WO2011055331A1

WO2011055331A1 - An adaptive subscriber steering system

Info

Publication number: WO2011055331A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/055020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bahri Okuroglu
Original assignee: Turkcell Teknoloji Arastirma Ve Gelistirme Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2009-11-06
Filing date: 2010-11-05
Publication date: 2011-05-12
Also published as: TR200908424A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system (1); which steers internationally roaming GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) subscribers (outbound roamers) among the foreign operators desired according to parameters; and comprises a steering module (2) which enables to steer roaming subscribers to the preferred operators within the country in which they are located, at least one preferred operator list determination module (3) which generates and regularly updates the preferred operator lists for each country taking as basis the call durations of the outbound roamers, and a call duration reporting module (4) which the operator list determination module (3) accesses any time and receives information regarding the call durations of the outbound roamers.

Description

AN ADAPTIVE SUBSCRIBER STEERING SYSTEM

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system which steers internationally roaming GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) subscribers (outbound roamers) among the foreign operators desired by the original operator (HPLMN - Home Public Land Mobile Network) according to parameters. Prior Art

When operators are concluding mutual agreements, they obtain reduced cost per minute by promising a certain amount of call duration. For example, the operator may be obtaining a cost of 0.5 Euro/min from a foreign operator only when it provides an annual call duration of 800,000 minutes.

Certain amount/minutes of call traffic is/are promised to the foreign operator for reduced price cost. The operator updates its preferred operator lists accordingly in order to fulfill its promise. However, when the promise to one operator is fulfilled, the first operator should be removed from the preferred operator list because of the promises made to the other operators.

The first one of the alternatives used for this process is to manually examine the total call durations with certain intervals and update the preferred operator lists. However, when the preferred operator lists are manually updated according to the call durations, operational costs rise and the system becomes prone to faults.

As an alternative to this, registration requests (LocationUpdate) of outbound roamers or numbers of outbound roamers registered to an operator may be distributed among the operators in the country by certain shares. However, since the amount of calls made by each outbound roamer is not the same, this prevents achieving the desired distribution among the operators. For example, assuming that an operator desires to distribute minimum 600,000 and 400,000 minutes of call duration for two operators in a country where the outbound roamers generate a total call duration of approximately 1,100,000 minutes; even if the operator allocates its outbound roamers or registration requests of the outbound roamers as 60% and 40%, it does not guarantee that the distribution of the call duration between these operators will correspond to 600,000 and 400,000 minutes of call durations. One of the state of the art applications is described in the United States patent document numbered US7139570. In this invention, GSM subscribers are allocated among the appropriate operators by certain percentages.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to realize a subscriber steering system which steers outbound roamers to foreign country operators according to the total call duration of the outbound roamers of the original operator (HPLMN) and its distribution in the visited country.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a subscriber steering system which enables to reach the call duration targets promised to the foreign country operators. A further objective of the present invention is to realize a subscriber steering system which, after reaching the call duration target promised to a foreign country operator, enables to distribute the calls among the other operators by desired ratios. Detailed Description of the Invention The subscriber steering system realized to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figure wherein:

Figure -1 is the schematic view of the inventive subscriber steering system.

The parts in the figure are each given a reference numeral where the numerals refer to the following:

Subscriber steering system

Steering module

Preferred operator list determination module

Call duration reporting module

Charging / billing database

Call monitoring system

International Gateway

Local SS7 Network

The inventive subscriber steering system (1) essentially comprises:

- a steering module (2) which enables to steer roaming subscribers to the preferred operators within the country in which they are currently located,

- at least one preferred operator list determination module (3) which generates and regularly updates the preferred operator lists for each country taking as basis the call durations of the outbound roamers, and

- a call duration reporting module (4) which the operator list determination module (3) accesses any time and receives information regarding the call durations of the outbound roamers, In the subscriber steering system (1), the call duration reporting module (4) is in communication with at least one system which enables to receive call duration information. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is in communication with at least one charging/billing database (5) where the call information are stored and/or a call monitoring system (6) which monitors call durations by monitoring calls made by the outbound roamers. This way, the call duration reporting module (4) receives information from the charging/billing database (5) and/or the call monitoring systems (6) regarding the call durations of the outbound roamers in the original operators (HPLMN).

The steering module (2) enables the roaming subscribers to be steered to the preferred operators within the country in which they are currently located, by using active or passive different methods. The steering module (2) may interfere with the different messages in the flow of the subscribers' registration messages to the network, in different stages of this flow. The said module (2) steers the roaming subscribers to the preferred operators included in the list determined by the preferred operator list determination module (3). The invention is independent from the steering mechanism and the technique used in the steering module (2), and any steering technique or algorithm may be used in the steering module (2). The invention also operates independent of when (such as at the initial registration of the outbound roamer to the network or the outbound roamer being mobilized within the network) the steering module (2) will activate steering.

