Wireless Roaming Rating System for Legacy Hotspot Offloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for wireless data roaming and offloading lack flexibility and efficiency in rating and settlement processes, particularly when mobile devices connect to legacy WiFi hotspots without EAP capability, leading to congestion and inadequate accountability.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for customizable and flexible rating of data roaming and offloading user sessions, utilizing standardized attributes to apply negotiated rates, allowing for near real-time rating and analysis, and selecting the most suitable local area operator to manage congestion through virtual device concepts and online auctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mobile devices connect to legacy WiFi hotspots without EAP capability, then connectivity is achieved, but accountability and network management flexibility are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rating system as an intermediary between mobile devices and WiFi hotspots. This rating system collects accounting information from accounting stops, matches it with rating rules, and determines charges without requiring direct authentication capability at the hotspot level. The rating system acts as a mediator that enables accountability for legacy hotspots by processing accounting data centrally rather than requiring EAP support at the access point.
2Device complexity
If standardized rating rules are applied to all hotspots, then system complexity is reduced, but pricing flexibility for different venues and scenarios is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the rating system into distinct components: rating rules stored in a database, accounting information collected at accounting stops, and a matching process that applies rules to specific scenarios. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a standardized overall structure while enabling flexible pricing through scenario-specific rating rules. Different venues, time periods, and user types can have different rating rules applied without changing the core system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The rating system is designed to be dynamic through its ability to match accounting information against multiple rating rules and select the most appropriate rate based on current conditions. The system can adapt pricing based on time of day, venue type, user subscription level, and other variables. This dynamic matching process allows the standardized system to respond flexibly to different pricing scenarios without requiring custom configurations for each case.
3Measurement precision
If real-time rating is implemented for all user sessions, then near real-time accounting accuracy is improved, but processing time and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-storing rating rules in the rating system database before actual accounting occurs. The rating rules are prepared in advance with all necessary parameters and conditions, so when accounting information arrives at the rating system, the matching process can proceed immediately without delay. This pre-preparation of rating rules enables near real-time processing while maintaining accuracy, as the system only needs to match incoming accounting data against pre-existing rules rather than performing complex calculations in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system and method for wireless data clearing and settlement. The disclosed systems and methods relate towards near real-time ratings for purposes of wireless rating for data clearing and financial settlement. The present disclosure reconciles differing rating attribute formats using flexible matching. The disclosed systems and methods apply known negotiated rates for Home Service Provider (HSP) users roaming onto a VNP hotspot, and apply a standardized set of attributes of the contract with the applicable HSP, and other attributes applying a different set of rates to another HSP. The present disclosure provides systems and methods that enable traffic to be offloaded more easily from the Wide Area Networks (WAN) or macro networks.