Group Contact Entry Replacing Device Identifier

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users with multiple communication devices face challenges in managing unique identifiers for each device, leading to inconvenience in contacting or being contacted, as well as maintaining settings and information across devices, especially for hearing-impaired users who rely on video phone systems.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allows replacing a contact entry corresponding to a communication device with a contact entry corresponding to a user group, enabling communication devices to be associated with both individual and group unique identifiers, allowing servers to manage and synchronize contact information and settings across devices within a user group.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If each communication device is individually managed with separate user accounts and unique identifiers, then each device can operate independently, but users face the burden of keeping track of multiple login credentials and device identifiers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of managing multiple devicesVSAvoidcomplexity of managing multiple unique identifiers

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple device-specific contact entries into a single group contact entry that represents multiple communication devices. When a user selects the group contact entry, the system automatically distributes the communication to all devices within the group, eliminating the need for users to manually manage multiple individual contact entries and their associated unique identifiers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The group contact entry serves as a universal interface that can represent and manage multiple communication devices simultaneously. This single contact entry provides multi-functionality by enabling users to contact any or all devices in the group through one unified point of contact, rather than requiring separate contact entries for each device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple unique identifiers are assigned to different communication devices, then each device can be uniquely identified, but other people are inconvenienced by having to keep track of several identifiers when contacting the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of device identificationVSAvoidease of contacting user across devices

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple unique device identifiers into a single group identifier that represents the entire set of devices. This group identifier is stored in the group contact entry and can be used by other users to contact any device in the group, eliminating the need for them to remember or manage multiple individual identifiers while maintaining accurate device identification through the system's internal mapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The group contact entry acts as an intermediary between the user's multiple devices and external contacts. It provides a single point of contact that mediates communication distribution to the appropriate devices, shielding external users from the complexity of multiple identifiers while ensuring accurate delivery to the intended devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If contact information is maintained separately for each communication device, then device-specific information can be managed, but synchronization of settings and information across devices becomes burdensome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice-specific configuration flexibilityVSAvoidtime required to maintain information across devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the management of contact information across multiple devices into a centralized group contact entry. Changes made to the group contact entry are automatically synchronized to all devices within the group, eliminating the need for manual updates on each device while preserving device-specific configurations through the system's distribution mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where changes made to contact information on one device are automatically communicated and synchronized to other devices in the group. This ensures that all devices maintain consistent contact information without requiring manual intervention, reducing the time and effort needed to maintain information across multiple devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10082934B2Systems, methods, and devices for replacing a contact entry corresponding to a communication device with a contact entry corresponding to a user group

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 SORENSON IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems and methods for presenting a change contact entries option to a user of a first communication device, and causing a contact entry corresponding to the first communication device to be replaced with a contact entry corresponding to a user group to which the first communication device belongs. The first communication device is configured to communicate with one or more servers responsive to being addressed both with a first unique identifier assigned thereto and a first group unique identifier assigned thereto as a member of the user group.