The preferred operator list determination module (3) interrogates the call duration reporting module (4) in certain time intervals to check the suitability of the preferred operator lists that it prepares for the countries and generates new lists when required. The preferred operator list determination module (3) uses the total call durations and/or call types of the outbound roamers of the original operator as parameters when updating the preferred lists, that is to say, when selecting the prefen-ed operators and countries. This way, the operators that should be preferred are compiled by the lists that are updated periodically and automatically. In one embodiment of the invention, when generating or updating the preferred list, the said module (3) uses the total call durations of the outbound roamers of the HPLMN operator upon sorting them according to the type of call. The call duration reporting module (4) accesses different sources via appropriate interfaces for obtaining the call duration to interrogate these sources and records the total call durations of the outbound roamers of each original operator for the concerned time intervals. The invention is independent of the sources accessed and the methods of access.

The charging/billing database (5) of the operator may be one of the sources that the call duration reporting module (4) may interrogate. Since the outbound roamers are charged through the information therein, accuracy of these data is very high. However, as the information related to the calls made through the contracted operators arrive with a certain short or long delay, it may not be possible to receive information for time intervals that are very close to the current time. Additionally, since the data may not be provided by all contracted operators at the same time, receiving call duration information for close time intervals from the said database (5) may be misleading.

Another alternative source that might be used in the system (1) for determining the total call duration is the call monitoring system (6) which examines and monitors in different ways the calls and different messages of the outbound roamers. While the call monitoring systems (6) may provide real time information, their accuracy depends on how well the system is realized.

The invention is independent of how the sum of the call durations for certain intervals is received, and alternative sources apart from the examples given here can also be used for calculation of the sum of the call durations. The subscriber steering system (1) receives the information of sum of the call durations from a plurality of sources, and uses the information that is most accurate for determining the operator lists with the probability calculations that it makes or depending on priorities. For example, while the system (1) receives data from the call monitoring system (6) for close time intervals, it may receive data from the highly accurate charging/billing database (5) for larger or retroactive time intervals.

The preferred operator list determination module (3) is activated at frequencies (e.g. 1 minute, 10 minutes) supported by the capacity of the hardware on which the system (1) is running, and adapts itself for each country by taking as basis the call duration information received from the call duration reporting module (4) and updates or re-generates the lists containing the operators to be preferred. In the preferred operator list determination module (3), the type of the calls that will be taken into consideration for a country is predefined. This module (3) receives call duration reports from the call duration reporting module (4) for the type of calls that is defined for that country.

In the preferred operator list determination module (3), what the call type parameters should be are decided in advance. These parameters can be determined differently for each country. The system may operate for different alternative values independent from the values that these parameters may acquire or from their different combinations incorporated with different coefficients of these. Possible call type parameters may be call types such as original calls, terminated calls or local calls.

The preferred operator list determination module (3) makes calculations for each country and operator by using the following parameters and values.

"time interval": The date range that is taken as basis in an agreement concluded between two operators according to the call durations. For example, between January 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009. "period": The predefined time slice that makes up the time interval. For example: 1 day.

"target duration": The minimum total call duration that is targeted to be reached within a certain "time interval" for an operator. For example, the target call duration between January 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009 may be 500,000 minutes for operator Al in country A. Time intervals do not have to be equal for each operator. Similarly, it is not required to define a target for all operators for the said "time interval". It is possible to set targets for two out of three operators in the country for January -March and February - June, while not defining any target for the third operator.

"share": The coefficient which determines how much of the call duration exceeding the target call durations should be assigned to an operator.

"average target duration for the remaining periods": If a target call duration is given for a foreign network for the current time interval, it is the value that is calculated by dividing the remaining target call duration for the said time interval by the number of periods (e.g. number of days) remaining till the expiration of the said time interval.

"delta": A positive coefficient smaller than one, used to form a small buffer area for the target share. (E.g. 0.01) In the invention, estimation of "target duration for the next (forthcoming) period" is carried out by considering the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods". However the past period does not exactly reflect the forthcoming period. Delta is used to form a buffer area against this possibility, that is to say, to increase the calculated target by a certain extent and thus to make a more reliable estimation. "remaining call duration to reach the active target duration": The difference between the "target duration" and the "call duration that is attained at the current moment". The preferred operator list determination module (3) calculates the "average target duration for the remaining periods" for each operator and country and for each defined call type, if any. It makes the said calculation by dividing the "remaining call duration to reach the active target duration" by the "remaining days within the time interval given for the target duration". Then the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" is calculated and the "target duration for the next period" is calculated depending on the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods". For each operator, the "Call durations for the last period (day)" and the calculated "target durations for the next period" are compared. If the "Call duration for the last period (day)" is smaller than the calculated "target duration for the next period", the said operator is classified as preferred operator, otherwise it is classified as unpreferred operator. As a result of the classification, while the operators to be preferred are moved to the upper slots of the list, the unpreferred ones are moved to the lower slots of the list. If the sum of the durations of the calls made via the operators in the country is greater than the sum of the targets of the operators, the said extra call duration is distributed among the other operators whose targets are not fulfilled or which do not have targets. In one embodiment of the invention, the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" and the "target duration for the next period" are calculated in accordance with the following operations. When the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" is being calculated, target durations of the operators are increased by a certain extent with the "1+delta" coefficient, whereby fulfilling the targets, which is the primary purpose, is attained. The said calculated extra call duration is distributed among the operators in proportion to the "shares" of the operators.

