Call Processing System for Pre-Call Service Variation Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing telecommunications systems determine the local variation of a service for a call based on the caller's location after the call is placed, which does not allow callers to select their preferred local variation of a general service prior to making a call.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that allow callers to select a preferred local variation of a general service before placing a call by processing a call request and generating a control message to route the call to the chosen service variation, using a call processing system that receives and processes caller preferences to direct the call to the appropriate service variation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the system determines local service variation based on caller location after call placement, then the routing is automatically correct for local services, but the caller cannot select their preferred local variation of a general service

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaller preference selectionVSAvoidcall setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by determining the caller's preferred local service variation before the call is placed. The call processing system accesses a database to retrieve pre-stored preference information associated with the caller ID, allowing the caller to be connected to their preferred local affiliate station rather than relying on default location-based routing determined after call placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system uses location-based routing determined after call placement, then the routing mechanism is simple and automatic, but it does not allow callers to connect to their preferred local affiliate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice variation selectionVSAvoidcall processing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediary call processing system that sits between the telephone network and the service providers. This intermediary system handles the complexity of preference-based routing by accessing a database of caller preferences and translating dialed codes into appropriate routing instructions, thereby enabling service variation selection without requiring changes to the underlying telephone network infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by automatically retrieving and applying the caller's pre-stored preference information from the database without requiring manual intervention or additional input from the caller during the call setup process. The call processing system autonomously determines the preferred local service variation based on the caller ID and routes the call accordingly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If abbreviated dialing codes are reused across multiple markets, then the dialing system is efficient and simple, but the same code routes to different local variations based on caller location rather than caller preference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedialing efficiencyVSAvoidservice variation control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the caller's pre-stored preference information to override the default location-based routing. The call processing system continuously references the database of caller preferences and uses this feedback to dynamically route calls to the preferred local service variation, ensuring that repeated use of the same abbreviated dialing code consistently connects the caller to their chosen affiliate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7920688B1Service variation selection

Publication Date: 2011.04.05 T MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

A call processing system comprising an interface configured to receive a call request for a call from a caller to a service having a plurality of service variations and transmit a first control message, and a processing system configured to process the call request to select a first service variation of the plurality of service variations based on a first preference indicated by the caller prior to the call and generating the first control message identifying the first service variation.