Real-Time Call Announcement Media Correlation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing call alert process in traditional telephone systems is inefficient, as it requires manual association of ringtones with caller IDs and lacks caller control over call announcements, leading to impractical delays in call setup when implementing real-time call announcements.

Innovation Solution

A method where a called device receives and plays call announcement media without first engaging in session setup signaling, correlating the media with a call setup request using common signaling parameters, and publishes its address/port information for the calling device to send announcements directly, allowing immediate playout of custom voice or video announcements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the called device engages in session setup signaling before receiving call announcement media, then the media can be properly received and played, but this causes impractical delays in call setup

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall announcement deliveryVSAvoidcall setup delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The calling device performs preliminary actions by sending the call announcement media (RTP packets) before the called device completes session setup signaling. The media is transmitted in advance using the calling device's knowledge of the called device's address and port, allowing immediate playback without waiting for traditional session establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary approach where the calling device acts as the mediator by unilaterally establishing the media transmission path. Instead of requiring mutual session setup, the calling device sends media directly to the called device's published address, and the called device plays it without formal session acknowledgment, thus bypassing the traditional signaling bottleneck.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the receiving party manually associates ringtones with caller IDs, then custom call identification is achieved, but this lacks caller control and requires extensive manual configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall identification customizationVSAvoidmanual configuration effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing the calling party to automatically provide custom call announcements without requiring the called party to manually configure anything. The caller records and sends their own announcement media, which is then automatically delivered and played by the called device, eliminating manual ringtone association entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the traditional model by shifting control from the receiving party to the calling party. Instead of the receiver selecting and associating ringtones, the caller creates and sends their own announcement media, reversing who has control over the call identification content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If a traditional session setup is established before media transmission, then proper session management is achieved, but this adds unnecessary signaling overhead for simple call announcements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession managementVSAvoidsignaling process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the media transmission function from the traditional session setup process. Instead of requiring a complete SIP INVITE-200 OK-ACK sequence, the media transmission is separated and performed independently using previously published address information, removing the unnecessary signaling overhead while maintaining reliable delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The published address and port information serve multiple functions: they enable both incoming call routing and outgoing media transmission. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate session setup signaling, as the same address information used for receiving calls also enables sending call announcements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9215253B1Method, device, and system for real-time call annoucement

Publication Date: 2015.12.15 SPRINT SPECTRUM LLC

AI summary

A method and corresponding device and system to provide a real-time call announcement to a called device. According to the method, a called device begins receiving call announcement media without having first engaged in session setup signaling to set up a session through which to receive the call announcement media. In normal operation, the device would disregard such incoming media, since no session has been set up for receiving the media. As disclosed, however, the device will also receive at about the same time a call setup request that seeks setup of the underlying call, and the device will treat its receipt of that call setup request as a key to allow playout of the call announcement media even though no session has been set up for receipt of the call announcement media. The called device will then play out the call announcement media as an announcement for the call.