"total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" = Total "call durations for the last period" of the operators in the country - Total "average target durations for the remaining periods" of the operators in the country * (1+delta)

"target duration for the next period" = "average target duration for the remaining periods" * (1+delta) + share (operator) * "total average extra call durations for the remaining periods"

In the following table, a numerical example and calculations are given in the following table for the "Al", "A2" and "A3" operators that are assumed to be operating in the country where steering will be realized.

The calculations in the said example are made assuming that we are currently in the second month of the year.

delta: 0.01

In the inventive subscriber steering system (1), the steering module (2) takes into consideration different data when deciding whether it will accept a new outbound roamer registration request (UL - UpdateLocation). These data may be a parameter such as the country, operator and subscriber class at which the request is made or a plurality of parameters to be selected among these parameters or other parameters. The steering module (2) accesses the preferred operator list by using the said parameter or parameters.

The steering module (2) may differentiate the preferred operator list with different parameters. It may keep different lists for different countries, operators and subscriber classes.

In the inventive system (1), the preferred operator lists used by the steering module (2) are updated periodically and automatically, and this system (1) can be used in any steering mechanism, technique or algorithm.

In the present invention, the total call duration that the original operator should provide in order to obtain discount can be reached automatically, without any manual interference. This decreases operational cost and probabilities of error; and since the process is carried out automatically in small time intervals with more precise adjustments, targets are achieved more precisely.

Mechanisms other than the examples given here can be used for attaining the call durations. The invention cannot be limited to the examples given herein.

The invention is basically the idea of automatically generating preferred operator list taking into consideration the call durations, and thus realizing adaptive steering. The calculations provided above are meant to constitute examples of the logic. The invention cannot be limited to the said calculation method.

Claims

It is possible to develop a wide variety of embodiments of the inventive subscriber steering system (1). The invention cannot be limited to the examples described herein and it is essentially according to the claims.

1. A subscriber steering system (1) comprising

- a steering module (2) which enables steering of roaming subscribers to the preferred operators within the country in which they are currently located,

- at least one preferred operator list determination module (3) which generates and regularly updates the preferred operator lists for each country, and

- a call duration reporting module (4), characterized by

- a steering module (2) which uses as parameters the country, operator, subscriber class at which the request is made and/or the operators to which steering will be realized, when deciding whether it will accept a new outbound roamer registration request (UL - UpdateLocation),

- a preferred operator list determination module (3) which generates and regularly updates the preferred operator lists for each country taking as basis the total call durations of the outbound roamers of the original operator, and

- a call duration reporting module (4) which the preferred operator list determination module (3) accesses any time and receives information regarding the call durations of the outbound roamers.

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3) which generates or updates the preferred operator lists by using the total call durations of the outbound roamers of the original operator upon sorting them according to the type of call.

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by a call duration reporting module (4), which is in communication with the charging/billing database (5) where the call information are stored, and which receives information regarding the call durations in the original operators (HPLMN).

A subscriber steering system (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized by a call duration reporting module (4), which is in communication with the call monitoring system (6) that monitors call durations by monitoring the calls made by the outbound roamers, and which receives information regarding the call durations in the original operators (HPLMN).

A subscriber steering system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by a steering module (2) which steers the outbound roamers to the preferred operators included in the list determined by the preferred operator list determination module (3).

A subscriber steering system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which checks the suitability of the preferred operator lists that it prepares for the countries by interrogating the call duration reporting module (4) in cextain time intervals, and generates new lists when required.

A subscriber steering system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which determines the preferred operators by using the parameters and values of "period", "time interval", "target duration", "share" and "delta" for each country and operator.

A subscriber steering system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which calculates the "average target duration for the remaining periods" for each operator and country and for each call type, if any, by dividing the "remaining call duration to reach the active target duration" by the "remaining days within the time interval given for the target duration".

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 8, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which calculates the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" and the "target duration for the next period" depending on the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods".

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 9, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which compares the "call duration for the last period (day)" and the calculated "target duration for the next period" for each operator, and, if the "call duration for the last period (day)" is smaller than the calculated "target duration for the next period", classifies the said operator as preferred operator, otherwise classifies it as unpreferred operator.

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 10, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which, as a result of the classification it carries out, moves the operators to be preferred to the upper echelons of the list while moving the ones that are not preferred to the lower echelons of the list.

12. A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 11, characterized by a prefen-ed operator list determination module (3), which, if the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" is greater than the sum of the targets of the operators, distributes the said extra call duration among the other operators whose targets are not fulfilled or which do not have targets.

13. A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 12, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which calculates the "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" according to the formula of

"total average extra call duration for the remaining periods" = total "call durations for the last period" of the operators in the country - total "average target durations for the remaining periods" of the operators in the country * (1+delta).

A subscriber steering system (1) according to Claim 13, characterized by a preferred operator list determination module (3), which calculates the "target duration for the next period" according to the formula of

"target duration for the next period" = "average target duration for the remaining periods" * (1+delta) + share (operator) * "total average extra call duration for the remaining periods".