Graphical Time Zone Wheel for Call Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of mobile communication devices face difficulties in determining appropriate times to call contacts in different time zones, leading to cumbersome coordination for international calls or calls across different time zones.

Innovation Solution

A system that determines and represents the appropriateness of calling a contact by generating a graphical time zone wheel, which aligns the user's time with the contact's local time, incorporating factors like time of day, day of week, holidays, call type, and contact status, and allows for scheduling of calls based on appropriateness levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a user manually checks time zones and schedules calls, then call coordination accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall timing accuracyVSAvoidtime to determine appropriate call times

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines appropriate call times by retrieving contact information including time zone data and locally generated time, then autonomously calculates appropriate call windows without requiring manual user intervention. The graphical user interface visually presents this information, enabling the system to serve itself in the time zone coordination task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical time zone checking with an automated electronic system that uses database queries, time zone conversion algorithms, and graphical visualization. The system substitutes human calculation with computational processes to determine appropriate call times based on contact time zones and local time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If the system displays detailed time zone and status information, then call appropriateness determination is improved, but interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact time zone and status informationVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The graphical user interface uses color-coded indicators to represent different time zone relationships and contact statuses. Different colors visually encode information about whether contacts are in the same time zone, their relative time offsets, and their availability status, allowing users to quickly grasp complex time zone information without detailed text or calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The interface segments contact information into distinct visual elements: time zone indicators, status symbols, and call time recommendations. By dividing the complex information about contacts into separate visual segments, the system presents detailed information in an organized, digestible format that reduces perceived interface complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9125009B2Determination and representation of call appropriateness

Publication Date: 2015.09.01 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A method, performed by a mobile communication device, may include receiving a request to call a contact; determining a location associated with the contact; determining a local time associated with the contact based on the determined location; and determining an appropriateness level for calling the contact, based on the determined local time. The method may further include generating a graphical representation that relates a local time associated with the mobile communication device, the local time associated with the contact, and an indication of the determined appropriateness level for calling the contact.