Dynamic Voice Message Selection via DTMF Tone Input

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current call management systems do not allow users to dynamically select and send appropriate voice or video messages to callers based on the context of the call, limiting the ability to provide tailored responses to incoming calls without preconfiguration or frequent user input.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that enables users to dynamically choose and transmit messages, such as audio or video messages, to callers by determining the content of the message based on user instructions, allowing for context-specific responses, and using DTMF tones to communicate these instructions to the communication network, which can modify the caller's hold timer and work with all terminals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a user wants to provide a context-specific voice message to a caller, then the message relevance is improved, but the system complexity increases due to real-time message selection requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage relevanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures multiple voice messages in the user's profile before calls occur. When a call comes in, the system automatically selects and plays the appropriate pre-configured message based on call context (e.g., caller ID, time of day, user mood state), eliminating the need for real-time user input while maintaining message relevance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to autonomously manage their own voice messages by allowing them to configure different messages for different situations in their profile. The system then automatically applies these user-configured messages without requiring ongoing user intervention during calls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If the user updates mood state frequently in profile, then the ringback tone adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to restrictive user burden

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveringback tone adaptabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Users configure their mood states and corresponding ringback tones in advance in their profile during off-call periods. The system stores these pre-configured states and automatically applies the appropriate ringback tone based on the current call context, eliminating the need for frequent updates during calls while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the user wants to make a correspondent wait before taking the call, then the call management flexibility is improved, but the loss of time increases due to waiting duration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall management flexibilityVSAvoidwaiting duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system plays periodic ringback tones or voice messages to the waiting caller at set intervals. This allows the user to manage the call delay effectively while keeping the waiting caller informed, reducing the perceived waiting time through structured periodic updates rather than continuous silence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

4Reliability

If a conventional telephone terminal locks keyboard on incoming call, then the terminal reliability is improved, but the ease of operation worsens by preventing message selection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveterminal reliabilityVSAvoidmessage selection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures all necessary voice messages and mood states in the user's profile before the call arrives. When the call comes in and the keyboard locks, the system automatically selects and plays the appropriate pre-configured message without requiring any user input, thus maintaining both terminal reliability and message selection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2120438B1Method for data transmission and corresponding communication system
Publication Date: 2012.10.31 ORANGE SA
  • EP2120438B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2120438B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2120438B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The method involves requesting linking of a calling device (T1) i.e. wireless phone, with a called device (T2) i.e. wireless phone, and notifying the request to a user of the called device. Content of sound message to be transmitted to the calling device is determined according to instruction emitted by the user of the called device, where the instruction is transmitted using dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) type tone, and comprises a choice of sound message to be transmitted to the calling device. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a communication system in a communication network, comprising an application server (2) a computer program comprising instructions for implementing a data transmission method.