Call Escalation System for Seamless Audio to Video Transitions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile communication systems lack seamless integration and optimal user experience for transitioning between different call types, such as audio-only and video calls, often resulting in suboptimal user interactions and unexpected behaviors.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that allows for the escalation of an audio-only call to a video call by sending a request to the recipient endpoint device, enabling selective presentation of an invitation to escalate the call, and utilizing a system with processors and memory to manage communication devices and applications that support seamless call transitions across various networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If video call technology is made available on mobile devices, then communication functionality is enhanced, but user experience deteriorates due to complex integration and unexpected behavior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication functionalityVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting when a user is engaged in an audio-only call and pre-preparing the video call interface. When the user switches to video call mode, the system has already established the necessary connection parameters and interface state, eliminating unexpected behavior and complex integration issues during the transition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary call management system that mediates between audio-only and video call protocols. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of protocol translation and state management, presenting a simplified interface to the user while maintaining robust functionality underneath.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If call escalation invitations are sent to all active endpoint devices, then ensure all devices receive notification, but privacy is compromised and unnecessary devices are alerted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification deliveryVSAvoidprivacy violation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by sending call escalation invitations selectively to only the specific endpoint device where the audio-only call is currently active. The invitation targeting is determined by local call state information, ensuring that only the relevant device receives the notification, thereby preserving user privacy while maintaining reliable delivery to the correct device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If seamless call transitions are implemented between audio-only and video calls, then user experience is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser experienceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the call transition system into distinct functional modules: audio call handler, video call handler, and transition manager. Each module manages specific aspects of call handling, and the transition manager coordinates between them. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity by making each component more manageable and independently testable while enabling seamless transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9888210B2Seamless call transitions with pinpoint call escalation

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A user who is online at multiple devices can be invited to escalate an audio-only call to a video call. The escalation invitation is sent only to, or shown only at, the endpoint device that is involved in the audio-only call. The technologies can support public switched telephone network audio-only calls, and escalation can be performed as a seamless call transition from audio-only to video call.