Enriched Ring-Back Tone Status Delivery via SIP
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for notifying callers about the reason for an unanswered call are inadequate, as pre-written messages can be missed and do not reach landline phones, leading to a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating a device that generates and transmits a ringing message with an enriched ring-back tone to the caller, based on the device's status information, such as notification modes or user availability, using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a pre-written text message is sent to the caller, then information about the callee's status is provided, but the message may be missed by the caller or cannot reach a landline phone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the ring-back tone as an intermediary medium to convey status information. Instead of relying on text messages that may be missed or incompatible with landlines, the system embeds status information within the audio ring-back tone that plays when the callee does not answer. This intermediary approach ensures universal compatibility and reliable delivery since the tone is guaranteed to be heard by all callers regardless of device type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/text-based communication system (SMS messages) with an audio-based system (enriched ring-back tones). This substitution leverages the fact that audio tones are universally compatible across all phone types including landlines, whereas text messages have compatibility issues. The audio medium replaces the unreliable text message delivery mechanism
2Ease of operation
If the device sends status information to the caller, then the user experience is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining multiple status types (e.g., do not disturb mode, driving mode, meeting mode) and their corresponding enriched ring-back tones in advance. When a call comes in, the device simply checks which pre-defined status applies and selects the corresponding tone, rather than generating complex dynamic content. This reduces real-time processing complexity while still providing rich information to the caller
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters of the ring-back tone (such as adding text-to-speech overlays, modifying tone patterns, or appending status messages) based on the detected status. Instead of creating entirely different communication mechanisms for each status, the system takes a base ring-back tone and modifies its parameters (audio content, duration, patterns) to convey different status information, thereby managing complexity through parameter variation rather than structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a device includes the following, performed by a processing unit of the device: receiving a message signaling an incoming phone call from a calling party via a server; generating a ringing message including at least one additional parameter specifying an enriched ring-back tone to be played, as a function of at least a status information available to the device; and transmitting the ringing message to the server for playing to the calling party the enriched ring-back tone.