Communication Session Access Service Using Unique Identifiers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for adding participants to telephone calls and web-based meetings are cumbersome, often requiring complex sequences of actions and reliance on readily available URLs or invitations, which can fail if participants are not ready to join.

Innovation Solution

A communication session access service assigns unique communication identifiers to users, allowing them to easily join or add others to calls and meetings by clicking on a 'zip' identifier, which maps to all current and scheduled sessions, simplifying access and authorization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex sequences of actions are required to add participants (e.g., hitting conference button, dialing numbers), then access control reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess control reliabilityVSAvoidease of adding participants

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a conference bridge as an intermediary component that mediates between participants and the communication session. The bridge handle represents the conference bridge in the session, allowing participants to be added by simply providing their device identifiers to the bridge, rather than requiring complex manual sequences. The bridge automatically manages the admission process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The conference bridge autonomously manages participant admission without requiring manual intervention from existing participants. When a new participant's device identifier is provided to the bridge, the bridge automatically admits the participant to the session, eliminating the need for participants to manually execute complex sequences of actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual navigation and email entry are required to invite participants to web-based meetings, then security is improved, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidproductivity of adding participants

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the conference bridge and generating its handle before participants need to join. The bridge is ready to accept participant admissions immediately, eliminating the need for manual navigation and email entry at the moment of participant addition. URLs with bridge handles are pre-generated and can be distributed for immediate joining.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (navigation through web pages, typing email addresses) with automated electronic processes. The system electronically transmits bridge handles and device identifiers through communication networks, automatically matching participants to sessions without requiring manual input operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If specific meeting URLs are required for joining sessions, then access control is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess controlVSAvoidease of joining sessions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The conference bridge serves multiple functions: it acts as both the access control mechanism (through the bridge handle) and the joining mechanism (through automated admission). The same bridge handle used for access control also enables easy joining by simply providing the device identifier to the bridge, eliminating the need for separate URL management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The conference bridge acts as an intermediary that simplifies the joining process. Instead of requiring participants to navigate to specific URLs and manually enter information, the bridge receives device identifiers and automatically admits participants, making the process as simple as providing the bridge handle and device identifier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10574710B2Managing access to communication sessions with communication identifiers of users and using chat applications

Publication Date: 2020.02.25 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A server is configured to provide a service that manages access to communication sessions supported by at least one communication service and to which user devices connect. The service assigns to users registered with the service respective communication identifiers that the users, and unregistered users of the service, use to access the communication sessions via user devices. The service maps each communication identifier to a list of communication sessions, if any, in which the respective user is currently participating and/or is scheduled to participate. The service receives from a user device a join request from a requester. The join request indicates a particular communication identifier of a particular user registered with the service and a requester identifier. The service connects the user device to a communication session, if any, based on the particular communication identifier and the requester identifier.