIM) management device includes a communication interface, a storage configured to store an issue date indicating a date on which a USIM is installed into an industrial communication terminal, and an operation processor. The operation processor is configured to execute: (a) receiving the issue date from at least one among the industrial communication terminal and a subscriber management system in a mobile communication network to which the industrial communication terminal is connected, and storing the received issue date in the storage; (b) receiving USIM usage information from the industrial communication terminal through the communication interface; and (c) determining whether to replace the USIM based on the issue date and the USIM usage information.