Dynamic Ringback Tone Construction from Social Media Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ringback tone settings for mobile phones are limited to static playback and basic personalization, failing to provide dynamic and context-aware updates based on user interactions across various communication channels.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for automatically constructing status updates from data sourced from enterprise systems, social networks, personal information, contacts lists, instant messaging systems, and blogs, using a processor and computer-readable storage medium to dynamically generate ringback tones based on user interactions and connectivity strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If static playback or basic personalization is used for ringback tones, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but adaptability and information relevance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically constructs and updates ringback tones by harvesting status data from multiple communication channels (social networks, enterprise systems, blogs, contacts lists) without requiring manual user configuration. The system serves itself by autonomously selecting, constructing, and deploying relevant status updates as ringback tones based on caller identification and connectivity analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The ringback tone system transitions from static playback to dynamic generation by continuously monitoring and updating status data from multiple sources. The system adapts the ringback tone in real-time based on the caller's category and connectivity strength, ensuring the content remains relevant and personalized for each calling scenario.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If manual selection of ringback tones is implemented, then device complexity is minimized, but information relevance and personalization capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidinformation relevance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-harvests and processes status data from multiple communication channels before a call occurs. By continuously gathering and organizing status information from social networks, enterprise systems, blogs, and contacts lists in advance, the system ensures that relevant and personalized ringback tones are ready for immediate deployment when a call is initiated, eliminating information loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that automatically harvests, analyzes, and constructs status updates from multiple communication channels. This intermediary layer bridges the gap between raw data sources and the final ringback tone output, ensuring information relevance is maintained while keeping the user interface simple and the overall device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If dynamic and context-aware ringback tones are implemented, then adaptability and information relevance are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the ringback tone generation process into distinct functional modules: data harvesting from multiple communication channels, caller identification and categorization, connectivity strength analysis, status update construction, and tone deployment. This segmentation allows each module to be independently optimized and managed, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability and context-awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of information

If status data is harvested from multiple communication channels, then information completeness and personalization are improved, but data processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary data harvesting and processing by continuously monitoring and pre-processing status data from multiple communication channels before calls occur. This advance preparation ensures that when a call is initiated, the system can quickly retrieve and deploy the appropriate ringback tone without significant processing delays, maintaining both information completeness and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9380166B2Dynamically constructing and updating social media status for use as ringback tones

Publication Date: 2016.06.28 GLOBALFOUNDRIES US INC

AI summary

Methods and arrangements for constructing ringback tones. A contemplated method includes: obtaining data pertaining to a first user of a communication medium from one or more communication channels comprising at least one channel selected from the group consisting of: an enterprise system, a personal social network, personal information derived from the communication medium, a contacts list, an instant messaging system, a professional social network, and a personal blog; and when a second user attempts communication with the first user via the communication medium: dynamically and automatically constructing a status update based on the obtained data; and using the constructed status update as a ringback tone. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.