Dynamic Extension Assignment for Non-Enterprise Communication Sessions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in managing communication sessions between non-enterprise and enterprise endpoints, particularly when permanent credentials are used, leading to security risks and excessive resource allocation, which can overwhelm contact centers.

Innovation Solution

A system that assigns temporary passwords and dynamic communication addresses to non-enterprise endpoints, allowing secure and temporary communication sessions with enterprise endpoints, which are then disassociated to free resources for use by other endpoints.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If permanent credentials and extensions are assigned to non-enterprise endpoints, then communication functionality is enabled, but security risks increase and resource management becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication functionalityVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic extension assignment where extensions are temporarily allocated to non-enterprise endpoints only when needed for communication sessions. The system transitions from static permanent credential assignment to dynamic temporary credential assignment, allowing extensions to be actively assigned and then disassociated after use, thereby maintaining security while enabling communication functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary validation and authentication before assigning extensions to non-enterprise endpoints. Credentials are verified and extensions are pre-configured temporarily only after successful authentication, ensuring that security checks are completed before any communication resources are allocated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If permanent extensions are allocated to every non-enterprise endpoint, then communication sessions can be established, but the number of extensions exceeds contact center capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication session establishmentVSAvoidnumber of extensions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically allocates extensions from an available pool rather than maintaining permanent one-to-one mappings. Extensions are temporarily assigned to non-enterprise endpoints during active communication sessions and then released back to the pool, allowing the same extension to be reused across multiple sessions and endpoints, thereby reducing the total number of extensions required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a credential recycling mechanism where temporary passwords and extensions are discarded after their intended communication session completes and then recovered back into the available pool for reuse. This discarding and recovering process eliminates the need to permanently allocate unique extensions to every non-enterprise endpoint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of operation

If permanent credentials are provided to customer devices, then login and communication are enabled, but credentials can be maliciously used for unauthorized communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelogin capabilityVSAvoidunauthorized communication

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces static permanent credentials with dynamic temporary credentials that are time-limited and session-specific. Temporary passwords are generated and assigned only for the duration of authorized communication sessions, automatically expiring afterward, which prevents malicious reuse for unauthorized communications while maintaining ease of operation during legitimate sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs disposable temporary credentials that are valid only for short durations and single-use purposes. Each temporary password is designed to be short-lived and non-reusable, analogous to disposable security tokens, which eliminates the security risk associated with permanent credentials while maintaining operational convenience during authorized sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS9779231B2Distribution of ephemeral extension to communication sessions

Publication Date: 2017.10.03 AVAYA INC

AI summary

To allow more non-enterprise communication endpoints to communicate without having to allocate an extension for every non-enterprise communication endpoint, a request is received to communicate with an enterprise communication system from a non-enterprise communication endpoint. A temporary password is associated with a dynamic communication address (e.g., from a group of dynamic extensions). The temporary password and the dynamic communication address are sent to the non-enterprise communication endpoint. The non-enterprise communication endpoint registers with the communication system using the temporary password and the dynamic communication address. A communication session is established between the non-enterprise communication endpoint and an enterprise communication endpoint using the dynamic communication address. The temporary password is then disassociated from the dynamic communication address, thus freeing up the dynamic communication address for use with another non-enterprise communication endpoint.