Visited Network IP Address Allocation for Roaming Content Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
When mobile devices roam on visited networks outside their home network's coverage area, existing IP address allocation methods fail to provide location-specific content, leading to incorrect content delivery, as they rely on the home network's location instead of the visited network's location.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves allocating IP addresses based on the location of the visited network using a look-up table that associates IP addresses with locations and visited network operators, enabling content providers to deliver location-specific content by determining the mobile device's location through a geofeed published by the home network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IP addresses are allocated based on home network location, then network control and security are maintained, but location-specific content delivery fails when devices roam on visited networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments IP address allocation into two distinct scenarios: home network allocation (using home network location) and visited network allocation (using visited network location). This segmentation allows the system to maintain network control for home networks while providing accurate location information for visited networks, resolving the contradiction between network control reliability and location information accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic IP address allocation that adapts based on the device's network status. The system dynamically determines whether a device is on its home network or a visited network and adjusts the IP address allocation strategy accordingly. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain network control when appropriate while providing accurate location information when roaming, thus resolving the contradiction.
2Loss of information
If IP addresses are allocated based on visited network location, then location-specific content delivery is enabled, but network control and security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allocating IP addresses from different pools based on the specific network context. For home networks, IP addresses are allocated from home network pools maintaining network control. For visited networks, IP addresses are allocated from visited network pools enabling accurate location information. This localized approach to IP address allocation resolves the contradiction by applying different quality characteristics to different network contexts.
3Ease of operation
If a single IP address pool is used for all networks, then network management is simplified, but content delivery accuracy decreases for roaming devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the IP address pool into multiple location-specific pools corresponding to different visited networks and regions. This segmentation enables accurate content delivery by providing location-specific IP addresses to roaming devices while maintaining manageable network operations through automated pool selection based on the device's current network location.
4Manufacturing precision
If IP addresses are dynamically allocated based on location, then content delivery accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the system to automatically determine whether a device is on its home network or a visited network and autonomously select the appropriate IP address pool. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention or complex configuration, allowing dynamic location-based IP address allocation to improve content delivery accuracy while keeping system complexity manageable through automated decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes techniques, apparatuses, and systems for allocating internet protocol (IP) addresses for data sessions based on a location of a visited network. A home network can receive a request to establish a data session for a user equipment (UE) subscribed to the home network and located on a visited network operated by a visited network operator. The home network may identify a country in which the UE or the visited network is located and determine, based on a look-up table, a group of IP addresses associated with the country. The home network can allocate, from the group of IP addresses associated with the country, an IP address for the data session. In doing so, the IP address can be allocated based on the location of the visited network.