IMS Tone Filtering for Personalized Ring Back Tones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) services in the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) do not allow callers to personalize their ring back tone, failing to determine whether to play the caller's or callee's tone when both parties are MRBT service subscribers.

Innovation Solution

A tone filtering service is implemented in the IMS, where a tone filtering application server receives a call request, determines whether to filter the tone based on user settings, and filters the tone accordingly by modifying the offer2 message and sending it to the calling terminal, refusing early media negotiation if necessary, and sending the Prack message to the tone application server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the callee orders the ring back tone in the existing IMS MRBT service, then the callee can receive personalized service, but the caller cannot personalize their ring back tone to reflect their own preference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetone personalization capabilityVSAvoidtone selection control
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically determines which tone to play (caller tone or callee tone) based on user preferences and call context. The tone filtering application server receives user preferences from the caller and dynamically selects the appropriate tone source, allowing flexible adaptation between caller-controlled and callee-controlled modes without requiring manual intervention during the call.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The tone filtering application server acts as an intermediary between the caller and the tone application server. It receives the call request, determines user preferences, filters the tone source (caller or callee), and then sends the controlled tone request to the tone application server, enabling centralized tone management and personalization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If both caller and callee are MRBT service subscribers, then personalized services can be provided to both, but the system cannot determine whether to play the caller tone or callee tone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetone selection flexibilityVSAvoidtone determination logic
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by receiving user preferences from the caller before the tone playback decision is made. The tone filtering application server stores these preferences and uses them to pre-determine which tone source should be selected, eliminating the need for complex real-time decision-making during the actual tone playback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The caller's tone preference is determined through self-service mechanisms where the caller's user profile stored in the HSS indicates their preferred tone source. The system automatically retrieves and applies this preference without requiring active participation or complex configuration during the call, simplifying the decision-making process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the tone filtering application server modifies the offer2 message to filter the tone, then the caller tone service can be implemented, but the early media negotiation may be refused

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetone filtering capabilityVSAvoidmedia negotiation success
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the media negotiation process based on the tone filtering decision. When the tone filtering application server modifies the offer2 message to filter the tone, it simultaneously manages the early media negotiation state, using dynamic response messages to either accept or refuse negotiation based on the filtering outcome, ensuring reliable operation under different conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2461558B1Method, System and Apparatus for Implementing Multimedia Ring Back Tone Service
Publication Date: 2016.06.01 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2461558B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2461558B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP2461558B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A method, system and apparatus for implementing a Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) service are provided. The method includes: receiving a call request originated by a calling terminal; parsing a tone playing policy specifying whether to play a caller tone or a callee tone or whether to filter a tone; performing caller tone media negotiation or callee tone media negotiation, or performing no tone negotiation according to the parsing result; and playing the caller tone or the callee tone to the caller, or playing no tone. With the technical solution of the present invention, the caller tone service can be implemented in the IMS domain. Whether a caller tone or a callee tone is played to the caller is determined according to a preset policy. Furthermore, the tone filtering service is also implemented. This gives a user freedom in experiencing the MRBT service.