Suppression of Announcement Indicator in IMS Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

In communication networks, users are often charged for failure announcements even if a communication session is not established, and these announcements cannot be suppressed in IMS systems, preventing reconnection to different numbers.

Innovation Solution

A suppression of announcement indicator, known as the SOA bit, is added in the Connect operation to prevent failure announcements from being played to users when a communication session with a second user is not established, applicable to SIP and PSTN users within IMS and PSTN networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If failure announcements are played to users when communication session cannot be established, then users are informed of the reason for failure, but users are charged for the announcement even though no communication session was established

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about failure reasonVSAvoidusage charges

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a new parameter (suppression of announcement indicator) in the Connect operation that can change the state of announcement playback from enabled to suppressed. This parameter change allows the system to selectively control whether failure announcements are played, thereby preventing unwanted charges while still allowing information delivery when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The suppression of announcement indicator acts as an intermediary element between the network and the user. It mediates the announcement playback process by providing a control mechanism that prevents direct charging for failed announcements, while still allowing the network to convey failure reasons when necessary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If failure announcements are played from the network, then users are informed of the failure reason, but the network cannot allow users to reconnect to a different number or third user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure reason informationVSAvoidreconnection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the announcement suppression function from the traditional announcement playback mechanism. By separating the suppression indicator from the announcement playback process, the system allows users to receive failure information without being locked into the current communication attempt, enabling reconnection to different destinations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The suppression of announcement indicator introduces dynamic control over announcement playback. Instead of a static always-play-announcements approach, the system dynamically adjusts announcement behavior based on the indicator value, allowing flexible reconnection attempts to different numbers or users after a failed communication attempt.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If suppression of announcement indicator is added in Connect operation, then failure announcements can be suppressed to avoid charges, but the system complexity increases due to additional indicator management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage chargesVSAvoidindicator management

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suppression of announcement indicator is designed to work across multiple network types (PSTN, IMS, SIP) and user combinations. This universal approach allows a single indicator mechanism to handle various scenarios (SIP user calling PSTN user, PSTN user calling SIP user, SIP user calling SIP user) without requiring separate complex management systems for each case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If suppression of announcement indicator is added in P-Interaction-Indicator or National-Parameter, then compatibility with different user types is achieved, but the implementation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser type compatibilityVSAvoidimplementation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses existing intermediary structures (P-Interaction-Indicator for IMS users and National-Parameter for PSTN users) to carry the suppression indicator. By leveraging these existing mediation layers, the system achieves compatibility with different user types without creating entirely new complex structures, reducing implementation complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9955005B2Suppression of announcements in communication networks

Publication Date: 2018.04.24 ALCATEL LUCENT SA

AI summary

Suppression of Announcements in Communication Networks. The present invention relates to communication networks and, more particularly, to announcements in communication networks. System and method for suppression of announcement made to a user in a communication network. A user requests to start a communication session with a second user in the network. A suppression of announcement indicator is added in Connect operation while the communication session is being established with the second user and the announcement is suppressed from being played to the user if the second user is unable to answer the request. The users may be IMS users and/or PSTN users belonging to the same network or different networks.