Host Device Call Relay and Answer Hold Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing audiovisual communications across multiple networked devices is increasingly complex due to the proliferation of different types of devices, such as desktops, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and wearables, making it difficult to handle incoming calls and maintain connectivity across these devices.
Innovation Solution
A system where a host device receives an incoming call and relays notifications to associated client devices, allowing a client device to instruct the host device to answer and place the call on hold, muting the call until the host device is actively engaged or disconnected, enabling seamless call management across multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a host device relays notifications to multiple client devices and allows any client to answer calls, then call management flexibility and user convenience are improved, but device complexity and communication protocol complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The host device serves as an intermediary between the network and multiple client devices. It receives call notifications from the network, relays them to associated client devices, and processes answer/hold commands from clients. This mediator role allows clients to manage calls without directly handling network protocols, simplifying client functionality while maintaining system flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The host device performs multiple functions: receiving network notifications, relaying to multiple clients, processing answer commands, placing calls on hold, and managing communication between clients and the network. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity in a single device rather than distributing it across all clients.
2Reliability
If the host device places the call on hold and mutes it until actively engaged, then communication continuity is improved, but call response time and user control are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The host device pre-establishes the call connection with the network before the client actually answers. When a client selects answer and hold, the host has already connected the call and placed it in a muted hold state. This preliminary connection establishment ensures communication continuity is ready, while the muted state prevents premature audio transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The call state dynamically transitions through different phases: notification → connected and muted → actively engaged. The host device manages these dynamic state changes, adjusting audio routing and connection status based on client actions. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain reliability while responding to user control inputs.
Data Source
AI summary
A host device may relay notifications to any number of client devices of an incoming call. In response to a hold command from a client device, the host device may connect to the call and place the call in a hold state. For example, when a phone operating as a host device receives an incoming call from a network, the phone may communicate the presence of the incoming call to client device(s), such as laptop, desktop, tablet, or wearable devices that are associated with the host device. When an answer and hold selection is made at a client, an answer and hold communication may be sent from the client device to the host device. The host device may then communicate with the network to connect the call to the host. When the call is connected, the host may mute the call until an answer or disconnect occurs.