Direct Dialing Module with Availability Service Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telephone systems lack an efficient method for determining the availability of subscribers across different connections and provide limited information about a subscriber's busy state, leading to reduced clarity on the keypad and insufficient connection options, which results in frequent failed attempts to reach the desired subscriber.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that provide users with availability information of desired subscribers by referencing an external availability service, allowing for a quick overview and selection of connections with the highest success probability, including indirect or representative connections, through a direct dialing function that displays or voice outputs a list of terminals and connections, enabling automatic selection based on availability data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple direct dialing keys are assigned to one subscriber to provide multiple connection options, then the number of connection options increases, but the clarity on the keypad is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A single direct dialing key is made multi-functional by associating it with multiple connection numbers through a toggle mechanism. When a user presses a direct dialing key, the system provides multiple connection options (e.g., office, private, mobile) for the same subscriber, allowing one key to serve multiple purposes without cluttering the keypad layout.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct dialing key dynamically switches between different connection numbers using a toggle state. The key can be actuated in different ways (single press, double press, or with different timing) to select different connection options, making the key's function adaptable based on the user's input pattern rather than requiring separate static keys for each connection.
2Ease of operation
If direct dialing keys are used without availability information, then the dialing process is simple, but the success rate of connections is reduced due to frequent busy states
Solution Approach 1:
An LED indicator next to each direct dialing key provides real-time feedback about the availability status of the associated subscriber. The LED can show different states (e.g., green for available, red for busy) to inform the user whether dialing will likely succeed, allowing them to make an informed decision without adding complexity to the dialing process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-queries the availability status of subscribers before the user attempts to dial. This preliminary action of checking availability and displaying the status via LED allows the user to assess the likelihood of successful connection before committing to the dialing action, thereby improving connection success rate without complicating the actual dialing operation.
3Loss of information
If availability services are provided within the company but not accessible via the telephone system, then availability information exists, but it cannot be used for direct dialing decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an interface module that acts as an intermediary between the existing company availability service and the telephone system's direct dialing keys. This module translates availability information from the company's internal service into a format that can be displayed via LED indicators next to direct dialing keys, making the information accessible through the telephone system without requiring changes to the underlying availability service.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and module for the direct dialing from a first subscriber with a first terminal (1) in a telephone system (20a) to a second subscriber with a number of terminals from which at least one is connected outside the telephone system (20a) in which case availability information (14) about the second subscriber is requested by an availability service (24) that is connected outside the telephone system (20a) and at least parts of the availability information (14) are made accessible to the first subscriber at the first terminal (1) allocated to a direct dialing function (11, 12, 15) in order to set up a connection attempt to the connection of the second subscriber that has the highest probability of success in view of the availability information.