Cellular Status Detection and Call Routing for Reachability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems do not provide detailed status information about a called cellular telephone to the caller, such as whether the phone is off, on but busy, or temporarily unavailable, leading to futile calling attempts and frustration.
Innovation Solution
Implementing methods and apparatus to determine and report the status of a called cellular telephone, including routing calls to landline phones for better reception and providing detailed status information to the caller, which includes whether the phone is off, on but busy, or temporarily unavailable due to system constraints or user choice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If call routing systems provide basic busy status information only, then system complexity remains low, but caller information availability is insufficient leading to frustrated calling attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the called party status into distinct categories (busy, unavailable, off, unreachable) and further divides unavailable into sub-types (temporary unavailability, long-term unavailability). This segmentation allows the system to provide detailed status information without overwhelming complexity, as each status type can be handled through standardized call routing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary status detection and classification before the actual call routing decision. By determining the called party's status in advance and categorizing it into specific types, the system can prepare appropriate routing instructions ahead of time, reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making while providing comprehensive information to callers.
2Ease of operation
If detailed status information is provided to callers, then caller satisfaction and call retry timing improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by providing callers with detailed status information about the called party before the call connects. This feedback loop allows callers to make informed decisions about whether to retry the call, when to retry it, and what to expect, thereby improving ease of operation without requiring complex interactive systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of status information granularity from basic (on/off/busy) to detailed (specific reasons for unavailability, temporary vs. long-term status). By systematically organizing status information into defined parameter categories, the system provides enhanced caller guidance while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized classification schemes.
3Reliability
If calls are routed to landline phones for better reception, then call quality improves, but caller awareness of phone status is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary status determination and communicates it to the caller before initiating the call to the landline phone. By assessing the cellular phone's status in advance and informing the caller of the reasons for routing (e.g., poor reception, temporary unavailability), the system maintains both call reliability and information transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The call routing system acts as an intermediary that bridges the cellular network status information and the caller. It receives status data from the cellular network, processes it into meaningful information, and communicates both the status and the routing decision to the caller, thereby preserving information while enabling reliable call delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A service is provided to cell phone subscribers to improve reachability. A home location register node maintains state information on a subscriber's cell phone status. Cell phone status information includes: off; on, registered and available to receive calls; on, registered but busy participating in an ongoing call; on, registered but temporarily unavailable; and on, registered but unattended. Temporarily unavailable is further qualified: poor reception location, high interference, cell throughput saturation, intentional user disposition. Long term unavailability may also be inferred and indicated depending on the device and/or system status. When a call to a subscriber's cell phone cannot be completed or is not answered, the service annunciates the reason to the calling party. The calling party can then make a more informed decision as to when to reattempt the call and is more likely to reattempt the call. The service is provided in conjunction with call forwarding to landlines phones and/or voicemail.