Intelligent Call Waiting via External Presence Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional call waiting systems fail to effectively notify call recipients of blocked incoming calls when they are engaged in phone conversations, leading to missed calls due to limited notification methods and lack of user control over call handling options.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent call waiting system that queries external online service provider systems for user presence information and sends call notification messages to available devices, allowing users to handle calls through various options such as ignoring, taking a message, or forwarding, via a communications system integrating caller phones, telephone networks, online service providers, and call destination computers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional call waiting systems use audio cues inserted into the voice path, then call recipients can be notified of blocked incoming calls, but the notification method is limited and users lack control over call handling options
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the call handling functionality by separating the notification delivery from the call control. Multiple independent components handle different aspects: presence detection queries external systems, notification messages are generated separately, and call handling options are presented independently through online service providers rather than through a single integrated telephony system.
Solution Approach 2:
Online service provider systems act as intermediaries between the traditional telephony network and the user's devices. These intermediaries deliver notification messages to various user identities across different platforms and enable users to select call handling options, thereby extending control beyond what traditional audio cue systems provide while avoiding direct modification of the telephony infrastructure.
2Reliability
If call waiting systems query multiple external systems for user presence information, then notification delivery is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The online service provider systems perform multiple functions: they detect user presence across different devices, deliver notification messages to various user identities, and facilitate call handling option selection. This multi-functionality improves notification reliability by using existing infrastructure for multiple purposes rather than building dedicated systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system leverages existing online service provider infrastructure that already maintains presence information and user connectivity status. Rather than building new presence detection capabilities, the system queries external systems that already provide this information as part of their service, reducing the complexity burden while improving notification delivery.
3Ease of operation
If call notification messages are sent to multiple user identities across different devices, then user control over call handling is enhanced, but the complexity of managing conflicts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically resolves conflicts between multiple user identities by evaluating real-time factors such as which user is currently online, device availability, and user preferences. Rather than using fixed conflict resolution rules, the system adapts its decision-making based on current system state and user context, allowing flexible call handling while managing complexity through adaptive rather than rigid mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Alerting an intended recipient of a phone call includes identifying an account based on a phone call received from a caller and accessing configuration data related to the account. The configuration data is used to identify an identity associated with the account. One or more external online service provider systems are queried across a network to determine whether the identity is available to receive an electronic communication associated with the phone call. The electronic communication associated with the phone call is sent across the network to the one or more external online service provider systems conditioned on whether the identity is determined to be available to receive the electronic communication. The one or more external online service provider systems send the electronic communication to the identity.