Communication Endpoint Service Control for Cost Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Businesses face high communication costs due to consumers using 1-800 numbers unnecessarily, and Web-based services complicate navigation, increasing costs and complexity for both consumers and businesses.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that uses a network-connected communications device to determine if a lower cost communication channel is available based on the consumer's location, allowing for automatic redirection to a local number or VoIP destination, thereby reducing costs and simplifying the communication initiation process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If consumers use 1-800 numbers for all voice contact attempts, then consumers can easily contact businesses from any location, but communication costs for businesses increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of consumer contactVSAvoidcommunication cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically selects between 1-800 numbers and local numbers based on the consumer's current location and the specific business location being contacted. This dynamic routing optimizes cost while maintaining ease of use, as consumers simply dial the provided number without needing to understand cost implications or make manual routing decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The service acts as an intermediary between consumers and businesses by providing intelligent number selection. The system receives the consumer's location data and the business location, then automatically determines the optimal number to dial, eliminating the need for consumers to manually choose between cost options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If businesses provide multiple voice contact numbers for different service regions, then communication costs can be reduced, but consumers lack knowledge of which numbers to use and complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costVSAvoidnumber selection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically determining and selecting the appropriate contact number based on location data. Consumers simply provide their location information once, and the system autonomously handles the complexity of selecting between multiple available numbers, eliminating the need for consumer education or manual decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing optimal routing information based on location data before the actual call is placed. This advance preparation eliminates the need for consumers to make complex decisions at the moment of contact initiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If businesses provide Web-based services as alternative contact channels, then voice communication costs can be reduced, but consumer navigation task complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costVSAvoidnavigation task complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical navigation process required by Web-based services with an automated telephony system. Instead of requiring consumers to manually navigate through websites and menus, the system uses automated voice processing and location-based routing to achieve the same contact objective with significantly reduced consumer effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Loss of energy

If consumers are directed to use local numbers instead of 1-800 numbers, then communication costs decrease, but consumers must perform additional navigation tasks to find and use the correct number

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costVSAvoidtime for navigation tasks

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The service acts as an intermediary that eliminates the time-consuming navigation process by automatically providing the correct local number based on location data. Consumers simply input their location once, and the system handles all subsequent routing decisions, saving both time and effort compared to manual number selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10462304B2Service control point functionality implemented at communication endpoints

Publication Date: 2019.10.29 GENESYS CLOUD SERVICES INC

AI summary

A system for managing customer-to-business voice communication has a network-connected communications device and instructions executable on the communications device from a non-transitory physical medium, the instructions providing a first function for determining if a destination asserted requires treatment, a second function for sending data from the communications device to a network-connected server, a third function for receiving alternative destination information from the server, and a fourth function for establishing communication with the business based on the returned destination information.