Caller ID Display Circuit Resolving Ambiguous Contact Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing caller ID systems often provide ambiguous or misleading information when a telephone number is associated with multiple individuals, as they rely solely on the number rather than specific user information, leading to confusing displays for users.
Innovation Solution
A control circuit in electronic devices determines the contact number associated with an incoming call, accesses a contacts list to identify relevant contact identifiers, and decides on the display method, such as showing multiple identifiers or a numeric representation of how many identifiers correspond to the number, allowing for flexible presentation including textual and graphic content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the system displays only the telephone number for incoming calls, then the display is simple and unambiguous, but the user cannot distinguish between multiple individuals associated with the same number
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the contact identification process into distinct stages: retrieving the telephone number from the incoming call, querying the contacts list for matching entries, and presenting results in a structured format. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple contact matches systematically without overwhelming complexity, displaying each matched contact as a separate identifiable entity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing contact information including telephone numbers and associated identifiers in a contacts list before incoming calls occur. When a call arrives, the system quickly queries this pre-organized data structure, enabling rapid identification of multiple potential contacts without real-time computation overhead.
2Ease of operation
If the system displays multiple contact identifiers when a number is associated with multiple contacts, then the user can distinguish between individuals, but the display becomes more complex and may confuse users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing differentiated display treatment for different contact matching scenarios. When multiple contacts match a telephone number, the system displays each contact's identifier with distinct visual characteristics or formatting, allowing users to differentiate between contacts based on their specific attributes rather than presenting a uniform list.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing layer between the telephone number and the final display. This intermediary queries the contacts list, resolves multiple matches, and formats the output in a user-friendly manner, mediating between the raw data and the user interface to simplify the overall display structure while maintaining information richness.
3Measurement precision
If the system queries a contacts list to identify multiple contact identifiers, then accurate contact information is provided, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization of contact data by storing telephone numbers and associated contact identifiers in a pre-structured contacts list before they are needed. This pre-processing enables rapid querying and matching when incoming calls occur, maintaining high identification accuracy while minimizing real-time processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and maintains a local copy of contact information including telephone numbers and identifiers in device memory or accessible storage. This local copy enables rapid querying without needing to access external databases in real-time, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining identification accuracy through the pre-stored contact data.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control circuit determines a contact number as corresponds to an incoming call, accesses a contacts list to identify at least one contact identifier as corresponds to that contact number, and then makes a corresponding decision and/or takes a corresponding action regarding the display of more than one contact identifier as corresponds to the contact number and/or a numeric representation of how many contact identifiers correspond to the contact number. This can comprise simultaneously displaying at least two contact identifiers as correspond to the incoming contact number. These multiple identifiers can be displayed in a predetermined order. For example, earlier-entered contact identifiers may be presented ahead of later-entered contact identifiers. By another approach, the foregoing can comprise displaying only one of the candidate contact identifiers along with a numeric representation of how many contact identifiers correspond to the contact number.